
Tyler Bass Selected by Buffalo Bills in NFL Draft
4/25/2020 4:16:00 PM | Football
Kicker taken in sixth round Saturday
STATESBORO - Former Georgia Southern kicker Tyler Bass was was selected Saturday on the final day of the 2020 NFL Draft. Bass, a native of Irmo, South Carolina, went in the sixth round round to the Buffalo Bills, who took him with the 188th overall pick.
Bass was a two-time All-Sun Belt selection and was named an All-American in 2019 by Chris Sailer Kicking. Bass made 114 PATs and 54 field goals in his career with a long of 50 yards. As a senior, he set a new school record with 20 made field goals. He participated in the Reese's Senior Bowl and also participated in the NFL Combine.
"In Tyler Bass, you're going to get a guy that's obviously a hard worker, who loves what he does and is clutch," said Georgia Southern head coach Chad Lunsford. "He's a guy that is ready for every moment and he's a guy you can send out there whether it's the last kick of the game or the first kick of the game and he treats it the same.Tyler is a very focused individual who is mentally strong and is very confident in what he does. Buffalo is getting a great Georgia Southern man in Tyler Bass."
Draft Notes:
• Bass becomes the 15th Georgia Southern football player ever taken in the NFL Draft.
• He is the second kicker in program history to be selected (Tim Foley, 1988).
• Prior to Saturday, the last player to be drafted out of Georgia Southern was linebacker Ukeme Eligwe (5th Round; Kansas City) in 2017. Kindle Vildor was selected in the fifth round Saturday.
• Bass joins former Georgia Southern kicker Younghoe Koo (Atlanta Falcons) currently playing in the NFL.
• Bass is the first GS player to be chosen by the Buffalo Bills in the NFL Draft.
• With Kindle Vildor's selection in the fifth round, it marks just the third time in program history the Eagles have had two players taken in the same draft.
• Bass is the third Eagle player ever taken in the sixth round (Adrian Peterson, 2002; David Young, 2003).
Georgia Southern in the NFL Draft
Year: Player (Pos., Round Pick, Overall, Team)
2020: Tyler Bass (PK, 6th, 9, 188, Buffalo Bills)
2020: Kindle Vildor (CB, 5, 18, 163, Chicago Bears)
2017: Ukeme Eligwe (LB, 5, 40, 183, Kansas City Chiefs)
2016: Antwione Williams (LB, 5, 32, 169, Detroit Lions)
2014: Jerick McKinnon (RB, 3, 32, 96, Minnesota Vikings)
2014: Lavelle Westbrooks (CB, 7, 37, 252, Cincinnati Bengals)
2013: J.J. Wilcox (S, 3, 18, 80, Dallas Cowboys)
2003: David Young (S, 6, 6, 179, Jacksonville Jaguars)
2002: Adrian Peterson (RB, 6, 27, 199, Chicago Bears)
2000: Kiwaukee Thomas (CB, 5, 30, 159, Jacksonville Jaguars)
1990: Ernest Thompson (RB, 11, 15, 291, Kansas City Chiefs)
1989: Terry Young (DB, 12, 22, 329, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
1988: Tim Foley (PK, 10, 26, 275, San Francisco 49ers)
1987: Tracy Ham (RB, 9, 17, 240, Los Angeles Rams)
1987: Fred Stokes (DE, 12, 25, 332, Los Angeles Rams)
Bass was a two-time All-Sun Belt selection and was named an All-American in 2019 by Chris Sailer Kicking. Bass made 114 PATs and 54 field goals in his career with a long of 50 yards. As a senior, he set a new school record with 20 made field goals. He participated in the Reese's Senior Bowl and also participated in the NFL Combine.
"In Tyler Bass, you're going to get a guy that's obviously a hard worker, who loves what he does and is clutch," said Georgia Southern head coach Chad Lunsford. "He's a guy that is ready for every moment and he's a guy you can send out there whether it's the last kick of the game or the first kick of the game and he treats it the same.Tyler is a very focused individual who is mentally strong and is very confident in what he does. Buffalo is getting a great Georgia Southern man in Tyler Bass."
Draft Notes:
• Bass becomes the 15th Georgia Southern football player ever taken in the NFL Draft.
• He is the second kicker in program history to be selected (Tim Foley, 1988).
• Prior to Saturday, the last player to be drafted out of Georgia Southern was linebacker Ukeme Eligwe (5th Round; Kansas City) in 2017. Kindle Vildor was selected in the fifth round Saturday.
• Bass joins former Georgia Southern kicker Younghoe Koo (Atlanta Falcons) currently playing in the NFL.
• Bass is the first GS player to be chosen by the Buffalo Bills in the NFL Draft.
• With Kindle Vildor's selection in the fifth round, it marks just the third time in program history the Eagles have had two players taken in the same draft.
• Bass is the third Eagle player ever taken in the sixth round (Adrian Peterson, 2002; David Young, 2003).
Georgia Southern in the NFL Draft
Year: Player (Pos., Round Pick, Overall, Team)
2020: Tyler Bass (PK, 6th, 9, 188, Buffalo Bills)
2020: Kindle Vildor (CB, 5, 18, 163, Chicago Bears)
2017: Ukeme Eligwe (LB, 5, 40, 183, Kansas City Chiefs)
2016: Antwione Williams (LB, 5, 32, 169, Detroit Lions)
2014: Jerick McKinnon (RB, 3, 32, 96, Minnesota Vikings)
2014: Lavelle Westbrooks (CB, 7, 37, 252, Cincinnati Bengals)
2013: J.J. Wilcox (S, 3, 18, 80, Dallas Cowboys)
2003: David Young (S, 6, 6, 179, Jacksonville Jaguars)
2002: Adrian Peterson (RB, 6, 27, 199, Chicago Bears)
2000: Kiwaukee Thomas (CB, 5, 30, 159, Jacksonville Jaguars)
1990: Ernest Thompson (RB, 11, 15, 291, Kansas City Chiefs)
1989: Terry Young (DB, 12, 22, 329, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
1988: Tim Foley (PK, 10, 26, 275, San Francisco 49ers)
1987: Tracy Ham (RB, 9, 17, 240, Los Angeles Rams)
1987: Fred Stokes (DE, 12, 25, 332, Los Angeles Rams)
Players Mentioned
Georgia Southern Football Media Availability (12/15/25)
Monday, December 15
The GATA Zone - Episode 9 (Swimming and Diving)
Thursday, December 11
Clay Helton Media Availability: National Signing Day (12/3/25)
Wednesday, December 03
Georgia Southern vs. Marshall Highlights (11/29/25)
Sunday, November 30


















