From now until the 2026 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on South Carolina DB Jalon Kilgore.
No. 24 Jalon Kilgore/DB South Carolina – 6013, 210 pounds (Junior)
MEASUREMENTS
Player Ht/Wt Hand Size Arm Length Wingspan
Jalon Kilgore 6013/210 9 3/8 32 7/8 N/A
40-Yard Dash 10-Yard Dash Short Shuttle 3-Cone
4.40 1.56 4.32 N/A
Broad Jump Vertical Bench Press
10’10” 37 16
THE GOOD
– Great size and length, looks the part with muscle and bulk
– Impressive linear athlete with explosiveness and speed to carry routes vertically
– Shows recovery speed when beaten
– Uses length and size well to contest at the catch point
– Physical mentality and willing tackler/run stopper
– Versatile and used all over defense, asked to blitz, play man, zone, and involved in post-snap rotations
– Capable of finding and playing the ball in the air, nose for football with good INT/ball production
– Chases the ball and plays with effort
– Lots of experience for a three-year player
– Team leader
The Bad
– Tight hips and struggles to match in-breaking routes (slants, digs, crossers) in man coverage
– Often stumbles and falls out of the break, tightness reflected in testing
– Too often misses tackles while trailing the runner, missed tackle rate in double-digits last two years
– May struggle to find true fit at next level
– Must use hands better against WR blocks to shed quicker, prone to getting stuck
Stats
– Career: 178 tackles (4.5 TFL), 21 PDs, 8 INTs, 1 FF across 36 games (33 starts)
– 2025: 54 tackles (0 TFL), 10 PDs, 2 INTs across 11 games (11 starts)
– 2,238 career defensive snaps (1,382 slot, 541 box, 238 FS, 24 outside CB)
– 2025 snaps: 497 slot, 157 box, 9 FS, 4 CB
– PFF’s No. 147 defensive grade of 273 qualifying CBs (No. 38 run defense, No. 184 in coverage)
– 14.3 percent missed tackle rate in 2024, 12.7 percent in 2025 (No. 106 overall)
– Seven career penalties (three in 2024, three in 2025)
– Allowed two TDs, two INTs in 2025
– Caught 34 passes for 921 yards and 11 TDs, 88 tackles and 4 FFs as HS senior, played WR, RB, and QB in addition to DB
Injury History
– 2023: hamstring injury in season finale against Clemson
– 2024: leg injury against Clemson, but returned for the bowl game
– 2025: Missed South Carolina State game due to hamstring injury initially suffered in summer camp
Bio
– Turned 21 in January, 2026
– Four-star recruit from Eatonton, Georgia
– Chose South Carolina over Oklahoma, Clemson, Florida, and several other schools; didn’t have an offer from Georgia
– Committed to Gamecocks for coaches showing love throughout the recruiting process, felt overlooked by other programs coming from a smaller 2A school
– 2025 team captain and named co-defensive MVP
– 2025 second-team All-SEC (coaches)
– Older brother, Gerald, is DB for South Carolina
– Ran track in HS (11.62 in 100m) and excelled in long jump, winning state championship as a sophomore
– First snaps as a 2023 freshman came after Nick Emmanwori got hurt, making 12 tackles against UNC
– Father, James, is a Georgia pastor
– Played saxophone growing up
Tape Breakdown
Jalon Kilgore went from a small Georgia high school to starting on the SEC stage. He showed he belonged. He possesses great size and timed speed that translates to the tape. Kilgore uses his size and length well, being competitive at the catch point to break up throws or take them away. Here are some high-level reps to finish.
Moved all over South Carolina’s defense, Kilgore primarily played nickel. But he wore plenty of hats and has great experience for just a three-year college player. By 2025, he was also named team captain.
Negatively, Kilgore is tight-hipped and struggles to change direction. He can turn and run to carry vertically, but defending anything in-breaking is a challenge. He loses balance, gives up space, and struggles to turn his hips. He’s at the top of the screen and in the slot in the clips below.
While he’s a physical player and willing tackler, he struggles to finish plays when trailing the runner or attacking from an angle.
Conclusion
Overall, Kilgore is an appealing player due to his size and testing. After Nick Emmanwori’s success in Seattle, everyone’s trying to find his next iteration. Unfortunately, I don’t think Kilgore comes quite as close to being a freak cover athlete. I like him as a safety or big nickel, matching up on and erasing tight ends at the next level. Not slot receivers. If a defensive coordinator can smartly use him and not make him a position-less player of “big athlete, he’ll figure it out,” a *plan* that’s failed too often before, then Kilgore can succeed.
A team with a defensive-minded head coach or high-end DC makes sense. Which is one reason why Emmanwori found so much success in Seattle.
My NFL comp for Kilgore is Xavier McKinney.
NFL Projection: Early-Mid Day Two
Steelers Depot Draft Grade: 8.1 (Longtime Starter)
Grade Range: 6.9-8.7
Games Watched: at LSU (2025), vs Clemson (2025), at Alabama (2025), vs Kentucky (2025), Splash Play Cut-ups
Recommended for you