Giants Bookend Draft With 'Symmetry' in Hybrid BYU Standout Jack Kelly

The New York Giants started off the 2026 NFL draft by selecting a talent that has off-ball abilities and edge rushing promise. They finished their draft on day three by selecting BYU linebacker Jack Kelly, who has edge-rushing ability and off-ball promise.

At 6-foot-1 and 240 pounds, he has the build of a present-day off-ball linebacker, but he has the tenacity of an edge rusher.

It is a beautiful symmetry to the draft, but it also provides the Giants with more depth to facilitate their amoeba-style defense.

This is not simply a throwaway pick, but a guy who can come in and really carve out a place for himself on this roster. At pick 193, the Giants had a legitimate purpose.

Elite pass-rushing production

Oct 18, 2025; Provo, Utah, USA; Utah Utes quarterback Devon Dampier (4) is sacked by BYU Cougars linebacker Jack Kelly (17) during the second half at LaVell Edwards Stadium. | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Jack Kelly has shown he can be an effective pass rusher at multiple levels. He began his career at Weber State and jumped on the scene in his redshirt season with six sacks. He followed that up the next year with 10.5 sacks before deciding to take his talents to BYU. In his first season, he accounted for 5 sacks. Once again in his second season, he recorded 10 sacks.

Accounting for 31.5 sacks over his four seasons at the FCS and Big 12 level is extremely impressive. It shows he will be able to rush the passer at the next level. He is consistently disruptive and efficient in his pursuit of the quarterback. It's why he's been so successful.

Perfect fit for a disguise-style defense

Kelly is not only aggressive but also athletic and intelligent. Those are three qualities you need to possess in a hybrid-style defense where your position can transform from snap to snap, like his new teammate, Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese, who can line up on early downs as a stack backer to be more physical against the run, but also walk down to the edge on obvious passing downs and go hunt the quarterback.

Kelly has a 4.57-second 40-yard dash time and a 37-inch vertical, which speaks to why he is so explosive off the edge. Allowing him to be a piece in a sub-package would make it hard for opposing offenses to identify where he might be lined up or where the pressure is coming from.

Special teams impact will be felt immediately

Cincinnati Bearcats running back Manny Covey (29) catches a pass as BYU Cougars linebacker Jack Kelly (17) defends in the fourth quarter of the NCAA football game at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati on Nov. 22, 2025. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

For Kelly, his instant path to the 53-man roster will be his ability to be a force on special teams. You can consider Kelly a four-phase special teamer. He can play on the kickoff team as a 4 or 5, charged with disrupting and holding down the area between the hashes.

On kickoff return, he can be a valuable blocker to take on those bigger 4 and 5 rushers on the kickoff team, or to be a de facto fullback for the return man.

On the punt team, he's an interior protector taking on those rushers who are looking to disrupt the punt straight up the middle. On the punt return team, he's looking to hold up those punt team guards and tackles that will look to be secondary tacklers on the returner.

He can also be your wing on a field goal unit if needed. He has the ideal size to exist in all those worlds simultaneously. A special teams coach will be salivating to get his hands on Kelly.

He has an elite-level motor and the desire to be nasty at all times. He knows how to get his hands on the ball, and on special teams, he can be free to go at max velocity because he doesn't have to turn around and play defense immediately after.

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