Western Michigan’s Bilhal Kone has been an early media favorite as a small-school prospect and is slated to play at the 2025 Senior Bowl. Here is a 2025 NFL Draft Early Scouting Report and film analysis on him.
Overview, Film Analysis, and Early 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report of Western Michigan DB Bilhal Kone
Measurables:
- 6’2”
- 190 lbs
Player Background:
A zero-star recruit in the 2020 class, Bilhal Kone began his collegiate career at Iowa Central Community College. The corner put up two strong seasons with two Second Team All-Conference mentions. There are no available stats for his first season with the team, but he was a season-long starter. In 2021 he made 35 tackles, picked off two passes, and broke up another six. He transferred to Indiana State for the 2022 season, playing in eight games before a season-ending injury.
In said games, Kone racked up 34 tackles, six PBUs, and recovered a fumble against North Dakota State. He transferred again to Western Michigan and played in 12 games during the 2023 season. He started four of those games and made 42 tackles, two tackles-for-loss, an interception, and eight PBUs. In his final campaign with the Broncos in 2024 he made 70 stops, batted away another eight passes, and had another INT.
Accolades:
- Reese’s Senior Bowl Invitee (2024)
Strengths/Pros:
Kone’s smoothness in his feet and hips alone makes him an intriguing secondary developmental project. He cuts on a dime sharply, is a savvy mover when setting up coverages, and has the instincts and speed to plant and drive toward the ball. He has the length to smother wideouts at catch point and he can stay lateral and calm when they work downfield, keeping himself in a good position to make plays on the ball.
His downhill pursuit is technically impressive and he fights through plays to keep himself a factor for as long as possible. Kone recovers really well when initially losing leverage vertically and knows how to use his frame to attack deep balls. He often matches the footwork of WRs when in outside leverage, and he’s disciplined enough to lock down his zone and maintain a commanding presence.
Weaknesses/Cons:
Kone desperately needs to become more aggressive in man coverage and learn to latch onto WRs more often. He doesn’t use his hands to get physical in press coverage and doesn’t have the high-end speed to prevent deep shots consistently. He also needs to become more physical in the tackling game to stop plays quicker. While his hips are fluid for his size, he can get trapped rotating too much and get left behind at the top of routes.
He can definitely improve on staying in a more consistent movement pattern, sometimes getting too bouncy in his heels. He keeps his eyes too far into the backfield and can give up too much space on sharper cuts. Kone is quite passive against the run and needs to be a bigger factor with his size against outside runs. He gets moved off his stance too easily when blocked and doesn’t lock down and drive his legs.
Potential Team Fits:
NFL Projection:
Kone isn’t the physical specimen that other corners of his size are that allows them to become elite starters, but his prowess in zone coverage could make him a valuable asset. If he enters a system that plays a majority of Cover 2, he has all the tools to be a playmaker. His instincts and length let him cover a ton of ground and he should be able to thrive as a starter with some refinements.
Prospect Grade:
- Early to Mid-4th Round
Film Exposures:
- 2024 vs. Wisconsin
- 2024 vs. Ohio State
- 2024 vs. Bowling Green
Main Photo: [Jeff Hanisch] – USA Today Sports
