April 30, 2026
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2026 NFL Scouting Report: Javon Kilgore

Charlie Campbell04 mins




--2026 NFL Draft Scouting Reports Lander-- Drew Allar, QB, Penn State C.J. Allen, LB, Georgia David Bailey, DE, Texas Tech Rueben Bain Jr., DE, Miami Caleb Banks, DT, Florida Carson Beck, QB, Miami Chris Bell, WR, Louisville Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama Chase Bisontis, G, Texas A&M Denzel Boston, WR, Washington Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia Xavier Chaplin, OT, Auburn Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina Jonah Coleman, RB, Washington K.C. Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M Omar Cooper, WR, Indiana Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU Oscar Delp, TE, Georgia Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State Gennings Dunker, OT/G, Iowa Spencer Fano, OT, Utah Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia Earnest Greene III, OT, Georgia John Michael Gyllenborg, QB, Wyoming Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee Cashius Howell, DE, Texas A&M Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State Vega Ioane, G, Penn State Gabe Jacas, DE, Illinois Darrell Jackson Jr., DT, Florida State Domani Jackson, CB, Alabama Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State Javon Kilgore, S, South Carolina Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson Malachi Lawrence, DE, Central Florida Makai Lemon, WR, USC Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah Kyle Louis, OLB, Pittsburgh Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana Akheem Mesidor, DE, Miami Blake Miller, OT, Clemson Christian Miller, DT, Georgia Derrick Moore, DE, Michigan Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU L.T. Overton, DT, Alabama T.J. Parker, DE, Clemson Harold Perkins, OLB, LSU Emmanuel Pregnon, G, Oregon Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama Kamari Ramsey, S, USC Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State Tony Rojas, LB, Penn State Sam Roush, TE, Stanford Joe Royer, TE, Cincinnati Keylan Rutledge, G, Georgia Tech Keon Sabb, S, Alabama Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama Nicholas Singleton, RB, Penn State Jake Slaughter, C, Florida Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon R. Mason Thomas, DE/OLB, Oklahoma Michael Trigg, TE, Baylor Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State Mateo Uiagalelei, DE, Oregon Mike Washington, RB, Arkansas Antonio Williams, WR, Clemson Peter Woods, DT, Clemson Isaiah World, OT, Oregon Zion Young, DE, Missouri

  • Javon Kilgore, 6-1/210
  • Safety
  • South Carolina

Javon Kilgore Scouting Report

By Charlie Campbell

Strengths:

  • Good zone coverage strong safety
  • Instinctive
  • Closing speed
  • Eats up ground in a hurry
  • Good size, speed
  • Quality ball skills
  • Could play some man on slot receivers, tight ends
  • Attacks ball carriers
  • Happy to get physical
  • Will dish out some violence and hit hard
  • Looks ready to compete
  • Good traits to contribute on special teams

Weaknesses:

  • More of a strong safety
  • Too many missed tackles
  • Could have problems with fast slot receivers

Prospect Summary:

The Gamecocks have produced some quality NFL defensive backs in recent years, and Kilgore will keep that tradition alive in 2026 or 2027. Kilgore was an impact player immediately for the Gamecocks and was a freshman All-American in 2023 when he totaled 76 tackles with one forced fumble, one interception, and six passes broken up. As a sophomore, Kilgore improved in pass coverage, totaling 5 interceptions, 5 pass breakups, and 48 tackles. In 2025, Kilgore had 54 tackles with 10 passes broken up and two interceptions.

In pass coverage, Kilgore is a skilled zone corner who uses his speed to eat up a lot of ground. He has good instincts and vision to put him around the ball and disrupt passing lanes. His recognition and instincts put him around the ball and led to him being in position for his impressive interception total in 2024. Kilgore is dangerous in zone in the short to intermediate part of the field, and he has the athleticism to play some man coverage on slot receivers and tight ends. Kilgore is not a natural fit as a deep free safety. He is best as a nickel corner and strong safety.

In the ground game, Kilgore attacks the ball carrier and does not show any hesitancy to come downhill to make a tackle. Kilgore’s tackling is at a good starting point, as he does look to wrap up the legs and not go for a bone-rattling hit without wrapping up the ball carrier. Kilgore has solid size and strength to contribute to run defense in the NFL, but he needs to fix problems with missed tackles. He also has issues taking on and getting off blocks.

In the 2026 NFL Draft, Kilgore could be a day-two pick. Check my latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft to see where Kilgore is currently projected to go.

Prospect Comparison:

Cam Bynum. In terms of skill set and style of play, Kilgore reminds me of Bynum.


--2026 NFL Draft Scouting Reports Lander-- Drew Allar, QB, Penn State C.J. Allen, LB, Georgia David Bailey, DE, Texas Tech Rueben Bain Jr., DE, Miami Caleb Banks, DT, Florida Carson Beck, QB, Miami Chris Bell, WR, Louisville Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama Chase Bisontis, G, Texas A&M Denzel Boston, WR, Washington Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia Xavier Chaplin, OT, Auburn Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina Jonah Coleman, RB, Washington K.C. Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M Omar Cooper, WR, Indiana Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU Oscar Delp, TE, Georgia Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State Gennings Dunker, OT/G, Iowa Spencer Fano, OT, Utah Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia Earnest Greene III, OT, Georgia John Michael Gyllenborg, QB, Wyoming Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee Cashius Howell, DE, Texas A&M Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State Vega Ioane, G, Penn State Gabe Jacas, DE, Illinois Darrell Jackson Jr., DT, Florida State Domani Jackson, CB, Alabama Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State Javon Kilgore, S, South Carolina Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson Malachi Lawrence, DE, Central Florida Makai Lemon, WR, USC Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah Kyle Louis, OLB, Pittsburgh Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana Akheem Mesidor, DE, Miami Blake Miller, OT, Clemson Christian Miller, DT, Georgia Derrick Moore, DE, Michigan Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU L.T. Overton, DT, Alabama T.J. Parker, DE, Clemson Harold Perkins, OLB, LSU Emmanuel Pregnon, G, Oregon Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama Kamari Ramsey, S, USC Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State Tony Rojas, LB, Penn State Sam Roush, TE, Stanford Joe Royer, TE, Cincinnati Keylan Rutledge, G, Georgia Tech Keon Sabb, S, Alabama Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama Nicholas Singleton, RB, Penn State Jake Slaughter, C, Florida Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon R. Mason Thomas, DE/OLB, Oklahoma Michael Trigg, TE, Baylor Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State Mateo Uiagalelei, DE, Oregon Mike Washington, RB, Arkansas Antonio Williams, WR, Clemson Peter Woods, DT, Clemson Isaiah World, OT, Oregon Zion Young, DE, Missouri



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