ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WKBW) — Throughout the pre-draft process, Boise State wide receiver Khalil Shakir had the Buffalo Bills on his mind.
"In the back of my head, I couldn't stop thinking about the talks I had with the Bills," Shakir said. "I guess it's a match made in heaven."
The Bills needed depth at the wide receiver position and they moved up in the 5th round to get their guy. Shakir said the Bills were one of the first teams he talked to and knowing he'll be competing for a spot on their roster, is a dream come true.
"I can't even put the words together to show how excited I am to get to work and showcase my talent," he said. "The work is going to show. I'm gonna work my tail off every single day and make sure the people in the organization know that this pick was a really, really good pick for them."
Shakir gives the Bills not just wide receiver depth, but a versatile player who is also a factor in the run and return game. In his four seasons with Boise State he rushed for 414 yards and had an average kick return of 23.8 yards.
"That's something I believe I can bring to the table if the Bills need me to," he said about his special teams play. "I'm gonna do whatever the team and the organization wants me to do, and I'm gonna do it at an elite level."
While Shakir is the newest draft pick, he's pretty familiar with the Bills offense. When he was a freshman at Boise State, he played against then Wyoming senior Josh Allen.
"He's shown he's one of the best in the league," Shakir said about his new teammate. "He can do it all from a quarterback standpoint. I'm excited to get up there, earn his respect first of all, and just make sure I go ahead and leave a good first impression."
Earning respect is a big key for Shakir, but not just with Allen. Fellow wide receiver and veteran Stefon Diggs is a guy Shakir has spent time watching from a young age and thinks playing alongside him will be extremely beneficial to him growing as a person and player.
"I'm not even sure how I'll react the first time I see him," laughed Skakir. "I'm a guy who studies the game and the league and he's one of the top guys in the league right now. I'm excited to pick his brain but I have to earn Diggs' respect and show I belong there."
