1. Xavier Alexander Manning, Yonkers, NY, Junior, Environmental Science major
2. Ocean Latimer, Los Angeles, CA, Junior, Marketing major
3. Mekhi Terrell Barnes, Williamstown, NY, Junior, Film major
4. Betangabeh Taku Khumbah, Ypsilanti, MI, Junior, Finance major
5. Isaiah Nwaeze Joseph, Gaithersburg, MD, Sophomore, Finance major
6. Noah Vincent Henry Thomas, Atlanta, GA, Junior, Business Management major
   

1. Khalil Saadiq, Sophomore, Economics Major, Birmingham, AL
2. Eli White, Senior, Sociology Major, Springfield, MO
3. Justice Walters, Sophomore, Philosophy Major, Bronx, NY
4. Joshua Denson, Sophomore, Biology Major, Cincinnati, OH
5. Aquanius Freeman, Senior, Supply Chain Mgmt Major, New Orleans, LA
   

Bills rookie linebacker Keith Pough is about as big an undrafted playmaker as you’re going to find on the defensive side of the ball.  He may not have a prototype NFL linebacker body and his 40 time might be far from blazing, but Bills rookie linebacker Keith Pough is as big an undrafted playmaker as you’re going to find on the defensive side of the ball. That’s why the Howard University product has lofty goals as he prepares for Buffalo’s rookie minicamp this weekend.

 “My expectations are to impress the coaches enough to be an instant contributor to the team,” Pough told Buffalobills.com. “I know there are a lot of challenges in terms of learning the system and get used to the speed of the game, but that will come with time. My goal is nothing short of being a first-year starter and contributing right off the bat.”

Pough (6’2” 239) was the 2012 MEAC Conference Defensive Player of the Year. He finished his career with an astounding 71 tackles for loss, 28.5 of which came in his sophomore season when he led the nation in tackles behind the line.

While he admits his defensive coaches put him in good position to make plays, he also made sure he did his homework for upcoming opponents.

“I pride myself on film study and preparing for the game,” said Pough. “So if you can kind of anticipate and know what the offensive coordinators like to do on certain downs or in certain situations, you can kind of scheme the defense or your play to dictate what the offense does and doesn’t do.”

RELATED: Pough is pick of undrafted litter

Pough said he was given ample opportunity to rush the passer for the Bison and had 10.5 sacks his sophomore season when he also logged 100 tackles. He upped his tackle total to 120 as a junior with 21 coming behind the line of scrimmage.

“I pride myself on being a pass rusher and great blitzer and if I’m one-on-one with a back I can never lose that situation,” he said. “That’s got to be an automatic win.”

There are a few things that have helped to make Pough such a reliable tackler. While his film study puts him in the right place at the right time it’s his unusually long arms (33 ½”) and powerful hands that let few ball carriers slip from his grasp.

“I’ve been on a very strong regimen with the rice bucket every day,” said Pough of the oil drum-size bucket that baseball players plunge their arms into to grip and twist their forearms 180 degrees. “Baseball players use it to strengthen their forearms and their hands so they can grip the bat. My father coached me throughout my life and he was big on me squeezing tennis balls and getting my hands in the rice bucket. Now all I have to do is grab your jersey and it’s a tackle. That’s what has allowed me to play at the level I have the past few years.”

Pough’s play at Howard earned him an invite to pay in the East-West Shrine game where he had a productive week and to the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, but he ran a disappointing 40-time of 4.87. But Bills scout Tom Roth wasn’t dissuaded.

“It did send me back to the game tape,” said Roth of Pough’s 40 time. “But he plays faster than that. His playing speed is closer to 4.75 because he anticipates so well.”

“The 40-yard dash is not an accurate indicator of a football player and the speed you play with in games,” said Pough. “The film speaks for itself and the eye in the sky doesn’t lie at all. My motto has always been stopwatches don’t make tackles.”

When the draft came and went without hearing his name called, Pough was suddenly fielding undrafted free agent signing offers from several NFL teams, but in the end he chose Buffalo.

“I formed a good relationship with coach (Jim) O’Neil, the Bills linebackers coach,” said Pough. “We had a great conversation at the Combine and we kind of clicked. It was something different in our conversation at the Combine. He reached out to me after the draft via text and then he got on the phone and we’d talk about five or 10 minutes and said he would love to have me. The Bills have a new coaching staff and they’re running a scheme similar to the one I was running in college. I felt like it was a good fit for me.”

Expected to line up at strong side linebacker for Buffalo, Pough believes his insatiable appetite to study film and know an opponent inside and out will serve him well in rookie minicamp this weekend. He understands how much it has allowed him to elevate his game. Now Pough aims to beat the odds and elevate his game once again with the Bills.

