NFL Draft Prospect: Ryan Kelly
By Ben Renner
The NFL Draft starts in one week, Seahawks fans. We here at ECS love to speculate on who they might take with their 26th pick in the first round. Today we look at Alabama center Ryan Kelly.
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Ryan Kelly was the center for the powerful Alabama offensive line last year. He cleared the way for Heisman-winning running back Derrick Henry and protected quarterback Jake Coker well on the Crimson Tide’s journey to the national title game. He was named Honorable Mention on the All-SEC team his junior year and earned a first-team all-conference nod last season.
Kelly is projected to be picked near the end of the first round of the NFL Draft this year mostly because of his awareness and toughness on the field. He almost never got penalized the last two seasons with Nick Saban’s squad and has been seen fighting hard against the huge defensive tackles of the SEC. His ability blocking for runners is noted by most scouts. He tries to blow holes in the defense by exploding into his downhill blocks and is well-known in scouting circles for his ability to finish blocks and punish defenders. He held up well against bull rushes up the middle, maintaining the pocket for Coker consistently.
What could make Kelly appealing to John Schneider and Pete Carroll in their NFL Draft war room is his reputation for mental toughness and his history of success. He was the leader of one of the best offensive lines in all of college football last year. Saban’s system tests players for their mental and physical toughness as well as any program in college football, so for Kelly to be a three-year starter for the Tide speaks volumes about his toughness. Kelly is also known to have a high football IQ and possess the kind of character that Schneider and Carroll covet (see Wilson, Russell). Kelly’s intelligence makes him a natural fit in both gap and zone blocking schemes. I wouldn’t bet against him starting in his rookie season in the NFL.
Kelly is 6’4” but he could use some extra poundage to consistently hold up against NFL defensive tackles. At 311 pounds, some scouts wonder if he could be pushed around at times. His combine stats weren’t overly impressive. He was successful at Alabama due to his mental fortitude more than his natural God-given talent, which raises concerns for any first-round NFL Draft prospect.
Ryan Kelly could be one of the most underrated offensive prospects in the NFL Draft this year and he could fit in well with Tom Cable’s offensive line in Seattle. He has the fight and grit to succeed in the NFL, especially in a competitive system like Carroll’s. The question is: is it worth it to spend a first round pick on a slightly underweight center with boring combine stats?
Next: Seahawks Draft Preview: The Benefits of Trading Down
Does Ryan Kelly fit in with the Seahawks? Let me know in the comments section below.