2017 NFL Draft: Chad Kelly recovering from torn ACL

After an injury and being left out of the combine, Chad Kelly will be able to showcase himself for NFL scouts soon.

A torn right ACL ended Chad Kelly’s senior season at Ole Miss early, and concern about off-field baggage led to the NFL rescinding his invitation to the Scouting Combine. Based on talent, with a prolific junior season (4,042 passing yards and 31 touchdowns) in the SEC as a full reference point, Kelly would be one of the first quarterbacks drafted next month. But the double whammy of a significant injury and character concerns have him as a likely Day 3 pick.

NFL teams would have surely liked the opportunity to interview Kelly in Indianapolis, even if he was not physically able to do any on-field drills. Any team that drafts him is surely looking beyond 2017 for any contribution, with his torn ACL occurring in early November last year, but Kelly is on track to be on the field at Ole Miss’ upcoming Pro Day on April 3.

Any report with information directly from an agent has to be taken with a grain of salt. But Kelly appears set to do a limited script of plays, in what will be a first chance for NFL scouts to see him since the game he was injured in against Georgia Southern last Nov. 5. How much moving around or throwing on the run he’ll do is a question, just shy of five months removed from the injury, but Kelly now at least has an opportunity to do something in front of teams.

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If Kelly acquits himself well with any teams he talks to, and shows nice progress in his recovery, the Pro Day will have to be considered a success. There’s the potential for someone to get a draft steal here, even if the evidence doesn’t start to come until at least 2018.