Buffalo Bills/M&T Bank
Draft Day Challenge Winner

Rookie Bills cornerback Leodis McKelvin with Thomas Velletri '97

It's not often a Bills fan gets to meet the team's top draft choice less than a week after the team made him a first round selection, but Thomas Velletri '97 of Brockport, NY was awarded that opportunity after correctly guessing that cornerback Leodis McKelvin would be Buffalo's first draft choice in the M&T Draft Day Challenge.

"I was painting doing a job and we had the draft on and when his name came up I said, 'That's the guy I picked,'" recalled Velletri. "So I knew I had a chance to win. It was real exciting. I got the call on Monday."

"Football season never really ends for Bills fans, because their interest in the team extends throughout the year," said M&T Bank vice president of advertising and promotions Robert J. Moody. "We've continued to build on our partnership with the Bills to give fans more of an opportunity to connect with the team on a year-round basis."

Of the 5,500 entries submitted by Bills fans only seven percent correctly predicted McKelvin as the top pick. Ten percent of fans correctly predicted Marshawn Lynch last year.

"I knew that we needed a cornerback and reading into it I didn't think we'd take a wide receiver until later so I decided to go with a cornerback and he looked like the best fit," said Velletri. "Buffalo usually goes for smaller school type of guys and he was the number one cornerback."

Upon meeting Velletri Buffalo's top pick was grateful that he was thought to be a good fit for the Bills.

"I thanked him for believing in me as a player," said McKelvin. "He picked me and won a contest for it."

In addition to meeting McKelvin after his first practice as a Buffalo Bill, Velletri received the first signed jersey from Buffalo's top rookie as well as pre-game sideline passes and tickets for an October home game. So Velletri will be able to see McKelvin with his new teammates up close again on game day.

"It's going to be great," said Velletri. "This was an unbelievable experience."

 

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