The NFL Draft entered its final day on Saturday, as rounds 4-7 took place. This is where teams can find some gems for a good price, and teams might be lucky in finding their QB of the future like the Cowboys did last year in Dak Prescott. The best moment of the day is when the last pick of the draft is announced for the draft. Given the title "Mr. Irrelevant," the last pick is automatically thrown into the spotlight, having an entire week dedicated to them. This year the Broncos had the honor of picking the last player, and they chose QB Chad Kelly out of Ole Miss.
Kelly is anything but irrelevant, as he was a great QB at Ole Miss, but had off the field issues that dropped his stock all the way to the last pick in the draft.
Kelly the Kid
Chad Kelly already has QB greatness in his genes, as he is the nephew of Bills' Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly. Kelly's career at Ole Miss was a really good one. He was the first QB in Ole Miss history to beat Alabama, LSU, and Auburn in the same season. He had a rocket arm and great accuracy. The 2015 season was his best season, throwing for 4,042 yards and 31 touchdowns that season. Kelly put his former teammate Laquan Treadwell on the map, making him a first-round pick in last year's draft.
Kelly's follow-up to the 2015 season was very lackluster.
He season was cut short due to a to an ACL injury suffered Nov. 5 against Georgia Southern. He finished the season throwing for 2,758 yards and 19 touchdowns along with eight interceptions. According to Kelly's agent Duray Oubre, his knee will be healed by time training camp starts. At his pro day, he only took a few snaps before leaving due to a wrist injury.
He would need surgery as he had an acute rupture between two bones in his wrist.Kelly has the potential to be a good quarterback, but he just needs to stay healthy and stay clean off the field as well.
Off the Field Troubles
Kelly has had his share of off the field issues during his time in college. He was dismissed from Clemson's football team in April 2014 for "detrimental conduct." He also plead guilty to a noncriminal charge of disorderly conduct stemming from an altercation between him and bouncers at a nightclub in Buffalo, New York.
He also wasn't invited to the NFL Combine because of an NFL conduct policy violation. He along with Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon were the only prospects not invited. In 2016, he was involved in a brawl at his brother's high school football game. No charges were filed against him after the incident. Kelly has had a checkered past, but he was clean during his time at Ole Miss and is hoping to stay that way now that he is in the NFL.
Kelly might be coming into a position where he could start for the Broncos, as they don't have a certified starting QB on their roster. Kelly won't be able to throw until July, but he can breathe a sigh of release knowing he was drafted, even if it was the last pick. He will learn a lot from John Elway, and he will need to prove that he is an NFL QB.
