New York Giants rookie linebacker Jack Kelly has spent the last few months turning buzz into something a lot more real.
That started almost immediately after the Giants drafted him in April. Within minutes, Kelly had a following, the kind that comes with a high-motor late-round pick who looks like he might outplay his draft slot. NFL analysts quickly labeled the BYU linebacker a sixth-round steal, and Kelly kept giving people reasons to lean into that idea.
He backed up the hype in the preseason, then got the start in last Friday’s win over the Jets and finished with four tackles and a pass breakup. Pro Football Focus also took notice, slotting Kelly’s 81.4 overall grade third among qualified rookie linebackers. Arvell Reese was first at 88.2, which is a good sign for the Giants too.
Still, the bigger story here is not what PFF thinks. Those grades can be messy and subjective, and the real proof is what Kelly showed on the field and throughout camp. He validated the optimism that had been building around him since draft day.
Kelly’s path makes the rise even more interesting. He started at FCS Weber State before transferring to BYU after the 2023 season. Over two years with the Cougars, he piled up 15 sacks and 23.5 tackles for loss, and last season he was one of only 17 FBS players with at least 10 sacks.
The Giants saw that production carry over into the offseason. Kelly held his own in workouts and training camp, and he turned heads on Aug. 1 when he ran stride for stride with speedy receiver Calvin Austin III on a deep route and broke up the pass.
For now, though, the road to meaningful defensive snaps is still steep. Unless injuries open the door, Kelly is likely looking at special teams work or game-day inactivity. If he does end up on the sideline, he’d have company there in veteran receiver Darius Slayton.
As of Monday morning, the Giants had not been credibly linked to any linebackers who had been cut or were available in trade.
So the best way to view Kelly right now is as a positive development with a real chance to matter. And for Giants fans old enough to remember the Miracle at the New Meadowlands, that matters because special teams can swing everything.
Maybe Kelly would have been the guy to knock DeSean Jackson to the ground and help the Giants sneak into the playoffs. Too bad he was only seven years old at the time.
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