Leodis McKelvin

Leodis McKelvin

McKelvin with the Bills in 2015
No. 21 Philadelphia Eagles
Position:	Cornerback
Personal information
Date of birth:	(1985-09-04) September 4, 1985
Place of birth:	Waycross, Georgia
Height:
Weight:
Career information
High school:	Waycross (GA) Ware Co.
College:	Troy
NFL draft:	2008 / Round: 1 / Pick: 11
Career history
Buffalo Bills (2008–2015) Philadelphia Eagles (2016–present)
Roster status:	Active
Career highlights and awards
NFL 2× PFWA All-AFC (2008, 2012) Pro Football Focus All-Pro (2012) PFWA NFL All-Rookie Team (2008) College First-team All-American (2007) 3× All-Sun Belt (2005–2007)
Career NFL statistics as of Week 17, 2015
Tackles: 317 Quarterback sacks: 0.0 Interceptions: 13 Pass deflections: 64 Return yards: 3,492 Total touchdowns: 5 Player stats at NFL.com

Leodis Anquan McKelvin (born September 1, 1985) is an American football cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Troy University. McKelvin was drafted by the Buffalo Bills 11th overall in the 2008 NFL draft.

Early years

McKelvin attended Ware County High School in Waycross, Georgia, where he played cornerback for the Ware County Gators. As a junior, he recorded 60 tackles and six interceptions, while also returning eight receptions for over 300 yards. In his senior year, he recorded 51 tackles, recovered three fumbles, intercepted six passes and broke up six passes, while helping Ware to a 9-2 record, a regional title and a second-round AAAA playoff appearance in 2003. He was named defensive player of the year in the area as well as to the Georgia Times Union Super 11 team.

Considered only a two-star recruit by Rivals.com, McKelvin was not ranked among the nation's best cornerback prospects. He received only few scholarship offers and picked Troy over Louisville on January 30, 2004.

College career

McKelving enrolled in Troy University, where he played for the Troy Trojans football team from 2004 to 2007. As a true freshman, McKelvin saw action in all 12 games as a return man and reserve in the secondary, averaging 11.7 yards per punt return and 21.9 yards per kickoff return for the season. In his sophomore year, he earned first team All-Sun Belt Conference honors as a return man by averaging 25.8 yards per kickoff return and 12.6 yards on punt returns. At cornerback, McKelvin was credited with 30 tackles, including 26 solo stops, one sack, a fumble recovery and five pass breakups.

His junior year was his first season as a regular cover corner, as he recorded 66 tackles on the year, including 56 solo stops, while starting all 13 games. McKelvin was credited with one tackle for loss during the season, had two forced fumbles, two quarterback hurries and seven pass breakups. As a senior, he returned three punts for touchdowns. He was named All-Sun Belt in both his junior and senior year as well.

Professional career

2008 NFL Draft

Prior to the draft, McKelvin was compared to Johnathan Joseph. McKelvin was drafted by the Buffalo Bills 11th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft, the first cornerback selected.

Pre-draft measurables

Ht	Wt	40-yd dash	10-yd split	20-yd split	20-ss	3-cone	Vert	Broad	BP
5 ft 10⅛ in	184 lb	4.39 s	1.50 s	2.52 s	4.10 s	7.07 s	40½ in	10 ft 5 in	18 reps
All values from NFL Combine

Buffalo Bills

On July 26, McKelvin signed a five-year, $19.4 million contract with the Bills with up to $12.6 million in bonuses. McKelvin made an immeditate impact with his kick returning skills, returning a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown in a preseason game against the Steelers. The following game, on Monday Night Football, he returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown. The following week on Sunday in Kansas City, McKelvin intercepted Tyler Thigpen twice, returning one for a 64-yard TD. The Bills went on to win the game 54-31.

Monday Night Football incident

On September 14, 2009, in the opening game of Monday Night Football, McKelvin caught a kickoff in his own endzone with Buffalo up 24-19 over the New England Patriots and 2:06 left in the game. He chose to return it instead of downing it and fumbled it around the 30 yard line. It was his second fumble of the game. New England drove from the 31 yard line for what turned out to be the winning touchdown. As a result, two teenage males vandalized the Hamburg, New York home of McKelvin spray-painting obscenities as well as the phrase "take a knee" and the winning score of 25-24 in favor of New England on his front lawn. McKelvin chose not to press charges against the two teenage males.

2013–2015

On March 9, 2013, McKelvin re-signed with the Bills on a four-year, $20 million contract with $7.5 million in guaranteed money. In 2014, Leodis had a multi interception game vs The Minnesota Vikings.

McKelvin required surgery for a broken ankle he suffered during week 11 of the 2014 season. He suffered a setback during his recovery and most of his training camp was spent on the sideline with his ankle in a cast. On September 4, 2015, he was placed on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury list, which will require McKelvin to sit out at least the first six weeks of the 2015 season. He was activated to the 53-man roster on November 7.

On March 4, 2016, the Bills released McKelvin.

Philadelphia Eagles

McKelvin signed with the Philadelphia Eagles on March 8, 2016, reuniting with the defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, who was with Buffalo in 2014.

NFL stats

Year	Team	Game	Combined Tackles	Tackles	Assisted Tackles	Sacks	Forced Fumbles	Fumble Recoveries	Fumble Return Yards	Interceptions	Interception Return Yards	Yards per Interception Return	Longest Interception Return	Interceptions Returned for Touchdown	Passes Defended
2008	BUF	16	32	26	6	0.0	1	1	0	2	64	32	64	1	5
2009	BUF	3	11	8	3	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
2010	BUF	16	62	53	9	0.0	1	0	0	2	10	5	10	0	11
2011	BUF	16	39	31	8	0.0	0	2	0	1	21	21	21	0	8
2012	BUF	13	21	20	1	0.0	0	0	0	1	9	9	9	0	3
2013	BUF	15	72	60	12	0.0	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	19
2014	BUF	10	48	45	3	0.0	1	0	0	4	10	2.5	9	0	9
2015	BUF	9	32	25	7	0.0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	9
Career		98	317	268	49	0.0	4	3	0	13	114	9	64	1	64

External links

• Buffalo Bills bio Archive copy at the Wayback Machine