Texas A&M wide receiver KC Concepcion impressed at the NFL scouting combine despite his speech impediment, showcasing resilience and talent. The Buffalo Bills have shown interest in him, meeting with him at the combine and hosting a visit.
At the end of his media session at the NFL scouting combine, Texas A&M wide receiver KC Concepcion stepped down from the podium with a big smile on his face, and he approached a woman who was waiting for him to share a long, loving embrace.
I’m not sure who the woman was, but it was clear she was there to support Concepcion for what was probably the toughest part of his combine experience: Talking to the media.
Like his father Kevin Concepcion Sr., who was raised in Rochester and graduated from East High in 2001, KC has a speech impediment and the stuttering sometimes makes it difficult for him to get across what he’s trying to say.
KC could probably choose not to speak to reporters, but as he proved that day in Indianapolis, he refuses to let his stuttering hold him back. He has always met it head on, and it’s something NFL teams - including the Buffalo Bills who had a meeting with him at the combine and also hosted him for a top-30 visit last week - have to be impressed with.
I had been told ahead of his combine interview that it was going to be difficult to decipher what Concepcion was saying, so imagine my surprise when he got up there and did an outstanding job answering questions for close to 15 minutes. Sure, he stuttered and there were moments where you didn’t think he’d be able to finish his response, but he stuck with it and when it was over, you could see the pride he had when he shared that hug.
“I think it’s a credit to him how he handles himself,” Texas A&M coach Mike Elko said during the 2025 season, Concepcion’s lone year playing for the Aggies following a transfer from North Carolina State. “Obviously being a prime-focus player on a high-level program that’s competing for high-level things, he’s forced to be in the media a lot.”
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - FEBRUARY 28: K C Concepcion of the Texas A&M Aggies participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - FEBRUARY 28: K C Concepcion of the Texas A&M Aggies participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - FEBRUARY 27: K C Concepcion of the Texas A&M Aggies speaks to the media during the 2026 NFL Draft Combine at the Indiana Convention Center on February 27, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Image
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS - AUGUST 30: KC Concepcion #7 of the Texas A&M Aggies runs the ball as Darion White #44 of the UTSA Roadrunners defends during the second quarter at Kyle Field on August 30, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
AUSTIN, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 28: KC Concepcion #7 of the Texas A&M Aggies runs with the ball against the Texas Longhorns during the first quarter at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on November 28, 2025 in Austin, Texas.
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 15: KC Concepcion #7 of the Texas A&M Aggies takes a knee in the end zone before playing the South Carolina Gamecocks during the first quarter at Kyle Field on November 15, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS - DECEMBER 20: KC Concepcion #7 of the Texas A&M Aggies runs with the ball in the third quarter against the Miami Hurricanes during the 2025 College Football Playoff First Round Game at Kyle Field on December 20, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS - DECEMBER 20: KC Concepcion #7 of the Texas A&M Aggies warms up prior to the 2025 College Football Playoff First Round Game against the Miami Hurricanes at Kyle Field on December 20, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
Oct 25, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver KC Concepcion (7) returns a punt for a touchdown during the second half against the Louisiana State Tigers at Tiger Stadium.
SOUTH BEND, INDIANA - SEPTEMBER 13: KC Concepcion #7 of the Texas A&M Aggies looks on prior to the game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium on September 13, 2025 in South Bend, Indiana.
Oct 25, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver KC Concepcion (7) returns a punt for a touchdown during the second half against the Louisiana State Tigers at Tiger Stadium.
Nov 8, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver KC Concepcion (7) runs for a touchdown during the second half against the Missouri Tigers at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium.
COLUMBIA, MISSOURI - NOVEMBER 08: Wide reciever KC Concepcion #7 of the Texas A&M Aggies runs for a touchdown against the Missouri Tigers in the second half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium on November 08, 2025 in Columbia, Missouri.
