Jalon Kilgore Scouting Report

By: Michael Higgins

(Image courtesy of David J. Phillip/AP Photo)

School: South Carolina

Class: Junior

Position: CB

HT: 6’1

WT: 210 lbs

Background: Jalon Kilgore was a consensus 4-star recruit out of Eatonton, Georgia in the 2023 class. Kilgore was a top 25 safety and top 30 player in Georgia. Jalon played for Putnam County High School where he played wide receiver and safety. As a junior, Kilgore was named Georgia Region 4-AA Athlete of the Year. Jalon also competed in track & field and was a state champion long jumper. Jalon Kilgore committed to play for South Carolina over the likes of Oklahoma, Clemson, and others.

College: Jalon has a brother, Gerald, who also plays football for South Carolina. He was a First Team Freshman All-American by multiple outlets after posting 76 tackles and 6 pass breakups. As a sophomore in 2024, Jalon was a All-SEC selection with 5 interceptions and 48 tackles. In 2025, Kilgore had 10 pass breakups to go with 54 tackles.

Strengths: Jalon Kilgore is a versatile defensive back who has spent time all over the secondary during his time at South Carolina. He has the size and the length that allows him to play all over. His arm length is ideal at 32 7/8”. On top of ideal measurements, he also had an excellent combine to show off his athleticism. Kilgore is a ballhawk who finds unique paths to the football to make plays. Kilgore is comfortable with getting physical in man coverage. He succeeds with jams at the line of scrimmage and can knock bigger X receivers or tight ends off their path. In zone coverage, he uses his length and athleticism to shrink throwing windows in the deep and intermediate areas of the field. He takes up large portions of grass on his own and does well to meet the ball at the receiver. Kilgore is a good tackler for a defensive back. He drops the hammer at the contact point and immediately drops the ball carrier to the ground with consistent wrap up and a lowered shoulder to deliver force.

Weaknesses: Kilgore’s transition from a backpedal to sprint is slow and uncomfortable. His hips are stiff throughout the route stem in man coverage. He has trouble reading body language throughout a route and loses yards of separation at the break of the route. When Kilgore gets contacted by blockers in the run game, he struggles to shed and get involved in the play. When a play goes to the other side of the field, Kilgore seems to shut down instead of getting in pursuit of the football as a safety.

Conclusion: Jalon Kilgore is a beautiful blend of size and speed in the secondary to truly dominate any kind of matchup. His profile will likely be better served at the safety position in the NFL with his lack of transitional ability and his quick trigger. He has the skill to be either a safety or a cornerback, but he has a higher ceiling at safety.

Best Team Fits: BUF, LAC, DAL

Player Comparison: Andre Cisco

Player Grade: Round 2 (88.3)