The Buffalo Bills make back-to-back offensive tackle selections in the 2021 NFL Draft. Buffalo first drafted Spencer Brown out of Northern Iowa in the third round of the draft on Friday, then follow it up by selecting Tommy Doyle with the 161st overall pick in the fifth round out of Miami University (OH).
Doyle stands in at 6-foot-8 and 320 pounds, adding to the bulking stature of Brown, who is also listed at 6-foot-8 and 311 pounds. He showed up to college at 6-foot-7 and 270 pounds, having not played much on the offensive line before. With his imposing frame, Doyle said he’s a player who’s always going to give it his all.
“I’m just really excited to get [to Orchard Park],” Doyle said during his introductory Zoom conference call. “I’m going to do what the coaches ask me to do and compete. I’m going to shut my mouth and earn the respect of my teammates. ... You’re going to get a competitive, tough player."
He also earned first team All-MAC honors during the 2019 season, where he started 13 games at left tackle as part of the offensive line that gave up just two sacks per-game in that season. His first start at left tackle came against the University of Iowa, where he faced off against current Bills defensive end A.J. Epenesa.
“It was a super exciting day,” Doyle recalled. “It was my first start at left tackle. Being able to play against such a great player like [A.J. Epenesa], it was a cool opportunity.”
Doyle grew up in Edina, Minnesota, which is a hotbed for hockey prospects who go onto to play in college and later the National Hockey League. His childhood hero was the late Derek Boogaard, who was best known as an enforcer with the Minnesota Wild and New York Rangers. Doyle mentioned that he grew up in the youth hockey atmosphere, as many do in Western New York.
“I grew up skating and playing on a bunch of youth hockey teams,” Doyle said. “I played in pee-wee hockey and in Bantam hockey leagues. Ultimately, I continued to grow and get better and fell in love with football. I felt like that was the better path.”
Doyle later added he knows about the Buffalo Sabres, and specifically captain Jack Eichel.
You can listen to Doyle’s entire introductory conference call below: