Chicago Bears: Day Three QB Targets
Chad Kelly, Mississippi (6’2, 224, 4.76) – Unfortunately a torn ligament in his knee ended Kelly’s season early, but he definitely made an impression while healthy. Kelly is the closest thing to Brett Favre I’ve seen in years, which is both a compliment and an insult.
Kelly is a true gunslinger, who had moments of brilliance in games which led his team to big leads, but also plenty of terrible decisions which cost his team the lead late in a few games.
Physically, Kelly has good enough size and the arm to make every NFL throw with zip. He’s also got good foot speed and isn’t afraid to run and even lower his shoulder to gain an extra couple yards if needed. It’s another trait that will be viewed both as a positive or negative depending on the team doing the grading.
Kelly is a proven to be a winner (junior college national championship) and a leader, who his teammates rally around, but there are some serious character concerns as well (dismissed from Clemson, arrested recently, etc). He is a loose cannon both on and off the field.
His physical traits are the only thing that isn’t a question mark. Kelly has an impressive arm, combining the strength to make every NFL throw with touch and anticipation. he has also flashed the ability to make accurate throws on the run, a rare trait even among established NFL quarterbacks.
Besides concerns over his character and gunslinger mentality, Kelly also has inconsistent footwork and mechanics that will need to be cleaned up at the next level. His recent knee injury is obviously a concern as well, but it’s too early to know if he will be healthy in time to workout for teams pre-draft.
Kelly, Hall of Fame QB Jim Kelly’s nephew, has a natural talent at QB that will entice a lot of NFL teams. His cannon arm, good speed, wide frame that can break tackles like a running back, and a knack for completing ridiculous throws will be enough for some NFL team to take a chance on Kelly before the end of the draft regardless of his off-field issues. Of all the QBs on this list, Kelly probably has the highest chance to bust, but also the best chance to be the next Brett Favre.