WATCH: Kaiir Elam impresses Buffalo Bills in NFL Combine interview
It’s been publicized how special Kaiir Elam is on the field. However, the former Florida star showed his off-field prowess throughout the 2022 NFL Draft process. Evidently, it helped Elam rise up draft boards, and become a premium selection last Thursday.
The Bills decided they couldn’t wait for Elam to fall to them, as Buffalo traded up a couple spots to ensure the former Gators defensive back would be in Buffalo. Once you see how his interview with the franchise went, it’s easy to see why the franchise fell for Elam.
As you can see, Elam shared a notebook where he broke down numerous things, from what hurt Florida last season to what he could improve on as a player. The former Gators star showed how humble he is, saying, “I’m really big on self improvement.”
Last season, the Bills ended their campaign heartbroken by Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. Evidently, Buffalo believes Kaiir Elam will help them in their quest for a Super Bowl, as the AFC is loaded with superstar talent at quarterback. If his pre-draft interview is any indication, the former Florida star will be ready for any challenge thrown his way.
More on Kaiir Elam, Buffalo Bills
Moreover, Kaiir Elam is the nephew of former Florida and NFL safety Matt Elam, who was drafted by the Ravens in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Kaiir Elam impressed early for the Gators with three interceptions as a true freshman. Elam then started all 12 games in 2020 and posted a team-high 11 pass breakups, along with 39 tackles and two interceptions. His 2020 season earned him first-team All-SEC honors from the SEC coaches. In 2021, Elam missed three games with a knee injury. Still, he recorded 29 tackles, one interception and five pass breakups in the ten games he was able to start.
Elam was a former four-star recruit according to the On3 Consensus rankings, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average. He played high school football at The Benjamin School in Florida, where he transformed himself as a player. His father, Abram Elam, played at Notre Dame and Kent State before playing seven years in the NFL himself.
According to his father, Elam wasn’t the player Florida Gators fans know when he started playing. “He was one of the worst players on the football team his freshman year,” his father told the Athletic. But then Elam started putting in the work to be the best he can be. By the time he graduated from high school, he was a top-100 recruit and Florida commit.
The On3 Consensus rankings put Elam as the sixth-highest ranked cornerback of the 2019 recruiting class, and the eighth-overall player from the state of Florida.