Grading the Buffalo Bills’ 2020 rookie class
The Buffalo Bills are about to replace their current rookies with new ones. The 2021 NFL Draft is right around the corner.
As the 2020 draftees by the Bills are now set to lose their “rookie” status, let’s hand some marks for how their debut seasons went.
Here’s how Bills Wire grades last year’s rookie class:
CB Dane Jackson
Bills cornerback Dane Jackson (Gannett photo)
Grade: B
Expectations are very low when you're a seventh-round rookie. Jackson, in five games, had an interception last year and defended a pass in the end zone vs. DeAndre Hopkins. All-in-all, even if it's a smokescreen, the work Jackson put in last year was good enough to make general manager Brandon Beane praise Jackson multiple times this offseason. Not a bad start to his career.
Bills wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins. (James P. McCoy/Buffalo News via AP, Pool)
Grade: Incomplete
Hodgins was designated to return from injured reserve late in the regular season, but there's a reason we only have pictures of him in practice uniforms. A shoulder injury kept him sidelined his entire rookie year. Can't do anything but an "incomplete" at this point.
Bills kicker Tyler Bass. Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Grade: A-
Bumpy start, but in the playoffs Bass was going toe-to-toe with Justin Tucker and made 50 yarders took awfully easy. A top-notch rookie year.
QB Jake Fromm
Bills quarterback Jake Fromm. (James P. McCoy/Buffalo News vas AP, Pool)
Grade: Incomplete
The Bills would tell you Fromm was the best "quarantine quarterback" in NFL history in 2020... but we aren't even really sure what that means aside from just staying away from everyone. Hopefully 2021 has a preseason so we can get some Fromm action. Always fun to watch.
WR Gabe Davis
Bills wide receiver Gabriel Davis. (AP Photo/John Munson)
Grade: A-
Davis wasn't always excellent, but the bar shouldn't be through the roof for rookie wideouts. We've seen plenty of them in Bills history have bad first seasons. Did Davis have some drops like in the end zone vs. the Patriots? Sure... but he stepped up when John Brown was out and his toe grabs along the sideline were beautiful.
RB Zack Moss
Bills running back Zack Moss. Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
Grade: B-
The Bills running game... just never really got going last year, did it? Hard to give Moss anything more than an average grade because of that. He, at least, would get a better mark than his counterpart in Devin Singletary, who would probably be in the "C" range. By comparison, Moss's running style was better suited for the offense.
DE AJ Epenesa
Bills defensive end A.J. Epenesa. (AP Photo/Brett Carlsen)
Grade: C+
Epenesa finally got going toward the end of his rookie year, but never flashed anything crazy good. He was always viewed as a project prospect though, so Epenesa has plenty of time to get going. Beane also alluded to Epenesa dealing with a weight situation early in his career as well. The team asked him to drop pounds last summer, and he got himself too small. That's the reason why he was a healthy scratch for the Bills' season opener.
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