CBS Sports Ranks Bills' UDFA Signing of Frank Gore Jr. as One of NFL's Best

If ever a sports fandom were hereditary, that of the Buffalo Bills would likely qualify. In Western New York, supporting the local football outfit isn’t as much a voluntary decision as it is an inherited attribute, occasionally even manifesting in the form of newborns being baptized by being (gently) placed through a table. Playing for the team, however, is generally a more exclusive club—several local families support the team, but few boast members who have taken a snap for them.

No stranger to being an outlier, the Gore family seems set to buck this trend. Former Southern Mississippi running back Frank Gore Jr. signed with the Bills after going undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft, joining the same team that his father—legendary NFL rusher Frank Gore—spent the 2019 NFL season with. The elder Gore’s unparalleled NFL career is well-documented; the former Miami Hurricane entered the NFL with injury concerns in 2005, overcoming all odds and obstacles to construct a 16-season NFL career in which he appeared in the most games ever by a running back (241) and rushed for 16,000 yards, good for third in NFL history.

Though Buffalo is but a footnote in Gore’s Hall of Fame-worthy career, the fact that his son is joining the team just five years after his stint is confounding; it makes one feel the crow's feet forming next to their eyes. This isn’t an instance of a prospect joining a team that their father played for ‘back in the day;’ Gore Jr. will play with the same quarterback and under the same front office that his dad did just a half-decade ago.

It’s staggering from an emotional level, but sensical from a football perspective, as Gore Jr., given the state of the Bills’ backfield, has a real shot at cracking the 53-man roster. Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports recently ranked the best undrafted free agent signings and landing spots of the 2024 NFL Draft process, placing Gore Jr. fifth on his list. Though far from a complete prospect, Trapasso notes that Gore Jr. has attributes—notably his elusiveness—that make him a threat to challenge for a roster spot. 

“At Southern Miss he was a nightmare to corral regardless of the run direction,” Trapasso wrote. “On 757 career carries there, he forced 233 missed tackles, which equates to a missed tackle forced rate of 30.7%. Is that high? For context, the comparably sized Blake Corum, who went in Round 3, had a career missed tackle forced rate of 22.6% on 676 attempts at Michigan.”

Initially a Florida Atlantic commit under Lane Kiffin, Gore Jr. ultimately flipped to Southern Miss after the head coach left Boca Raton for Ole Miss. He rushed for 4,022 yards throughout his four years in Hattiesburg, reaching paydirt 26 times while becoming the Golden Eagles’ third-all-time leading rusher.

He joins a Buffalo backfield that also boasts standout James Cook, the recently drafted Ray Davis, and Ty Johnson, who impressed in limited duty last season. Though the path is steep, Trapasso feels that Gore Jr. offers a unique skill set that could potentially round out the corps.

“The mileage on Gore's legs is concerning, but he was a super steady, sudden back with plus vision and surprising contact balance for four seasons in college,” Trapasso wrote. “The Bills clearly and justifiably like Ray Davis' size and Ty Johnson flashed down the stretch and in the playoffs last year, but Gore has enough natural talent to make Buffalo's decision-makers seriously consider him in 2024."

Though now firmly the fifth back on the Bills’ depth chart behind the aforementioned three and the speedy Darrynton Evans, Gore Jr. does offer a strong developmental skillset, and his legendary bloodlines certainly suggest a sound work ethic. With strong elusiveness and solid enough pass-catching ability, Gore Jr. could develop into a nice complementary piece in a Joe Brady offense that likes to use its running backs in the passing game; he, at the very least, is a legitimate practice squad contender. Buffalo fans will soon get their first on-field look at Gore Jr. at the team’s upcoming rookie minicamp.