LB Keith Pough (#13) aims to take down QB Collin Klein in the East-West Shrine game

Keith Pough, linebacker for Howard University, was awarded the Pat Tillman Award at the East-West Shrine Game® banquet Friday evening. The award is presented annually to the player who demonstrates courage, perseverance and talent throughout the week leading up to the game and recognizes his overall achievements and conduct.

"Keith exemplifies the qualities we look for in the award winner," said East-West Shrine Game executive director, Harold Richardson. “From the hospital visit through practice, he has conducted himself in a way we believe Pat Tillman would be proud.”

“He first caught our attention at the visit to Shriners Hospitals for Children – Tampa last Sunday. You could see that he had a great time coloring, dancing and playing with the kids,” said West team manager, Andy Strickland.

“From day one at practice, he’s been a very vocal leader, encouraging and supporting his teammates on both defense and offense,” said West team head coach, Leeman Bennett. “He gives tremendous effort on every play and has shown great toughness. He’s the kind of player coaches like to have on the field.”

Pough, a 6’3”, 235-pound linebacker, finished his career at Howard as the all-time career leader in tackles for losses for in the FCS. For his efforts, he earned MEAC Defensive Player of the Year. Pough is the first player in Howard history to be selected to participate in the East-West Shrine Game, the oldest college football all-star game.

Pough also earned the Pigskin Club of Washington College Player of the Year and the Frank. P. Bolden Award

"It's a blessing and an honor to win this award that holds Pat Tillman’s name. He stood for honor, integrity, and sacrifice; those things mean everything to me," said Pough. "The visit to Shriners Hospitals for Children showed me why this is more than just a game and really motivated me to work harder this week. This has been an unforgettable experience."

Synopsis: “The Riders come out at midnight” and “Riders ride” are words that 23-year-old police rookie T. Pender hears from Officer Frank Vazquez. Known as the “Choker,” Vazquez is a veteran field-training officer who teaches rookies to be “real” cops. While most in the Oakland Police Department brass regard Vasquez as one of the department’s finest patrolmen, his stellar reputation belies a more sinister side to his questionable police tactics. Behind the veil of secrecy that covers the inner workings of the OPD, “Choker” leads a gang of ruthless cops that terrorize a troubled community in late 1990s West Oakland, CA.

Bio: Born and raised in New Orleans’s 7th ward, Gerard McMurray has been a filmmaker since 2002 while a student at Howard University in Washington, DC. Gerard was awarded the 2011 Directors Guild of America Student Filmmaker Award for his short film Battle Buddy, which has screened at numerous film festivals, including the San Diego Black Film Festival, Women’s International Film Festival, and the USC Newport Beach Film Showcase. He earned an MFA from the USC School of Cinematic Arts in May 2011, worked as associate producer on the indie film Fruitvale and is seeking to direct his first feature film.

What was your inspiration for this story?
I was always a fan of gritty, urban dramas that told tales of the streets from a realistic view. During my years growing up in inner city New Orleans, I often saw police brutality. I heard tales of people being framed by the cops, and worse. As I got older, I began to realize that these were not just stories. It all came home for me when I became the victim of police brutality. In the hood, people distrust the police, they are scared of the police, and the code of the streets is “Never talk to the police.” I was inspired to tell the story of the West Oakland Riders as a gritty tale about inner-city cops that were more in line with the type of police that were in my neighborhood. I want to tell a story that shines a light on what goes on in the inner city, and tells why there is this inherent distrust of the police amongst the citizens of most inner-city neighborhoods. Being harassed by the police is a rite of passage for black males in this country.

What do you see as the greatest challenges for filmmakers today?
I would say the greatest challenge for filmmakers today is being able to maintain your voice. Hollywood is a money-driven business, and so there is always the temptation to make a more commercially viable film in order to secure some financing. However, staying true to yourself, your voice, and your vision for the film is paramount in making good films. People can see your passion through your storytelling. So, being able to maintain your vision, despite what other people are saying about it is a testament to your level of commitment to making your film unique, and true to your original vision. That’s why I think it is so important that there are organizations like the San Francisco Film Society that allow filmmakers to have the freedom to express their artistic vision.

If you could change one thing about the film industry, what would it be?
If I could change one thing about the film industry, I would make it more diverse. I feel that right now, the films that are being released are not necessarily representative of the changing face of American filmmakers. There are so many different and interesting stories that should be told, from a wide range of cultures and perspectives. I think that the industry should start telling stories from other vantage points that still share common themes. For instance, all people can relate to wanting to protect their family, but different people tell different and unique stories about protecting their family.