A surprise late bloomer, Kone took to the turf on Friday to prove his potential worth as a late draft pick.
Bilhal Kone was relatively unknown even to hardcore MAC fans upon arrival to Kalamazoo in 2023 from FCS Indiana State, but soon made a reputation for himself as a solid starting presence, stout both in run and pass defense at the cornerback position.
Although he never earned all-MAC honors for his efforts, Kone was considered one of the conference’s most underrated defenders, finishing with 112 tackles, three tackles-for-loss, two interceptions and 15 passes defensed in two seasons with the Broncos. (Kone also notches 34 tackles, six pass breakups and a fumble recovery from his eight games at ISU.)
2024 was the cap to his career, with 70 total tackles, nine passes defensed and two fumble recoveries. His size, combined with his productivity, earned him a late invitation to the Senior Bowl, where he showed off in practice situations before an injury kept him out of the game itself.
Fully recovered from the start of the month, Kone was a go for workouts in Indianapolis on Friday afternoon.
Official Combine measurements:
- Height: six-foot-one
- Weight: 190 lbs.
- Arms: 30 and seven-eighth inches
- Hands: nine inches
- Wingspan: 74 and one-quarter inches*
* (denotes Senior Bowl measurements)
Official Combine workout numbers:
- 40-yard dash: 4.43 seconds (t-13th in position group)
- 10-yard dash: 1.54 seconds (19th)
- Vertical jump: 31.5 inches (t-20th)
- Broad jump: 10 feet, four inches (10th)
- Three-cone drill: N/A
- Shuttle drill: N/A
What did we see?
Kone’s athletic numbers are fascinating. Ccompared to his position group (cornerback), his numbers are about average or even below average for the class. (For instance, his 4.43 40-yard dash aligns more with the top of the safety class but sits at 13th in the corner class.)
That said, his individual numbers and size profile denote a prospect who could very well be one of the better nickel corners available.
His combine workouts went largely without a hitch; Kone showed smooth transitions when switching positions and had good initial bursts when asked to break into a direction. Kone did not lose steps and flipped his hips well in the backpedal line drill, and was able to put himself in position to catch the ball in both the line drill and the 45-degree drill.
On the 45-degree drill, Kone did have a slow reaction to an input from his coach before the turn, but was able to flip and accelerate anyways, setting up for the interception despite the initial miss.
Kone will be an intriguing stylistic fit for a team looking for a cheap, developmental prospect with traits. Kone sits at six-foot-one, 190 lbs., which is pretty great size for a pro corner, and has flashed a physical style of play which should translate well after a year or two of learning the limit.
Kone is not the strongest tackler, but his ability to insert himself into the play will be attractive to teams which run a lot of zone coverage. Kone projects as a late Day 3 or priority UDFA with upside for a team looking for a physical, instinctual cornerback.
Kent Lee Platte (RAS.football)