Projecting Where Chad Kelly Will Be Drafted After Day 1 of 2017 NFL Draft

One of the most intriguing players in the 2017 NFL draft is still available after Round 1.   

Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly was not taken among the first 32 picks, and now the watch is on to see how long he lasts over the three-day event.

Teams traded up to select top quarterbacks Mitchell Trubisky, Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson on Thursday, but there are still plenty of squads in need of a passer.

The Cleveland Browns, even with three first-round picks, didn't solve their quarterback problems. The San Francisco 49ers and New York Jets also chose to go defense with their first-round selections.

However, Kelly might be on the board until Day 3 with more complete products like DeShone Kizer and Davis Webb still available. By that point, the teams on the lookout will be those searching for more long-term solutions instead of immediate help.

Two potential options could be the New Orleans Saints and Arizona Cardinals, both squads featuring veteran quarterbacks who might not be around for too much longer.

In what could be the most fitting destination, the nephew of Jim Kelly could also end up with the Buffalo Bills.

New Orleans might be the best bet, but there will be plenty of options throughout the seven rounds of the draft. The problem is teams won't likely be trading up to take him too quickly.

Kelly is a divisive player among scouts, both for on-field and off-field reasons.

While he doesn't have great size at 6'2", he is listed at 224 pounds, which helps him in the pocket. He has good arm strength and the necessary talent to make every necessary throw on the field.

In two years as a starter for the Rebels, Kelly tallied 6,800 yards with 50 touchdowns, plus 841 rushing yards and 15 scores on the ground. He is an athletic player who can move in the pocket and is a threat to move the football with both his arm and his legs.

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller also defended the quarterback, using one of the bigger arguments in favor of Watson:

On the other hand, Kelly also struggled with consistency and decision-making at times, which provides questions about his ability to succeed in the NFL.

Of course, the bigger concerns come with the off-field problems. 

As Emily Kaplan of MMQB noted, Kelly was kicked off the squad at Clemson for conduct detrimental to the team and was arrested in a bar fight in 2014. 

"I do think there are legitimate concerns off the field" a scout told Kaplan. "If you're going to take him, especially if you're going to take him high, you're really going to need to ask: Does this guy get it?"

His invitation to the NFL Scouting Combine was also reportedly rescinded, per Mike Rodak of ESPN.com.

Considering he is also coming off a torn ACL, it's easy to see why teams have passed on Kelly to this point. However, whichever squad eventually lands the talented quarterback could end up getting a steal if he lives up to his potential.