It would be easy to say that Bills rookie sensation Jairus Byrd has come out of nowhere.

But talent evaluators, and the Bills in particular, haven't been shocked in the least by the University of Oregon product's standing among the league leaders in interceptions.

For one thing, Byrd comes from impressive bloodlines. His father, Gill Byrd Sr., was a two-time Pro Bowl cornerback for the Chargers before turning to coaching. He currently coaches defensive backs, focusing on safeties, for the Bears.

"I remember watching his dad on film, and his dad was an excellent technician, and I know that's what Jairus is striving for — to be the technician," says George Catavolos, the Bills' DB coach. "He's only been playing a few games, and each game he's improving. He's improving his tackling, his reads, his keys, but he knows he has to work on all areas of the game from keying, alignments, reading the quarterback, filling in on the run — there isn't an area that he can't work and improve on.

"(That said,) we're happy with the way that he's progressing."

Byrd has earned a reputation for being instinctive, smart and a terrific playmaker, having left Oregon tied for second on the school's career interceptions list with 17.

"Byrd had some of the best ball skills I've seen in a long time coming out of college," says one veteran NFL evaluator. "Off film, I thought he was a first-round corner. The only reason he got bumped down was because of his speed. I was too scared, after he ran the way he did, to keep him highly on the board. I thought he would be best playing nickel-slot safety, so it does not surprise me one bit how well he is playing now."

Still, the remarkable rate at which Byrd has been racking up interceptions has raised eyebrows. He has an interception in four consecutive games, and his three games in a row with multiple interceptions hadn't been done in the league since 1960.

Byrd's seven picks already have eclipsed the rookie totals of some of the game's greatest free safeties — Ed Reed and Jake Scott (five), Sean Taylor (four), Steve Atwater and Brian Dawkins (three), Darren Sharper, Larry Wilson, Cliff Harris and Eugene Robinson (two) and Deron Cherry (one). Those 10 players piled up 54 Pro Bowl appearances.

And he's on pace to equal Hall of Famer Dick "Night Train" Lane's rookie record of 14, set in 1952.

It can be argued that Byrd is the Bills' MVP. On an offensively challenged team that struggles to produce scoring drives, Byrd's takeaways have been a boon. Of Buffalo's 10 offensive TDs, four came after interceptions by Byrd.

"I don't believe he is anywhere near his ceiling. I think, coming out, he was a corner who played in one of the best conferences in the country and played at a high level," Gill Byrd says. "I think he could be a good corner in the NFL, but I think he can be a special safety. I think he will be a Pro Bowler because of ... his passion, his love for the game, his consistency, the sacrifices he has made."

Considering Byrd isn't 100 percent — and might not be for some time, having left the Week Eight loss to the Texans in the fourth quarter with a groin injury that could be related to his sports hernia surgery in July — it makes one wonder what he's capable of when fully healthy.

"People didn't know before the draft I needed surgery, which I didn't know I needed," Jairus Byrd says. "So, I mean, I've had surgery and I'm looking forward to the offseason and just getting my speed back to where I know it is and things like that."

Sounds to me like we're witnessing the early stages of a special player's career.

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