COLUMBIA, MISSOURI - NOVEMBER 08: KC Concepcion #7 of the Texas A&M Aggies runs for a touchdown against the Missouri Tigers in the second half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium on November 08, 2025 in Columbia, Missouri.
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 22: KC Concepcion #7 of the Texas A&M Aggies returns a punt against Conroy Cunningham #90 of the Samford Bulldogs in the first quarter at Kyle Field on November 22, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
AUSTIN, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 28: KC Concepcion #7 of the Texas A&M Aggies carries for a touchdown during the second quarter against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on November 28, 2025 in Austin, Texas.
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS - DECEMBER 20: KC Concepcion #7 of the Texas A&M Aggies warms up prior to the 2025 College Football Playoff First Round Game against the Miami Hurricanes at Kyle Field on December 20, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 25: Kevin Concepcion #10 celebrates his touchdown with Jacarrius Peak #65 of the NC State Wolfpack during the first half of the game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Carter-Finley Stadium on November 25, 2023 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Nov 30, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack wide receiver Kevin Concepcion (10) with the ball as North Carolina Tar Heels linebacker Caleb LaVallee (34) and linebacker Amare Campbell (17) defend in the first quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA - SEPTEMBER 22: Kevin "KC" Concepcion #10 of the NC State Wolfpack runs for a touchdown past Tayvonn Kyle #23 of the Virginia Cavaliers in the second half during a game at Scott Stadium on September 22, 2023 in Charlottesville, Virginia.
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 09: Kevin Concepcion #10 of the NC State Wolfpack makes a catch for a touchdown during the first half of the game at Carter-Finley Stadium on November 9, 2024 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Concepcion would be pushed out of the end zone prior to making contact with the field.
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - AUGUST 29: Kevin Concepcion #10 of the NC State Wolfpack dives into the end zone for a touchdown during the first half against the Western Carolina Catamounts at Carter-Finley Stadium on August 29, 2024 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - FEBRUARY 28: K C Concepcion of the Texas A&M Aggies participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - FEBRUARY 28: K C Concepcion of the Texas A&M Aggies participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - FEBRUARY 28: K C Concepcion of the Texas A&M Aggies participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - FEBRUARY 27: K C Concepcion of the Texas A&M Aggies speaks to the media during the 2026 NFL Draft Combine at the Indiana Convention Center on February 27, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Image
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COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS - AUGUST 30: KC Concepcion #7 of the Texas A&M Aggies runs the ball as Darion White #44 of the UTSA Roadrunners defends during the second quarter at Kyle Field on August 30, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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AUSTIN, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 28: KC Concepcion #7 of the Texas A&M Aggies runs with the ball against the Texas Longhorns during the first quarter at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on November 28, 2025 in Austin, Texas.
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COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 15: KC Concepcion #7 of the Texas A&M Aggies takes a knee in the end zone before playing the South Carolina Gamecocks during the first quarter at Kyle Field on November 15, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS - DECEMBER 20: KC Concepcion #7 of the Texas A&M Aggies runs with the ball in the third quarter against the Miami Hurricanes during the 2025 College Football Playoff First Round Game at Kyle Field on December 20, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS - DECEMBER 20: KC Concepcion #7 of the Texas A&M Aggies warms up prior to the 2025 College Football Playoff First Round Game against the Miami Hurricanes at Kyle Field on December 20, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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Oct 25, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver KC Concepcion (7) returns a punt for a touchdown during the second half against the Louisiana State Tigers at Tiger Stadium.
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SOUTH BEND, INDIANA - SEPTEMBER 13: KC Concepcion #7 of the Texas A&M Aggies looks on prior to the game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium on September 13, 2025 in South Bend, Indiana.
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Oct 25, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver KC Concepcion (7) returns a punt for a touchdown during the second half against the Louisiana State Tigers at Tiger Stadium.
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Nov 8, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver KC Concepcion (7) runs for a touchdown during the second half against the Missouri Tigers at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium.
