Leodis McKelvin knows a little something about waiting his turn.
At Troy (Ala.) University, he sat for two years before working his way into the starting lineup. As a rookie with the Buffalo Bills, he contributed immediately as a kick returner but he didn’t get much action at cornerback the first half of the season.
It wasn’t until Jabari Greer went down with a sprained knee in Week 10 that McKelvin got his chance on defense. He didn’t waste the opportunity.
McKelvin displayed the coverage skills and big-play ability that justified the Bills’ decision to draft him with the 11th overall selection. Starting the last six games, he finished with 32 tackles (26 solo) and two interceptions (another was nullified by a penalty).
“I just wanted to get on the field and show what I could do,” he said. “It was unfortunate guys got hurt, but it gave me a chance to showcase our ability.”
McKelvin was even better as a kickoff returner. He set a single-season franchise record with 1,468 yards and his 28.2-yard average was third best in the NFL.
He took one kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown and had a 100- yard TD nullified by a penalty.
“I expected to do things like that when I have the ball in my hands, especially with the other 10 guys blocking for me,” said McKelvin, who tied an NCAA record with seven return touchdowns at Troy. “Once they do their job, of course my job is going to be much easier.”
If only getting playing time on defense were so easy. There was a time when the Bills didn’t appear to have much faith in McKelvin’s readiness to play cornerback. That was especially the case in an Oct. 26 game at Miami when a hobbled Terrence Mc- Gee was victimized by Dolphins receiver Ted Ginn, who had a career day with seven catches for 175 yards.
The Bills coaches said McGee was healthy enough to play even though it was obvious that he was far from 100 percent due to a bad knee. The Bills insisted they had confidence in McKelvin, who was still learning the intricacies of the defense.
“Being the competitor I am, I thought I would be playing earlier than I was,” he said. “But it worked out for the best for me. I wouldn’t say it was tough waiting. It was just being patient, getting better and better at practice. I learned from my experiences and I’m looking to build on it next year.”
McKelvin played well in his first start against Cleveland on Monday night, but his coming-out party was the following week in Kansas City. He intercepted two passes, returning one for a touchdown, during a 54-31 victory.
Coaches and teammates said McKelvin relied mostly on raw athletic ability this season. That should change with more experience.
“We just kept coaching Leodis and he kept learning, and he learned from the mistakes that he made in practice,” defensive coordinator Perry Fewell said. “I think the kid is just going to get better and better.”
“He’s just scratching the surface of how good he can be,” added safety Donte Whitner. “Once he figures out what he’s doing and what teams are trying to do to him, the sky’s the limit.”
The rest of the Bills’ rookie class was as slow as McKelvin out of the gate. Some evidently hit their stride, while others were either stuck in neutral or never got started. It’s way too early to draw final conclusions on the Bills’ rookies, but here is an evaluation of their first year:
WR James Hardy, second round: The biggest disappointment of the class. Struggled to adjust to the NFL game and never became the reliable big target, especially in the red zone, whom the Bills sorely needed. Missed the last two games with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
DE Chris Ellis, third round: A non-factor who saw very little action before suffering a season-ending ankle injury.
CB Reggie Corner, fourth round: Injuries allowed him to get valuable playing time as the nickel cornerback. Made one of the biggest plays of the season by knocking the ball out of Denver WR Brandon Stokley’s hands in the end zone to preserve a 30-23 win. Corner will challenge Ashton Youboty for the third cornerback spot next season.
TE Derek Fine, fourth round: Was as good as advertised as a run blocker, but didn’t emerge as the downfield receiving threat the Bills need at TE.
LB Alvin Bowen, fifth round: Competed for starting job on the strong side before his season ended with a torn ACL in training camp.
RB Xavier Omon, sixth round: Active for only four games and played in two. Rushed for 5 yards on six carries.
OT Demetrius Bell, seventh round: Inactive all season; should compete for playing time in 2009.
WR Steve Johnson, seventh round: Proved more productive than Hardy. Johnson’s experience in a pro-style offense at the University of Kentucky helped him adapt to the pros more quickly.
CB Kennard Cox, seventh round: Cut in the preseason.
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Originally Posted by Hayden Fox
