BYU Linebacker Jack Kelly is Headed to the Senior Bowl

BYU linebacker Jack Kelly and Faletau Satuala force a safety against Stanford | BYU Photo

BYU star linebacker Jack Kelly is headed to the 2026 Panini Senior Bowl, the bowl announced on Thursday. Kelly, a senior, has exhausted his collegiate eligibility. Kelly will submit his name for the 2026 NFL Draft and, if the senior bowl invite is any indication, he has a really good chance to be drafted.

Officially Accepted!

LB Jack Kelly (@jack_kelly1717) from @BYUfootball is headed to the 2026 Panini Senior Bowl 🔥#TheDraftStartsInMobile #WherePlayersPlay pic.twitter.com/5yGNnx5yjz

— Panini Senior Bowl (@seniorbowl) December 11, 2025

Kelly is coming off the best season by a BYU pass rusher in years. Kelly tallied a team-high 10 sacks in 12 games. He also tallied 55 tackles including 13.5 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumble, and a touchdown return on a blocked field goal. That is the most sacks in a single season by a BYU player since Bronson Kaufusi had 11 in 2015. Kelly could surpass that total in the bowl game against Georgia Tech.

Kelly spent two years at BYU after transferring in from Weber State. A two-year starter in Jay Hill's defense, Kelly was BYU's best pass rusher as soon as he stepped on campus.

Kelly was a team captain for BYU in 2025 and he was an alternate captain for BYU in 2024 as well. He has tallied 15 sacks and 23.5 tackles for loss over the last two years. Kelly's superpower is his closing speed. Kelly was often used as a quarterback spy and his closing speed was one of the best elements of BYU's defense.

The Senior Bowl is the premier college all-star game that prepares college players for the NFL and allows those players to work out in front of NFL coaches. The players that are selected to play in the senior bowl are likely candidates to be NFL Draft picks, more than any other all-star game.

BYU has another star linebacker in Isaiah Glasker that still has one year of eligibility. Glasker could forego that final year of eligibility and turn pro, or he could opt to return to school for one more year. Glasker and Kelly have been BYU's dinamic duo of linebackers over the last two years.

After Kelly and Glasker, the Cougars will turn to linebackers like Siale Esera, Ace Kaufusi, and Nusi Taumoepeau among others.