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COLUMBIA, MISSOURI - NOVEMBER 08: Wide reciever KC Concepcion #7 of the Texas A&M Aggies runs for a touchdown against the Missouri Tigers in the second half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium on November 08, 2025 in Columbia, Missouri.
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COLUMBIA, MISSOURI - NOVEMBER 08: KC Concepcion #7 of the Texas A&M Aggies runs for a touchdown against the Missouri Tigers in the second half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium on November 08, 2025 in Columbia, Missouri.
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COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 22: KC Concepcion #7 of the Texas A&M Aggies returns a punt against Conroy Cunningham #90 of the Samford Bulldogs in the first quarter at Kyle Field on November 22, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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AUSTIN, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 28: KC Concepcion #7 of the Texas A&M Aggies carries for a touchdown during the second quarter against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on November 28, 2025 in Austin, Texas.
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COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS - DECEMBER 20: KC Concepcion #7 of the Texas A&M Aggies warms up prior to the 2025 College Football Playoff First Round Game against the Miami Hurricanes at Kyle Field on December 20, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
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RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 25: Kevin Concepcion #10 celebrates his touchdown with Jacarrius Peak #65 of the NC State Wolfpack during the first half of the game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Carter-Finley Stadium on November 25, 2023 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
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Nov 30, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack wide receiver Kevin Concepcion (10) with the ball as North Carolina Tar Heels linebacker Caleb LaVallee (34) and linebacker Amare Campbell (17) defend in the first quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium.
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA - SEPTEMBER 22: Kevin "KC" Concepcion #10 of the NC State Wolfpack runs for a touchdown past Tayvonn Kyle #23 of the Virginia Cavaliers in the second half during a game at Scott Stadium on September 22, 2023 in Charlottesville, Virginia.
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RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 09: Kevin Concepcion #10 of the NC State Wolfpack makes a catch for a touchdown during the first half of the game at Carter-Finley Stadium on November 9, 2024 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Concepcion would be pushed out of the end zone prior to making contact with the field.
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RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - AUGUST 29: Kevin Concepcion #10 of the NC State Wolfpack dives into the end zone for a touchdown during the first half against the Western Carolina Catamounts at Carter-Finley Stadium on August 29, 2024 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
His exposure at NC State and Texas A&M was limited mostly to local beat reporters, but stepping into the harsh spotlight at the combine, his speech impediment was revealed to a huge audience and not surprisingly in this vile social media world we live in, there were many who mocked Concepcion after his interview.
A couple days later, the 21-year-old posted this response on his Instagram account:
“I just want to say something. If you have a speech impediment there is nothing wrong with you. I have had this stutter since I can remember- this is a part of me - this is who I am and I cannot control this. I wanna be a role model for those who may be scared to speak up and may be afraid and not confident in themselves - I stand with you!
“This weekend has taught me a lot about myself and people in this world. I appreciate everyone who has supported me and reached out to me after these interviews. Don’t let an outside person’s thoughts or opinions get in the way of you being great and achieving something in life. I am blessed to be in a position I am in, and I want to give back to those who are scared to speak up. I will always stand with you- we are different for a reason. God has blessed my life in ways you can never imagine this past year. I love y’all and support y’all as we climb this mountain together.”
Kevin Concepcion was a multi-sport athlete at East High who went to the University at Buffalo and played defensive back while also returning punts, and later played for the Rochester Raiders of the short-lived American Indoor Football League. He admitted in an interview with OurEsquina.com last year that he struggled to cope with his stutter.
“I hated it because I just had a great game and now I got to talk to these people,” he said. “It’s not that the questions are uncomfortable. The uncomfortable part was me not being able to get out the words that I wanted to say. I definitely shied away from that. My speech impediment or stuttering defined my personality. I was a very shy kid. I kept so many things bottled up. When I was a kid, I would cry because of my speech impediment. KC would be around these kids just stuttering, but he embraced it. I never witnessed any of his teammates make fun of him.”
