One Buffalo Bills Rookie With the Best Chance to Surprise Everyone

During OTA's and minicamps, there were a couple of rookies who stood out for the Buffalo Bills. Wide receiver Skyler Bell and linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr, who were both selected in the fourth-round, continually turned heads and are expected to make an impact during their first season in the NFL.

One rookie who hasn't been getting nearly as much attention, however, is fifth-round pick Jalon Kilgore out of South Carolina. Picked at No. 167 overall, Kilgore enters the league following an impressive career with the Gamecocks. He recorded 178 tackles, 4.5 tackles for a loss, broke up 21 passes, and had eight interceptions.

He then showed out at the NFL combine, running the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds, recording a 10'10" broad jump, and a 37-inch vertical leap. That's impressive athleticism for the 6-foot-1, 210 pound Kilgore. He was good enough that some predictions had him going as high as Round 2, which means Buffalo landed an excellent value pick on Day 3.

Jalon Kilgore's versatility will help him stand out

South Carolina Gamecocks defensive back Jalon Kilgore during the second half at Bryant-Denny Stadium. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Recently I wrote about how Kilgore is entering training camp as one of the most overlooked rookies. Not only does he possess plenty of athleticism, evidenced by the numbers he put up during the Scouting Combine, but Kilgore is also incredibly versatile. During his collegiate career, he played both safety positions, as well as in the slot, where he excelled at covering tight ends and could stick with running backs when they ran routes of the backfield. He also had the speed to handle slot receivers as well, and could put himself in the mix for snaps at that position in Buffalo.

The Bills overhauled their secondary this offseason to fit new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard's preferences. That included moving on from previous nickel cornerback Taron Johnson.

Buffalo signed Dee Alford hoping that he could replace Johnson, but they also brought in Geno Stone and CJ Gardner-Johnson at safety to work alongside Cole Bishop. Gardner-Johnson has also had extensive experience in the slot and has often been one of the league's top playmakers when he's locked in a focused.

Will Jalon Kilgore have a role as a rookie?

South Carolina defensive back Jalon Kilgore during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

That depth could make it tough for Kilgore to carve out a role on the base defense as a rookie. That means he's likely to spend much of his first season on special teams, where he could become a fan-favorite due to his physicality.

That said, he has a chance to prove himself during camp and earn a spot as a primary reserve at the safety position. Buffalo has dealt with injuries in their defensive backfield throughout the past couple of seasons, meaning Kilgore could find himself being asked to step in in a pinch. Training camp will be his biggest opportunity to prove he can handle that.

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