The 2025 Senior Bowl will provide an opportunity for NFL draft prospects to prove themselves on the largest pre-draft stage. Western Michigan cornerback Bilhal Kone plans on taking full advantage. Kone recently spoke exclusively with the Senior Bowl and Draft Network to discuss his motivation for accepting his invitation to compete in Mobile, Alabama.
Kone also discussed what he's striving to prove to NFL general managers and scouts in attendance at the Senior Bowl, his versatile abilities at cornerback, how he’d write his own scouting report, and more. Let's get to know Kone better ahead of his journey to the Senior Bowl.
JM: Where were you when you found out about your Senior Bowl invite and what was your initial reaction?
Bilhal Kone: My head coach [Lance Taylor] called me upstairs. I remember I was sitting down when he told me. It was a crazy experience. I feel like it’s another chance to display my skills. It felt so great.
JM: Building on that, what motivated you to accept the Senior Bowl’s offer?
Bilhal Kone: Just knowing where I come from and what the journey’s been like. I understand the level of conference I played in and what people have to say about it. There might be some doubts over the level of competition I played against. I want to put those concerns and questions to rest.
Proving I could play at that level no matter what, that was my biggest motivating factor. There was no question that I was going to accept the Senior Bowl’s offer. It could help me, and it could also help other players from the MAC.
JM: What specifically are you looking to prove to NFL general managers, coaching staffs, and scouts in attendance in Mobile?
Bilhal Kone: I want to prove that I’m physical. That I’m a good tackler. I want to display my high football IQ. I have great knowledge of the game, both on the field and on the whiteboard. I want the scouts to see that I’m a great team player. All of the above really.
JM: You’ve had quite the journey. You played at three different programs. You started off at the JUCO ranks. What was your JUCO experience like?
Bilhal Kone: It was a grind. You have to wake up every day and find your purpose for why you’re doing it. Being at JUCO really makes you think about that. You really have to love the game of football. You’ll start questioning your purpose.
I found that I had a very strong purpose. My family was behind me. I had a little brother who passed away. My purpose stayed consistent. That's what helped me get through it.
JM: We’re terribly sorry to hear about your brother.
Bilhal Kone: I appreciate that. He passed away going into my freshman year of high school. It was a difficult time. I had to grow from that experience.
JM: You’re making him proud. We offer our condolences. No matter how long it’s been, it always hurts.
Bilhal Kone: Thank you. I appreciate you.
JM: Of course. It sounds like you’re heading to the Senior Bowl with a chip on your shoulder. You want to prove that just because you’re at Western Michigan, it doesn’t mean you’re not a top corner prospect in this class.
Bilhal Kone: Yes sir. I’ve always had that chip on my shoulder. I’ve always had to prove myself, no matter where I was at. It goes back to my JUCO days. I had to prove I could be a D-I player. I went to Indiana State after JUCO. That was at the FCS level. I had to prove I could even play at that level.
I had to build on that and get to the FBS level with Western Michigan. I’ve always had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to achieve. I think I’ve had that chip on my shoulder for a very long time.
JM: It was obvious on tape. You have great size for the position at a listed 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds. What’s your preferred coverage approach? Are you a man-cover guy? Is it zone coverage? What do you see yourself fitting?
Bilhal Kone: I can play everywhere because I can do anything a cornerback needs to do, is supposed to do. It’s my job to play cornerback in both man and zone coverage. I have a high football IQ on that field. I have great communication with my teammates in all coverage approaches.
I feel like my strongest asset is that despite my size, I could also kick inside to the nickel. I can come downhill and tackle as well. That’s one thing I take a lot of pride in. I helped myself become a great tackler for my coaches. They helped me develop.
JM: This has been an outstanding conversation. At the end of the week, what does a successful Senior Bowl look like for Bilhal Kone?
Bilhal Kone: It means I displayed the full range of my capabilities during the one-on-one drills. I’m excited to get around the guys and learn about their stories. I want to prove I belong alongside the big-school players. I can do it just like them.
From the Senior Bowl game to the one-on-ones, I’m going to show everybody that I could really do this no matter the level of competition. That would be a successful Senior Bowl.
