There aren’t many players who reach the NFL after being zero-star recruits coming out of high school, but Cincinnati linebacker Jake Golday is going to buck those odds in a couple weeks.
Most likely on Day 2 of the NFL Draft, Golday is going to hear his name called and if he’s still sitting there when the Buffalo Bills go on the clock in the third round with the No. 91 pick, Brandon Beane might be the man on the other end of the phone.
During a college career that began at lower FCS-level Central Arkansas and finished at FBS-level Cincinnati, Golday did a little bit of everything as he played edge rusher, Sam linebacker and even some slot corner. That’s what will make him attractive to teams, his versatility and athleticism at a time when defenses seek out players who can be used in a variety of roles.
“I think the evolution of spread offenses throughout high school and college football, it’s very similar to the NBA where it’s created a little bit more positionless types of (defensive) players,” Bills defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard said. “There are unique skill sets all around the NFL where guys don’t quite fit in your traditional box of edge defender, defensive tackle, nickel, safety.
“That’s where I’ve had the most success in my career as a coach was finding those guys that fit in a little bit different role. Their main value is the versatility that they bring, being a Swiss Army knife, high football IQ, communication skills.”
Several linebacker prospects in this draft fit that mold, and Golday is certainly an intriguing option, especially given his steady ascendency since high school.
“Yeah, I was an underdog coming out of high school, didn't have many offers or opportunities,” Golday said at the combine, recalling that the only FBS program to show interest was Air Force. “Took the best offer I had going into Central Arkansas, made the most out of that opportunity.
“I played D-end starting out, got moved to linebacker and that opened up a whole new love for the game. Ultimately, got the opportunity to transfer to Cincinnati and then had two great years to develop, and that's where I am today.”
One reason for his no-star rating was that he was 6-foot-4 and weighed just 190 pounds and no one knew exactly what do with him. As a senior at Arlington (Tenn.) High School (where he was briefly teammates with Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker), he played receiver and linebacker and excelled at both positions, but not enough to sway FBS recruiters.
Central Arkansas gave him a chance and during three seasons there he gradually bulked up to 240 pounds and that piqued the interest of the more prominent programs when he entered the transfer portal and ultimately chose Cincinnati.
“That was definitely the big stepping stone I needed to make,” said Golday, who started 20 of the 24 games he played for the Bearcats in 2024 and 2025, totaling 163 tackles, 13 for lost yardage with five sacks, three forced fumbles and five pass breakups.
“Cincinnati had all the resources for me to be able to grow and to become the player that I am today. Being able to prove that I could compete at the highest level also was a huge deal. It wasn't easy leaving Central Arkansas being a leader over there and then having to diminish all of that to go to Cincinnati and start over is a huge step for me, but I think it was really good for me and my growth.”
In Buffalo’s defense, Golday could be the type of moveable chess piece Leonhard can deploy in a number of scenarios, especially as a pass rusher off the edge and from the inside as a blitzer. He also figures to provide plenty of core four special teams value because he’s such an excellent athlete.
He needs refinement in a few areas, but for a zero-star recruit to probably being a Day 2 draft pick, no one should be betting against him.
“I'll do whatever is asked of me,” he said. “I feel like that's one of the abilities that I have is that I'm really versatile and I'm going to give them a straight answer to everything that I'm asked to do.”
▶ Lance Zeirlein, NFL. com: “Golday is a big, explosive linebacker with a game best suited for work near the line of scrimmage. He attacks climbing blockers with heavy, aggressive hands. He also shows the strength to stack, compress gaps and finish with authority. While his performance at the point of attack stands out, he can be a little late diagnosing play design and needs to work with a more preemptive downhill trigger at times. He’s more powerful than elusive as a blitzer and is average in coverage. Golday’s traits, explosiveness and field demeanor should make him an early special teams standout with the potential to eventually start at Sam or inside linebacker.”
▶ Todd McShay, The Ringer: “Golday has the traits to develop into a starter early in his career and can be utilized in rush packages and on special teams. He’s not as instinctive or fluid as 2023 first-round pick Jack Campbell (Lions), but they have similar frames and posted similar testing numbers at the combine.”
Sal Maiorana has covered the Buffalo Bills for more than four decades including 37 years as the full-time beat writer/columnist for the D&C. He has written numerous books about the history of the team, and he is also co-host of the BLEAV in Bills podcast/YouTube show. He can be reached at maiorana@gannett.com, and you can follow him on X @salmaiorana and on Bluesky @salmaiorana.bsky.social.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Bills may target Cincinnati linebacker Jake Golday in NFL Draft