Leodis McKelvin

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

Early years
McKelvin attended Ware County High School in Waycross, Georgia, where he played cornerback for head coach Dan Ragle. 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
As a true freshman at Troy University, 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.

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.

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 impact with his kick returning skills. McKelvin also returned 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.