2017 NFL Draft: Chad Kelly Gets Drafted in the 1st Round
"They’ve heard it all before, and they know what heartache is when it comes to quarterbacks with promise."
Name 3 quarterbacks outside of the SEC. I could probably ask you to name 3 SEC starting quarterbacks that didn’t play for your favorite SEC team, and you’d probably struggle. I know I would struggle. Especially, when I’m throwing in the word “starting.” I’m guessing most would be quick to name Chad Kelly. There’s a reason people know who he is, and that is because that boy is good.
Proclaiming that Chad Kelly gets drafted in the 1st round next year is a bold statement, but I’m willing to gamble on it’s unlikely probability. But, is it really that unlikely?
Tom Brew of saturdaydownsouth.com noted that Kelly was as high as number 3 on some draft boards for juniors. Considering how the draft went down, could Kelly have made the first round? Maybe, but doubtful after the shooting up the board by Carson Wentz.
Still, if he had gone after Paxton Lynch, which is where he was frequently ranked, he would have been drafted in the late 2nd round, which is where Christian Hackenburg was taken. The only thing Hackenburg has on Kelly is a few inches and a couple of pounds.
Chad Kelly threw for over 4,000 yards and completed 65.1 percent of his passes while 31 of those completions were for touchdowns. For his first full year in major competition, these are some gaudy stats. The 13 interceptions are reason for concern to NFL scouts, but that is to be expected with the drastic increase in competition he was facing. Not to mention, his numbers got much better at the end of the season which shows he was adjusting to the talent jump.
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Ole Miss fans do not want to hear it. They’ve heard it all before, and they know what heartache is when it comes to quarterbacks with promise. Do you remember Jevan Snead? Ole Miss fans do, but calm down hotty toddy fans, comparing the 2’s stats, Chad Kelly blows Snead away. Kelly has thrown for 1,000 more yards, 5 more touchdowns, and almost a 10 percent better completion percentage. Putting Kelly in the same category as Snead is just rude to Kelly.
If you watched any of the broadcasted Ole Miss games this year, you know that the announcers liked to question his arm strength, and by the end of the season everyone was a believer in the arm. He was sometimes guilty of throwing too hard, and you could tell there’s something in the genes of the Kelly family that produces ridiculously strong arms.
Kelly’s athleticism also takes center stage when he is on the football. The fact that he produced those passing numbers while adding 500 yards rushing and 10 rushing touchdowns to those totals has got to have NFL scouts drooling. With the success of Cam Newton, Aaron Rodgers, and prior success of Kaepernick, NFL scouts are all looking to be the next successful copy cat. A strong arm, plus the ability to add mobility equals huge success now-a-days in the NFL.
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All that being said, can Chad Kelly stay out of trouble? With the whole Laremy Tunsil thing, Chad Kelly has been after thought when it comes to bad behavior. I mean, Tunsil’s saga even made people forget Nkemdiche fell out a hotel window and minimized us talking about him wanting to buy a panther. Chad Kelly has kept quiet thus far, but don’t forget he has been out after a sports hernia surgery. What is going to happen when he’s recovered and getting back out?
I think we are going to get a quarterback who recognizes what is at stake and takes the reigns of a football team and his life. I think Chad Kelly remains on the straight and narrow, way more than say a Jameis Winston or a Johnny Manziel in returning for their seasons prior to going to the NFL draft. I think that teams will be happy with his 6’2″ height, happy with his arm strength, and eager to take advantage of his athleticism. If he can stay out of the negative news, I think Kelly has an amazing season and emerges as a 1st round quarterback in the 2017 NFL Draft.