Is Bills WR Khalil Shakir Buffalo’s Own Puka Nacua?
He's not exactly Puka Nacua, but the Buffalo Bills may have found a fifth-round gem at wide receiver.
One year before the Rams selected Nacua in Round 5, the Bills made Boise State's Khalil Shakir the No. 148 overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft. After a somewhat disappointing rookie campaign, Shakir has emerged as a viable weapon for the Bills' aerial attack in 2023. He's seen his snap count increase dramatically and is producing to the tune of 15.3 yards per reception.
Shakir has played more than 60 percent of offensive snaps in seven of his last nine appearances. The second-year pro was on the field 80 percent of the time against New England, out-snapping WR1 Stefon Diggs.
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"The game plan with us for a while was double 14 [Stefon Diggs] and make everybody else beat you. Consistently, guys have now shown that they can step up and make those plays," said quarterback Josh Allen, naming Shakir as one of those "guys."
Through 16 games, Shakir has made 33 catches for 506 yards and two touchdowns. After securing only 10 of 20 targets as a rookie, Shakir has accounted for an 84.6 catch percentage this season.
"Khalil's the guy that's gonna be exactly where he needs to be on every single play. He's extremely smart. He's extremely reliable,” said Allen.
The 2022 fifth-rounder has shown the ability to get open in key spots. Shakir has moved the chains with 23 of his 33 receptions.
Establishing himself as Buffalo's WR3, Shakir has seen seven total targets over the past two games and caught them all. He accounted for three important first downs through the air in the 27-21 victory over the Patriots.
The 23-year-old Shakir, who made a nine-yard grab on a 3rd-and-8 in the second quarter, moved the chains twice in the fourth quarter against Bill Belichick's defense. He delivered an 18-yard gain on a 2nd-and-14 before an 11-yard reception on a 3rd-and-7. The speedy slot receiver also gained first-down yardage on a rush play, snagging an impromptu lateral from Allen and giving Buffalo a 1st-and-goal at the Patriots' 8 in the opening quarter.
Shakir still has ways to go to reach the level of production that Nacua has shown this season, but he's certainly proven to be a great value as a Day 3 draft pick. For what it's worth, Diggs wasn't drafted until Round 5 either. Just sayin'.
