By Budd Bailey, Buffalo Sports Page Columnist
No. 78 – Ben Williams of the Bills
Taken in Round 3 in 1976
Other picks in the round: The best choice was Jackie Slater, who went to the Rams. The offensive tackle had a Hall of Fame career. Many other veterans came out of the round, including Reggie Williams of the Bengals, Gary Barbaro of the Chiefs, and Greg Buttle of the Chiefs.
The details: Williams is remembered at the University of Mississippi as the first African American to play football there. He arrived in Buffalo in 1976 – just in time to see the team collapse, even though it wasn’t his fault. Ben stayed for 10 years, and remained a very good player throughout that span.
Other 78s: Marquise Goodwin was a world-class long jumper when he came to the Bills in 2013. His speed wasn’t helpful when he was on the sidelines with injuries, which was his biggest problem in his four years in Buffalo. Jamie Mueller came out of Benedictine in 1987 to play four seasons at running back in Buffalo.
(Follow Budd on Twitter @WDX2BB)
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