South Carolina safety Jalon Kilgore fell a bit during Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft. Although he entered Saturday’s draft festivities as the No. 12 overall remaining player on ESPN’s big board, he had to wait until the fifth round to hear his name called.
But the Buffalo Bills getting Kilgore in the fifth round at No. 167 overall in the draft is a steal for general manager Brandon Beane and new Bills head coach Joe Brady.
Kilgore brings a ton of versatility to Buffalo, having played both in the nickel position and as a true cover safety. The biggest knock on Kilgore isn’t necessarily his physicality or skill set but rather his consistency.
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Kilgore, a Georgia native, spent the last three seasons with South Carolina, and saw the field as a true freshman in 2023. He was named a second-team All-SEC that season, after he finished with 76 total tackles, a forced fumble, an interception and seven passes defended.
But he wasn’t ever able to match those numbers as a sophomore and junior, finishing his Gamecock career with 178 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, eight interceptions and 29 passes defended. He had a career-high five interceptions as a sophomore during the 2024-25 season.
Here's ESPN's scouting report of Kilgore, via Scouts Inc.:
"As a run stopper, Kilgore has all the tools but needs to be more active. As he transitions to the next level, it would be good to see more pop behind his pads. He has trouble with missed tackles and needs to fix angles in pursuit. Versus the pass, Kilgore is much more productive in man coverage than when he is in zone. He can get lost in space in zone coverage. When in man, Kilgore has the speed to stay in phase with receivers while also displaying the awareness to turn his head to find the ball and swat it away or come down with an interception. Kilgore is a competitive player, and if he can fix some aspects of his game, he has the athletic ability to be successful."
In Buffalo, Kilgore can learn from some talented vets as a rookie. He joins a defensive backs room that includes cornerbacks Christian Benford, Davison Igbinosun and Dorian Strong. Among the safeties, Kilgore looks like he’s behind Cole Bishop in the strong-side spot, but he’ll learn from guys like Geno Stone, Damar Hamlin and Jordan Hancock.
While he likely won’t be a Week 1 starter as a rookie, he’s got the ability to earn some reps early on. As he gets more comfortable in the Bills’ scheme, he could emerge as a key versatile weapon that can help lead this defense to a Super Bowl.
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