On Wednesday, a key member of the BYU Cougars announced his intention to return to Provo for the 2025 season.
Following a successful 2024 season with the Cougars, junior linebacker Jack Kelly elected to forgo the 2025 NFL Draft and return to BYU.
In 2024, Kelly recorded 50 total tackles, five sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and an interception en route to an 11-2 finish. That brought his career total to 130 stops, 18 sacks, seven forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, two interceptions, and seven pass breakups.
Coming out of Kearns High School in the Class of 2021, Kelly was listed as a three-star prospect by the 247Sports index. He also checked in as the 216th-ranked player at his position and the 28th-ranked player in the state of Utah.
He originally committed to Weber State, where he spent two seasons of his college career, before joining BYU in the transfer portal. At the time of his decision to head to Provo, Kelly checked in as a four-star prospect in the transfer portal, the 92nd-ranked player overall, and the 12th-ranked EDGE in the portal.
He returns to a BYU defense that finished first in the league in total yards allowed (308.3), second in passing yards per game (182.5), fourth in rushing yards per game (126.3), and first in points per game (19.6).
