With South Carolina football in the midst of its offseason, many former Gamecocks will have the ability to make their presence felt at the next level. One Gamecock who will be selected in the NFL Draft next month is defensive back Jalon Kilgore.
Following an impressive combine performance, Kilgore declined to participate in testing at this year's South Carolina Pro Timing Day on March 17. However, he did take part in the positional workout, where scouts from 31 NFL teams were present.
Alongside fellow draft prospect and cornerback Brandon Cisse, Kilgore has also garnered first-round draft hype and can continue to rise on draft boards as meetings continue.
As a three-year starter, Kilgore was a freshmen All-American in 2023 and earned a second team All-SEC bid in each of the past two seasons.
Recognized by the coaching staff, he split the Joe Morrison MVP for defense with senior edge Bryan Thomas Jr. He was recognized by his teammates as well, earning the honor of becoming a Rex Enright Team Captain in 2025.
Kilgore measured in at 6 feet 1 inch, 210 pounds, with 32 7/8ths-inch arms at the NFL Combine, making him one of the biggest defensive backs in the draft.
However, his size does not come at the cost of athleticism or fluidity. Kilgore ran a 4.4-second 40-yard dash that displayed not only his speed but his acceleration. Despite a bad start, Kilgore’s time ranked the fifth best time among all safeties.
Kilgore also recorded the best broad jump of any safety at the combine, posting a 10-foot-10. During his time at Putnam County High School in Eatonton, Georgia, he was a state champion in the long jump.
Kilgore's versatility transpired to his time as a player in Clayton White's defense at the University of South Carolina. After playing mostly in a slot corner or nickel role this past season, Kilgore is listed as a safety on his draft profile. This widespread experience gives defensive coordinators freedom to move Kilgore wherever he can be best utilized.
In each of his three years with South Carolina, Kilgore finished with at least 45 tackles and two forced turnovers. As a sophomore, he led the team with five interceptions.
Strengths
As someone large for the safety position, Kilgore moves exceptionally well, hitting a top speed of 23 miles per hour. Playing in the slot position, Kilgore matched up with smaller and quicker receivers. However, he turned this into an advantage with his reach, showing physicality at the line of scrimmage and jamming receivers because of his strength.
One area where Kilgore progressed in 2025 was pass coverage, allowing a passer rating of 68.1 when targeted. While his interception total was down as a junior, it can be attributed to playing in the box as opposed to a deep safety role he had in 2024. Kilgore assumed the role now-Seattle Seahawks defensive back Nick Emmanwori played prominently during his time as a Gamecock.
Kilgore made a huge improvement in breaking up passes during his final season, leading the team with 10. In his first two seasons combined, he recorded 11 pass breakups.
What sets Kilgore apart is his combination of IQ and athleticism. At the combine, he scored a 9.97 relative athletic score, ranking 5th out of 1242 strong safeties from 1987 to 2026.
From an IQ standpoint, his versatility was exemplified by making plays at all levels of the defense, in addition to returning 12 punts in his career. Kilgore was slotted to be the team's punt returner this past season. However, a nagging hamstring injury going into the season opener against Virgina Tech gave redshirt sophomore defensive back Vicari Swain an opportunity, returning three punts for touchdowns in 2025.
Utilizing his size and physicality, Kilgore is a productive tackler, accounting for at least 30 solo tackles in each of his three seasons.
“Coming out of high school, (Kilgore) was one of the top tacklers that I've ever seen that can come here and tackle at this level without really any coaching,” White said. “He was a natural tackler.”
Weaknesses
Despite being listed as a corner on many draft websites, Kilgore has not played much outside corner at South Carolina, which poses the question of how he would match up with larger and faster receivers seen on NFL rosters.
If he is only seen as a slot corner, it would limit opportunities on teams who do not run primarily a nickel scheme, adding an extra defensive back into the formation. However, as trends in the NFL change and speed is becoming more of a commodity, the nickel formation has become more prevalent in recent years.
An area that he may struggle to translate to the NFL game is his tackling style. Kilgore has a tendency to ankle-tackle ball-carriers, and against stronger players, it is very ineffective.
Draft projection and NFL team fits
Kilgore’s showing at the combine has given him some first-round projections. However, the majority of mock drafts see him going in the second or third round of the NFL Draft.
When asked about teams he has spoken with during South Carolina's Pro Timing Day, Kilgore listed many teams, including the Seattle Seahawks and Houston Texans. Among others, Kilgore will continue to meet with these teams as the draft process continues.
When asked about a potential ideal destination, Kilgore acknowledged playing with his former South Carolina teammate and Super Bowl champion Nick Emmanwori and the Seattle Seahawks.
“I'll just say the Super Bowl champs, let's go back-to-back," Kilgore said.
Playing under a defensive-minded head coach in Mike Macdonald, Kilgore could find similar success to Emmanwori, who finished the season as a Defensive Rookie of the Year finalist. Kilgore and the Seahawks would reap in the benefits of MacDonald's scheme that would move Kilgore all over the field.
Another defensive head coach in DeMeco Ryans and the Houston Texans would also be a suitor. Kilgore would fit into the scheme, as the Texans play primarily nickel defense.
Learning from Jalen Pitre, who is a top nickel defender in the NFL, Ryans would have the opportunity to utilize the pair of elite athletes. Both players have exemplified prowess at other positions, along with versatility, making Kilgore a fit in the secondary.
What's next?
The NFL Draft will be held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from April 23 to 25.