Malcolm
Koonce.
Malcolm
Koonce.
Buffalo· 6'2"· 249 lb
"A Buffalo edge with plus bend and closing burst but only one full season of Mid-American Conference production — a Round-3 sub-package projection with real growth room."Pre-draft read
Koonce wins with his quick first step and ability to bend the edge, dipping under tackles cleanly and flattening his rush path late to the quarterback. His most effective rush is the speed-to-inside counter, which he utilizes after initiating two-way go looks. He shows good effort, often chasing plays sideline to sideline and finishing late in games.
From a wide-9 alignment, he sets the edge adequately against the run but is not a physical point-of-attack player. He can be reached by pulling tackles when his pad level is too high. His play strength improves when he maintains a low pad level, but otherwise, offensive tackles can push him past the pocket. He flashes plus-length.
This player is best suited for an attacking Wide-9 front that prioritizes athletic pass rush over two-gap run defense.
He projects as a Year 1 sub-package pass rusher on an NFL defensive line, with the upside to develop into a high-impact starter given refinement.
He would struggle immensely in a two-gap 3-4 scheme where he is asked to consistently hold the point of attack against interior run schemes.
Koonce's explosive first step and bend make him an immediate asset in pass-rushing situations, but his run defense and play strength require significant development.
2019 Bahamas Bowl Defensive MVP: Malcolm Koonce #50 DE Junior Buffalo
Buffalo bowl-game cut-up showing Koonce's edge burst, closing speed and bend flashes as a small-school pass rusher.
Las Vegas Raiders Select From Malcolm Koonce & Divine Deablo In The 3rd Round Of The 2021 NFL Draft
Draft-night reaction covering Las Vegas' third-round defensive swing on Koonce and the athletic upside argument.
Tape Don't Lie - 2021 Draft Sleepers
Sleeper-focused draft discussion including the type of developmental pass-rush traits that pushed Koonce into Day 2.
Koonce was seen as a traits-and-production Group of Five edge, projecting as a sub-package pass rush specialist due to his burst and bend. Evaluators saw him as a developmental prospect with a live first step and enough flexibility to develop into a real NFL contributor. The bet on his twitchy athleticism and plus-length flashes was considered worthwhile.
He arrived at Buffalo as a lanky recruit and developed into the MAC's most disruptive edge rusher. After a breakout junior year in 2019, where he led the MAC with 9 sacks, he followed up with 5 sacks in a shortened six-game senior season, ranking second in the conference. He consistently converted pressures into finishes throughout his college career, playing in 45 games and recording 18 sacks and 22.5 tackles for loss.
Concerns centered on his lean frame, which suggested he might struggle against the run, and the level of competition in the MAC. His reliance on speed and burst in his pass-rush plan also indicated a need for greater diversity in his moves at the next level. Media projections generally placed him in the Day 2 range, with consensus leaning towards the third or fourth round. He was ultimately drafted by the Raiders at pick #79.
- 01
Quick First Step
— Koonce wins with his quick first step, dipping under tackles cleanly, and flattening his rush path late to the QB.
- 02
Speed-to-Inside Counter
— His most effective pass rush is the speed-to-inside counter after initiating two-way go looks.
- 03
High Effort Player
— He shows good effort, often chasing plays sideline to sideline, finishing late in games.
- 04
Consistent Production
— He recorded 18 sacks and 22.5 tackles for loss in 45 games during his college career.
- 05
MAC Sack Leader
— He led the MAC with 9 sacks in 2019 and ranked second with 5 sacks in 2020.
- 01
Not a Point-of-Attack Player
— He is not a physical point-of-attack player against the run, especially from a wide-9 alignment.
- 02
Vulnerable to Pulling Tackles
— He can be reached by pulling tackles when his pad level is too high, impacting his run defense.
- 03
Inconsistent Play Strength
— Offensive tackles can push him past the pocket when he does not maintain a low pad level.
- 04
Lean Frame Concerns
— Concerns centered on his lean frame and potential struggles against the run at the next level.
| Yr | Team | G | Tkl | Sk | Int | PD | FF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Buffalo | 12 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | Buffalo | 14 | 30 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2019 | Buffalo | 13 | 33 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | Buffalo | 6 | 30 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Career | — | 45 | 109 | 18 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
A dash means the figure is not published by a source we trust — never a zero we invented.
Steady rotational-to-starting edge who caps out as a mid-tier starter with quiet double-digit-sack upside — closest to what Koonce has actually become.
Twitchy sub-package edge who grew into a multi-year starting rusher — Koonce's upside if the bend/burst keep translating.
Rotational edge whose production comes in bursts and fades quickly — Koonce's floor if health and consistency don't stabilize.
Everything above is the pre-draft evaluation. This section is what actually happened — updated year over year.
Late-breaking hit. Bench role Years 1-2, breakout Year 3 in 2023 (8.0 sacks in 17 games, 11 starts) after Chandler Jones was released. Missed the entire 2024 season, returned in 2025 as a rotational edge (17 G / 3 GS / 4.5 sacks) and stayed with the Raiders. Career: 56 G, 14 starts, 14.5 sacks, 4 FF, PFR AV 9. Round-3 to rotational NFL starter is a real win for pick #79.
Traits-and-production Group of Five edge who bet on himself into Day 2. Malcolm Koonce arrived at Buffalo as a lanky 3-star and grew into the MAC's most disruptive edge rusher: 12 games as a true freshman (16 tackles, 1 sack) in 2017, 14 games in 2018 (30 tackles, 3 sacks, 4 TFL), a breakout junior year in 2019 with 13 games, 34 tackles, 11 TFL and 9 sacks that led the MAC and put him on NFL boards, then a shortened COVID senior year of 6 games with 30 tackles, 6.5 TFL and 5 more sacks (still 2nd in the MAC). Career line: 45 games, 110 tackles, 22.5 TFL, 18.0 sacks, 4 forced fumbles.
His Senior Bowl invite was pulled by the tape: 6'2", 249 pounds with plus-length flashes, a live first step, and enough bend to make him a real sub-package rush prospect rather than a small-school flyer. Media grading landed him in the Day 2 range — Brugler had him inside the top 90, PFF around the top 100, Jeremiah in the third-to-fourth-round tier — and the industry read matched the Raiders' at pick #79, where they stacked developmental edge depth behind Yannick Ngakoue and a young Maxx Crosby.
The pro arc was slow-then-loud: 5 rookie games with 2.0 sacks in a rotational role (2021), 17 games as a healthy scratch/dress-only pass-rush body with zero sacks (2022), then a full-blown breakout in 2023 after Chandler Jones was released — 17 games, 11 starts, 8.0 sacks, 9 TFL, 17 QB hits, 43 tackles and 3 forced fumbles as the Raiders' second edge next to Crosby. Koonce missed the entire 2024 season, returned in 2025 with 17 games (3 starts) and 4.5 sacks in a rotational role, and stayed in Las Vegas. Career total through 2025: 56 games, 14 starts, 14.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, PFR career AV 9. Late-developing but real: a Round 3 developmental edge who turned into a real NFL contributor.