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Buffalo Bills: Dawson Knox breakout proof of favoring elite athletes at TE

By Jacob Schyvinck

Oct 3, 2021; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox (88) gestures to the crowd after a touchdown catch against the Houston Texans during the second half at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 3, 2021; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox (88) gestures to the crowd after a touchdown catch against the Houston Texans during the second half at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports /
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Buffalo Bills TE Dawson Knox continued his breakout year with a big night against the Chiefs, proving that betting on elite athletes at tight end is the right call in the NFL Draft.

The Buffalo Bills are off to a hot start following a rough loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in week one, capped by an eye-opening 38-20 drubbing of the Kansas City Chiefs in Arrowhead on Sunday night. Quarterback Josh Allen is finding his groove, and he has a great room of pass catchers, one of whom has had a fabulous breakout season thus far. That guy is tight end Dawson Knox.

Knox was a third round pick out of Mississippi in the 2019 NFL Draft, and played on the same Rebels team as second round picks A.J. Brown and D.K. Metcalf. His target share wasn’t very high because of that, and the hope was that he would develop into a reliable receiving target at the next level.

It’s safe to say that Knox has done that for the Bills in his third season, the season that’s often looked at for the TE position, and others, as to measure where development is at. Through five games, Knox has 18 catches for 261 yards and five touchdowns, and his three-catch, 117 yard evening against the Chiefs really opened some eyes.

The reason to believe in Knox ahead of the 2019 draft, and why he’s succeeding now, is something that has correlated with said success. Knox, like other successful tight ends in the league, was an elite athlete coming out of college. He posted an RAS (relative athletic score) of 9.23, meaning his athleticism was in the 92nd percentile all time at the position as a prospect. At 6’4″ and 254 pounds, Knox ran a super impressive 4.59 second 40 yard dash, which is elite for the position. He also posted good numbers in the jumps to measure explosion and the drills to measure agility.

In as fast a league as the NFL is, having elite athleticism for the position has proven to be important, and for Dawson Knox, that athleticism highlights his strengths. Knox has always been an impressive mover at the position, with the straight line speed to threaten up the seam and displaying good quickness and fluidity in and out of his breaks. He has the size to be a factor in the red zone as well. It’s great to see his traits and athleticism finally pay off in terms of production, and to see year three going well for him and the Bills.

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