By Budd Bailey, Buffalo Sports Page Columnist
No. 83: April 21, 2001 – The Bills trade their first-round draft choice in 2001 (Kenyatta Walker) to Tampa Bay for a first-round draft choice in 2001 (Nate Clements) and a second-round draft choice in 2001.
The Bills traded down twice during the NFL draft, and in hindsight they came out pretty well. The Bucs wanted to move up from 14th to 21st in the first round, and the price tag was a second round pick. Kenyatta Walker played for five years in Tampa Bay as a starter, but was never better than “all right.”
Nate Clements was better than that. He moved right in a starter for the Bills at cornerback, and he had six productive years there. Clemens made the Pro Bowl once and finished with 23 interceptions. He jumped to San Francisco as a free agent as the 49ers made him the highest paid defensive player in league history at that point in 2007.
By the way, Buffalo traded that second-round pick to Denver for a second-rounder and a fourth-rounder. Travis Henry was a good choice in the second round, and Brandon Spoon played linebacker for a season in Buffalo. Meanwhile, Paul Toviessi had injury problems and never suited up for the Broncos.
(Follow Budd on Twitter @WDX2BB)
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