Former Gators DB Named Breakout Candidate for Cowboys

Still only 24 years old and not far removed from being a first-round pick, former Florida Gators defensive back Kaiir Elam is getting a fresh start and seems to have a real chance to make an immediate impact.

After spending three seasons with the Buffalo Bills, Kaiir Elam was traded to the Dallas Cowboys back in March. Although he came into the league with high expectations after making the All-SEC team at Florida, a slew of injuries have prevented him from becoming a consistent starter at the NFL level.

According to Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine, Elam should be viewed as a breakout candidate ahead of the 2025-2026 season.

“Sometimes a change of scenery can spark a career revival,” Ballentine wrote. “Elam is going to have the opportunity to prove himself over the summer. Both Trevon Diggs and third-round pick Shavon Revel Jr. are working their way back from ACL injuries and Elam is already making plays in OTAs.”

Last season, the Palm Beach native started four games while making 26 tackles and breaking up two passes. Pro Football Focus graded him as the 47th-best cornerback out of 222 qualifiers. 

With a temporary opening emerging in Dallas’ secondary, Elam should have the opportunity to establish himself and earn a role throughout the rest of the season. During OTA’s, Cowboys' head coach Brian Schottenheimer mentioned that Elam is already 

“Kaiir Elam has been just awesome for us,” Schottenheimer said. “We monitor the top speeds that our guys have hit. And he has had one of the top times each week.”

From a statistical perspective, his most productive season was his rookie year. During the 2022-2023 season (regular-season+post-season), Elam totaled 47 tackles and three interceptions while breaking up six passes.

During his time at Florida, Elam was a Second-Team All-SEC selection in 2020 and earned a Freshman All-SEC nod in 2019 after starting in five games as a true freshman. Through three seasons, he totaled 79 tackles and six interceptions while starting 26 games.

More From Florida Gators on SI