Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir is a great example of how teams can find great players in the later rounds of the NFL Draft every season.
The former fifth-round pick has gone from late-round steal to the top receiving threat in Buffalo's offense this year. Shakir is coming off a 2024 season in which he recorded a career-high 76 receptions for over 800 yards, and four touchdowns.
The numbers aren't eye-popping, but on an offense that does not have a true #1 receiver, Shakir has become indispensable for the Bills and quarterback Josh Allen.
And that is why PFF writer Jonathon Macri called Shakir the most underrated player on the Bills roster.
"Shakir has been a stable contributor for the Bills’ receiving corps over the past two seasons, and he stepped up significantly in 2024 in Stefon Diggs‘ absence, leading the team in targets, receiving yards, PFF receiving grade (80.1) and yards per route run (2.20)," Macri said. "Shakir placed in the top 25 for the position in all of those categories.
"He has also been one of the most effective receivers with the ball in his hands, averaging 7.7 yards after the catch per reception since 2023, which is tied for the sixth-best mark among wide receivers."
What Shakir has been able to show on the field in recent seasons has been beyond impressive. There is a big reason why the Bills gave him a lucrative contract extension this offseason.
Now, as Shakir enters the season as the de facto top receiving threat, Buffalo is hoping to turn their underrated star into one of the best players in the league.