Team

PRO: Taken by the Bills with the 9th pick in the sixth round of the 2006 Draft (178th overall)… Became the fifth player taken out of Oregon State in team history and first Beaver on the defensive side of the ball selected since Armon Hatcher in 1999 in the sixth round (194th overall).

CAREER: Started 30 games in NFL career  - ranks as one of the most experienced linebackers on the Bills roster...Key contributor to the Bills special teams unit...Has seen action at both the weakside and strongside linebacker positions

2008:
• Appeared in each of the team’s 16 games, making 14 starts.
• Ranked tied for fifth with 82 tackles on the season.
• Posted his first fumble recovery of the season vs. Mia. (10/26) and second of his career… takeaway led to a K Rian Lindell 43-yard field goal.
• At NYJ (12/14), had his first career rushing attempt on a fake punt play…the gain of six yards resulted in a first down.

2007:
• Appeared in 12 games and made nine starts after being inactive for the first four games due to an ankle injury.
• Recorded 45 total tackles, one interception, five passes defensed and a sack .
• Started at weakside linebacker vs. Dal. (10/8) in his first action of the season and tallied five tackles.
• Vs. Mia. (12/9), notched seven tackles to finish tied for second on the team.
• Recorded an interception off of Eli Manning vs. NYG (12/23) in the third quarter leading to a Buffalo touchdown… Was his second career pick, both have led to touchdowns.
• Posted only sack of the season and second of his career at Phi. (12/30) in the second quarter holding the Eagles to a field goal.

2006:
• Posted 61 tackles in 14 games with seven starts … also had one sack, one fumble recovery and one interception.
• At NE (9/10), saw time filling in for an injured Takeo Spikes in his first professional game, recording eight tackles, three solo.
• At Mia. (9/17), made first career NFL start with Takeo Spikes inactive … had seven tackles on defense and one on special teams.
• vs. NYJ (9/24), recorded eight tackles, five solo in his second career NFL start … eight tackles tied for team-high with London Fletcher and Angelo Crowell.
• at Chi. (10/8), scooped up his first career fumble which led to Buffalo’s only TD in 4th quarter … also had four tackles and his first NFL sack.
• vs. SD (12/3), saw some time on defense after Crowell left with a leg injury … made one tackle … also had a huge block to make way for Jim Leonhard’s 32 yard punt return in the third quarter.
• vs. Mia. (12/17), tied team-high with nine tackles, including one for a loss … recorded his first career interception on the first play of the fourth quarter, leading to the Bills third touchdown … Bills were first NFL team to start at least four defensive rookies and shut out an opponent since 12/17/00 (49ers vs. Bears).

COLLEGE: Played his final two seasons at Oregon State as a linebacker after spending his first two seasons at San Diego State and El Camino Junior College as a safety.  As a senior, he was named All-American honorable mention by The NFL Draft Report…All-Pac 10 Conference first team choice…started all year at strongside linebacker, ranking second on the team with 99 tackles (63 solos)…Credited with three quarterback pressures and five sacks for minus 38 yards…led the team, ranked fourth in the conference and 31st in the nation with 15 stops for losses of 55 yards…returned a fumble recovery 27 yards and had a 47-yard interception return…caused two fumbles and deflected three passes…Had at least 10 tackles in five contests … Graduated with a degree in history.

PERSONAL: Attended Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, Calif.) High School…played quarterback, linebacker and safety under head coach Gene Simon…as a senior, produced 1,300-plus yards passing and another 900-plus yards rushing…named the Bay League’s Defensive Player of the Year as a senior after making 103 tackles and three interceptions…added All-Bay League and All-CIF that year…started four years in basketball as the team’s point guard… born February 6, 1984…son of Charles Ellison and Judy Reisner…brother, Chris, played football at Brigham Young and brother, Kevin, played safety at USC and signed this spring with the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent.

COMMUNITY: Keith makes regular community visits including volunteering at the Buffalo Bills Hometown Huddle with children from the Belle Center in Buffalo, a United Way of Buffalo & Erie County Community Care funded agency.  Keith spoke with close to 100 youth football players from the city of Buffalo, at the NFL Day at the Movies private screening of “The Express” The Ernie Davis Story.  Keith has also participated in the International Institute’s annual trivia challenge fundraiser as part of the Bills team.