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New York Giants' Intriguing Rookie Has an Alarming Problem
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- New York Giants' Intriguing Rookie Has an Alarming Problem
New York Giants rookies reported to training camp on Friday, marking the beginning of what could be a very fun ride for the team this season.
But while most of the attention will be on first-rounders Arvell Reese and Francis Mauigoa as well as Colton Hood and Malachi Fields, the Giants have some other very intriguing first-year players that deserve attention.
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One of them is linebacker Jack Kelly.
New York nabbed Kelly with one of its three sixth-round picks back in April, as it was clearly impressed with the job the 23-year-old did at BYU.
Last season, Kelly racked up 55 tackles, 13.5 tackles and 10 sacks with the Cougars, establishing himself as one of the top defenders in the Big 12.
He actually began his collegiate career at Weber State in 2021 and spent three years there before transferring to BYU ahead of 2024.
Kelly was impressive in each of his two seasons with the Cougars and displayed significant all-around potential dating back to his Weber State days.
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In spite of being a late Day 3 pick, it's clear that Kelly has a chance to make the Giants' 53-man roster , and his versatility is a big reason why.
New York Giants linebacker Jack Kelly. Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images.
However, Kelly does come with a significant concern that could ultimately keep him off the team: missed tackles, and Ed Valentine of Big Blue View broke down the numbers.
"There is, though, one major blemish on Kelly's resume that should be the biggest concern of all — he struggled mightily to make tackles over the past three seasons," Valentine wrote . "At Weber State in 2023, Kelly missed 16.9% of his tackles. He then transferred to BYU. In 2024, he missed 20.0% of tackle attempts, and in 2025 that rose to an alarming 21.9%."
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Those are definitely alarming stats, and it makes you wonder how Kelly will handle tackling NFL players when he struggled to consistently do it on the collegiate level.
Athleticism isn't the issue for Kelly. In fact, at the Scouting Combine, he ranked third among all linebackers in NFL.com's athleticism score.
Size, though, could be an issue.
Kelly stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 240 pounds, and while that isn't small, it isn't above average, and it could make life difficult for him in the pros.
The Kearns, UT native clearly has solid pass-rushing ability, but he probably won't be able to play a whole lot of edge at that size. And while he can potentially be used as a defensive chess piece, it will be hard to utilize him if he can't make tackles.
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There is a lot to like about Kelly heading into training camp. He was very productive in college, he has a great motor and the athletic traits are clearly there.
But if he is unable to wrap up ball-carriers and bring them to the ground, he probably won't get a whole lot of playing time — and he might not even make the team.
