Kyu Blu Kelly NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Stanford CB

HEIGHT: 6'0"

WEIGHT: 191

HAND: 9 3/4"

ARM: 32"

WINGSPAN: TBD

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40-YARD DASH: 4.52

3-CONE: TBD

SHUTTLE: TBD

VERTICAL: 36"

BROAD: 10'11"

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POSITIVES

— Scrappy player with a high motor. Looks to finish plays.

— Physical player who is a willing tackler. Will front up the ball-carrier in tight spaces.

— Active player with ball in the air. Able to swipe through catch points and shows good timing on pass breakups.

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NEGATIVES

— Lacks strength. Struggles in all phases against bigger receivers, tackling and block destruction.

— Hip tightness. Slow to flip hips and can be thrown off balance.

2022 STATISTICS

— 10 G, 35 TOT, 6 PD

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NOTES

— 35 Starts

— DOB: 5/22/2001

— Father Brian Kelly played in NFL for 11 seasons (Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1998-2007, Detroit Lions 2008)

— 2022 All-Pac 12 second team (Coaches, Phil Steele)

— 2021 All-Pac 12 second team (Coaches, Phil Steele)

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OVERALL

Kyu Blu Kelly is an athletic cornerback who plays with very good technique. His father, Brian Kelly, was a 11-year NFL vet.

Kelly has a high football IQ and understanding of the scheme he plays in. However, he has some physical limitations in his game.

When playing the pass, Kelly has the ability to align in press and off coverage. While in press, he looks to match the receiver's release while also getting his hands on to reroute. He does a good job of getting in phase, but bigger receivers can bump him off at the top of routes.

In off coverage, Kelly shows to have a smooth and controlled pedal, but he can struggle sticking his foot in the ground to have a quick transition. He has also shown some hip tightness when asked to flip and swivel.

When carrying receivers down the field, Kelly does a good job when he is able to stay on top, but he lacks the recovery speed to make up for the separation when he's out of position. Kelly generally does a good job of playing through the receiver, using good timing to break up passes, but he can panic at times, causing him to lose contact with the receiver and become too handsy.

As a run defender, Kelly does a good job of reacting to what he sees. He quickly comes up to support the run and take on blocks. When taking on blocks, he tends to use his quickness to defeat blocks, but he can struggle when asked to take on bigger receivers. He lacks the ideal strength needed to control and disengage from blockers.

When tracking the ball from depth, Kelly generally takes good angles and quickly closes the gap. He has good physicality as a tackler, but his lack of strength often shows, as stronger ball-carriers can easily shrug him off.

Ultimately, Kelly is a scrappy defender who has some scheme versatility. He will be able to add depth as an outside and slot cornerback. He needs to work on his strength and tackling to gain more of a role in the NFL, though. For now, Kelly is a high-level backup prospect.

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GRADE: 6.3 (High-Level Developmental Prospect/Round 5)

OVERALL RANK: 162

POSITION RANK: CB24

PRO COMPARISON: Julian Love

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings