Happiness is often a function of expectations.
When linebacker Jack Kelly transferred to BYU from Weber State this year, the expectations in Provo were sky high. Kelly brought with him 56 tackles, 10.5 sacks (which led the Big Sky Conference), and 12 tackles for loss in 2023. His pedigree led to a four-star rating from 247Sports as a transfer. He appeared on multiple preseason All-Big 12 watch lists.
Through three games with the Cougars, Kelly is exceeding these lofty expectations, and BYU fans are giddy with delight.
Jack Kelly’s early season impact
Through three games the 6-foot-2, 240-pounder has already racked up 14 tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, and a fumble recovery.
While the quality of BYU’s opponents will increase dramatically as Big 12 play kicks off this week, Kelly hasn’t just been feasting on lesser opponents like Southern Illinois and Wyoming. In fact, his best game of the young season came against SMU, a Power Four program that 247Sports ranks No. 25 nationally in overall roster talent.
Against SMU Kelly racked up six total tackles with 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack, but the numbers don’t tell the full story of his impact in BYU’s road win against the Mustangs.
His third down sack on SMU’s first drive forced a three-and-out punt. Late in the second quarter SMU had the ball at the BYU six yard line and faced fourth-and-1. Kelly got pressure on a play action bootleg and forced an incompletion and turnover on downs, likely taking points off the board for SMU. On the Mustangs final drive and with BYU nursing a precarious 18-15 lead, it was Kelly who applied pressure on third-and-10 to force an incompletion. SMU failed to convert on fourth-and-10 and BYU’s victory was sealed.
Jack Kelly came up big in the game’s biggest moments.
Kelly’s NFL potential
While only a Junior this year in terms of eligibility, Kelly’s play is undoubtedly putting him on the radar with NFL scouts.
He possesses the size and dynamic versatility that’s sought after in today’s NFL. Kelly is an elite edge rusher who consistently pressures the quarterback and can be used in a 3-4 scheme. He’s also an effective tackler as a traditional linebacker who holds up well against the run in a 4-3 defense. His closing speed can only be defined as “blazing” and he bears down on ball carriers like a heat seeking missile.
The national media saw enough from Kelly’s dominance at Weber State to name him to the Butkus Award Watch List (the award that goes to the most impactful linebacker in college football), the Phil Steele Preseason All-Big 12 Third Team, the Athlon Sports Preseason All-Big 12 Fourth Team, and the College Football Network Preseason All-Big 12 Honorable Mention, per his BYU profile.
If Kelly continues his stellar play and lives up to those lofty honors, he will be the next BYU linebacker to shine in the NFL.
Fred Warner is the best linebacker in the game and is probably the current frontrunner for NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Kyle Van Noy is still playing his best football in his 11th season. Sione Takitaki, a 2019 third round pick, has averaged 62 tackles per year over his last four seasons. Max Tooley, a 2024 undrafted free agent on the Houston Texans practice squad, will likely crack the 53-man roster at some point during his rookie year.
BYU has produced some solid NFL linebackers in recent years who have paved the way for the Weber State transfer.
Given Jack Kelly’s versatility, explosiveness, and on-field impact, he’s the next in line to go from Provo to the pros.