2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Kyu Blu Kelly (CB – Stanford)

As the NFL season winds down, FantasyPros will be taking a look at early NFL Draft scouting reports before the combine in March. Here’s a look at Kyu Blu Kelly.

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2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Kyu Blu Kelly (CB – Stanford)

Kyu Blu Kelly (CB – Stanford)

6’1″ – 188 lbs.

Background:

Has been a major contributor for Stanford since his first season, one in which he took over a starting job by Week 4, allowing 31/51 passing for 403 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Started five games in the shortened season and allowed 15/22 passing for three touchdowns. In 2021, quarterbacks went 37/64 for 536 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions, then 22/42 for 373 yards and two touchdowns this past year. Also broke up five, one, 11 and six passes by year.

Positives:

Four-year starter for a major program. Tall, lanky cornerback who was asked to play some different techniques from both sides of the defense, giving him a little bit of experience at everything. Has surprising flexibility, quickness and explosiveness for his size, playing with a sense of urgency. Shows nice knee bend and quick feet when backpedaling (albeit from a somewhat unorthodox stance). Technically-sound player who doesn’t have too many seams in his technique. Appears to have solid route-recognition skills and trusts his reads, allowing him to break on throws early when playing off-coverage or backpedaling; transitions from his backpedal to driving on a spot are quick. Overall twitchiness/reflexes are solid. Broke up his fair share of passes, especially as a junior. Willing in run support, with long limbs that could eventually make him a solid tackler.

Negatives:

Has a pretty wiry frame and may need to add additional bulk/functional strength. Can get frozen at the line, opening up short throws on in-breaking routes. May lack the physicality to bully opposing receivers at the line. Struggles to hold the point of attack when run at; gets stuck to blocks, and can be overwhelmed by bigger receivers. Lacks stopping power as a tackler, leading to plenty of misses; has some of the tools but isn’t solid in this area yet. Game-to-game consistency wasn’t quite as impressive as some of the cornerbacks in the class, and didn’t really make a ton of progress over the course of his career, so development trajectory is iffy.

Summary:

A tall, lanky, quick and twitchy cornerback with plenty of experience but who needs to improve his ability to take on blocks and make tackles in run support. Was sometimes picked on at the college level, traits which may cause him to slip into the middle rounds in a draft class that offers a solid amount of depth at the cornerback position. Probably best playing man-to-man and could turn out to be a solid pro if he’s able to add more functional strength and clean up his tackling.

Projection: Round 4