PITTSFORD — Lee Evans runs what looks like a short route and Leodis McKelvin takes the bait. A stutter step, a quick burst of speed and Evans blows by McKelvin to catch a long pass. Touchdown.

Terrell Owens catches a quick slant as McKelvin charges up to make the stop. Owens plants

his right foot in the ground and breaks to the outside, leaving a fallen McKelvin sprawling on

the turf. T.O. takes it to the house.

Yes, the education of Leodis McKelvin is in full swing at Buffalo Bills training camp.

"They got me pretty good on some double moves," McKelvin said of Evans and Owens. "It's

very good for me though, especially being young, going against receivers this good in

practice. It's a good learning experience. I just try to learn from my mistakes in practice

and not do it in the game. Going against our receivers will make it easier when you go out in

game situations and you're facing guys of that caliber."

McKelvin's struggles against Evans and Owens should come as no surprise. They are, after

all, two of the top receivers in the game.

And while McKelvin is talented, his knowledge of the game is not yet on par with his

ability to play the game.

Getting torched by the Bills' two best receivers isn't such a bad thing, provided he

responds to it the way the team hopes.

"Leodis missed a lot of the [organized team activities] and we were not able to develop him

in those sessions like we wanted to," defensive coordinator Perry Fewell said. "So now we are

trying to develop him and bring him along and match him up with a Terrell Owens and let Owens

school him a little bit so that it happens here in practice and we can teach him and he can

learn from it, grow and progress.

"[Getting beat is] going to happen in camp more often than not. We're going to put him in

some tough situations and simulate game situations. We expect him to come back and respond and

have that short memory."

Despite McKelvin's struggles, it's hard not to see the talent that has the Bills so

excited. He'll get beat on a long pass, but responds by jumping a route and making an

interception or breaking up a pass.

And he does it all with a swagger that's common in most cornerbacks.

"He's not lacking in confidence," Evans said. "We might get one or two on him, but he

doesn't back down. He won't lose his aggressiveness."

"I'll never apologize for being aggressive," McKelvin said. "It just depends on when and

how you do it. I can't change the way I play. It's why the Bills drafted me."

The Bills also drafted him 11th overall last year because he is a playmaker. He displayed

it on special teams, ranking second in the NFL with a team-record 1,468 kickoff return yards

and third with a 28.2-yard average. He had seven returns over 40 yards, including a 98-yard

touchdown.

McKelvin began making an impact on defense as well after replacing an injured Jabari Greer

in the starting lineup late last season. In a Week 12 game at Kansas City, McKelvin

intercepted two passes, taking one back 64 yards for a touchdown.

Fewell believes plays like that can be common once McKelvin gains more experience.

"When he intercepted a pass and ran it in for a touchdown [during a recent practice], it

showed what kind of ability he has," Fewell said. "I'm saying to myself, "This guy can light

it up if we can just get him developed and he can build off some of the things that he is

learning.' I'm about to jump out of my skin with the excitement of how special this guy can

be. But I can't expect too much too soon."

Fewell's praise is tempered by the issue of McKelvin's health. He missed most of the

offseason workouts with an injured finger. He has bounced in and out of the lineup in training

camp because of a quad ailment.

For all of McKelvin's potential, he has to stay on the field to make the most of it.

"I'm not going to get too high or too low on him," Fewell said. "We have a plan for him and

hopefully we can continue to institute that plan. If he can stay healthy in training camp, we

can get the necessary reps in order to help him be a better football player."

After watching another big completion to Evans at McKelvin's expense, Fewell pulled his

young protege aside and explained why he got beat and how to avoid similar mistakes in the

future.

The education of Leodis McKelvin continues.