ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bills general manager Buddy Nix clearly didn't use Q-ratings in the evaluation process.

The Bills drafted Central Florida nose tackle Torell Troup -- a prospect so far out of the pre-draft spotlight some official Web sites misspelled his name -- with the 41st pick in the draft Friday night, passing on bigger names that would have appeased the fans more.

The Bills avoided Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen for the second time when they chose Troup, whom they preferred ahead of Alabama nose tackle Terrence Cody. Scouts Inc. projected Troup as a fourth-round pick and Cody as a second-rounder. The Baltimore Ravens drafted Cody with the 57th pick.

The Carolina Panthers ended Clausen's misery with the 48th selection. The Bills still could have had Texas quarterback Colt McCoy in the third round, but went with Arkansas State defensive end Alex Carrington in the 72nd slot instead.

"We got a lot of needs, guys," Nix said in explaining why they passed on certain players.

Buffalo took running back C.J. Spiller ninth overall rather than a number of highly touted prospects at need positions with the ninth pick.

"In the draft, you can only take one each pick," Nix said. "We're in a position where they should give us about three, but they won't do that.

"You say we haven't addressed the offensive line. We want to take a guy we know can come in and help us, and if he can't then we're going to go on to another guy. If you take a guy that can't play, then you've compounded the problem. Now you got two that can't play."

When it was pointed out to Nix that Clausen was considered an early first-round pick, he cracked back.

"How come they didn't take him?" Nix said. "He was there, and he was there at 42."

The Bills have an ambiguous quarterback situation with Trent Edwards, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Brian Brohm. Even though they didn't add another one through the first three rounds, Nix confirmed the Bills will add a fourth quarterback either Saturday or by adding a veteran through free agency or a trade.

"We got three quarterbacks that got talent that we don't know," Nix said. "All the physical stuff you see, they can play. Now they've got to prove to us whether they can or not, not what they have done. I keep saying that, and we have positions where we don't have three [players] that we can count on."