The younger Concepcion is an impressive man, and oh, by the way, he’s a heck of a receiver who is expected to be a mid-to-late first-round pick which would probably put him in play for the Bills at No. 26, something that clearly intrigues him.
“My meeting with the Bills, it went really well,” he said during that combine session. “I was actually born in New York, 585, I moved out to Charlotte when I was about 5. The Bills are actually my dad’s favorite team so I’ve been watching them since I was young. I’ve been seeing Josh Allen, he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the league. I would be grateful.”
The 5-foot-11, 196-pounder could not test at the combine or his pro day because of a knee procedure, but assuming he recovers fully which is the expectation, he will bring a dynamic downfield threat to whichever team picks him.
Texas A&M wide receiver and Rochester native KC Concepcion could be a Bills target in the first round of the draft.
He caught 124 passes for 1,299 yards and 16 TDs in two years (25 games) at NC State, then played 13 games at Texas A&M and caught 61 passes for 919 yards and nine TDs, plus had two punt return TDs. In 2025 he earned first-team All-America and first-team all-SEC recognition, and he won the Paul Hornung Award given to the nation’s most versatile player.
“KC Concepcion from Texas A&M’s got elite speed, he’s got a couple punt return touchdowns to throw in the mix, he runs away from everybody,” NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah said during a pre-combine conference call with reporters. “He’s got some route polish to him as well. The thing with him is just the drops; he had seven drops (in 2025) so you’re going to have to live with some of that, but he’s going to give you the explosive plays to go along with it.”
In other words, he’s the kind of wideout the Bills sorely need, a player who can threaten down the field but who can also turn short passes into big gains, not to mention perhaps solve their never-ending need for a true punt returner.
“He could very well be available in early the 20s and that’s exactly the kind of after catch guy that they could use,” NFL. com analyst Chad Reuter told me at the combine, and then had Concepcion going to the Bills in his latest mock draft published on April 3.
Concepcion, who started all 38 games he played in college and never missed one due to injury, was asked what he feels he would bring to a team. “I feel like I will bring to an NFL franchise, a playmaker, versatile. I can play inside receiver, outside receiver, running back, punt return, kick return. They like my competitiveness, they like my versatility.”
He owned up to the drop issues he’s had (a 9.3% rate across three college seasons), saying, “Something that the NFL teams feel like I can improve on is my concentration. This year I had seven drops, it’s something that I have to work on. I’m gonna work every day to fix it. Once I get that chance, I’m gonna catch every ball. The things that I do well, releases, top of the route. Once I get the ball in my hands it’s electric. One thing also I do really well, I block in the run game, but I can get better at that also I can be more physical.”
▶ Dane Brugler, The Athletic: “Concepcion must cut down on the drops and fine-tune areas of his game, but he is a versatile playmaker with an innate feel for getting open before the catch and creating after it. He has the receiving talent to become a starting slot or Z while also providing value as a punt returner.”
▶ Luke Easterling, Athlon Sports: “Despite his lack of ideal size, Concepcion has dynamic playmaking ability and he does all the little things extremely well. His reliable hands, intelligence and explosiveness make him as complete a receiver as you’ll see under six feet tall, and his ability to line up outside or in the slot increases his upside and scheme versatility. Even if he’s not a true No. 1 receiver at the next level, Concepcion could put up huge numbers in a pass-happy offense.”
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 have draft interest in KC Concepcion after powerful interview
KC Concepcion has a stuttering issue that sometimes makes it difficult for him to communicate, especially in high-pressure situations like media interviews.
KC Concepcion performed well, answering questions for nearly 15 minutes and demonstrating his ability to communicate despite his stutter.
The Buffalo Bills have shown interest in KC Concepcion, meeting with him at the combine and hosting him for a top-30 visit.
KC Concepcion's father, Kevin Concepcion Sr., was raised in Rochester and graduated from East High in 2001, highlighting the family's roots in the area.
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