Kristian Wilkerson facts for kids

Kristian Wilkerson (born January 10, 1997) is an American professional football player. He plays as a wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the NFL, he played college football for the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks.

College Football Journey

Kristian Wilkerson played for the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks for five seasons. In his first year, he "redshirted," which means he practiced with the team but didn't play in games. This allowed him to train and get stronger without using up a year of his college playing eligibility.

Record-Breaking Performance

In his final year, Kristian had an amazing season. He caught 71 passes for 1,350 yards and scored 10 touchdowns. Because of his great performance, he was named first-team All-Ohio Valley Conference. He was also recognized as a second-team All-American by HERO Sports.

Kristian finished his college career with some impressive records for his school. He had 219 catches, gained 3,540 receiving yards, and scored 33 touchdowns. All of these were new records for the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks.

Professional Football Career

Kristian Wilkerson started his professional football journey in 2020. He has played for several teams in the NFL.

Tennessee Titans

After college, the Tennessee Titans signed Kristian Wilkerson in 2020. He joined the team as an undrafted free agent, meaning he wasn't chosen in the NFL Draft but was signed afterward. He was later released by the team before the regular season began.

New England Patriots

Kristian then joined the New England Patriots practice squad in September 2020. A practice squad is a group of players who train with the team but are not on the main roster. He was moved up to the main team for a game in November 2020, making his NFL debut. After that game, he returned to the practice squad.

He signed a new contract with the Patriots in January 2021. In January 2022, he was moved to the main team again for a game. In that game, he scored his first two NFL touchdowns, which was a big moment in his career. He signed another contract with the Patriots in January 2022. Later, in August 2022, he was placed on injured reserve due to an injury. The Patriots released him in February 2023.

Indianapolis Colts

In February 2023, the Indianapolis Colts picked up Kristian Wilkerson. However, he was released by the Colts in May 2023.

Las Vegas Raiders

Kristian signed with the Las Vegas Raiders in May 2023. He was released by the Raiders in November 2023 but quickly re-signed to their practice squad. He signed a new contract with the Raiders in January 2024.

In August 2024, the Raiders released him again, but he rejoined their practice squad. He signed another contract with Las Vegas in January 2025. The Raiders released him in May 2025.

Buffalo Bills

In May 2025, Kristian Wilkerson signed with his current team, the Buffalo Bills. He continues his professional football career as a wide receiver for the Bills.