In a draft class where the most talked about quarterbacks are Malik Willis, Matt Corral, and Kenny Pickett, there’s another one who deserves a few eyes on him. Meet Cole Kelley, a quarterback out of Southeastern Louisiana in the Southland Conference.
Who is Cole Kelley?
Cole has had quite a record-setting career during his tenure at Southeastern Louisiana. In his senior year, he threw for over 5,124 yards. It’s impressive to have forty-four touchdowns and only ten interceptions. He also won the Walter Payton Award last season, which is the FCS equivalent to the more famous Heisman Trophy award. FCS talent is often overlooked, but there is plenty of it brewing over there.
Strengths
Being six-foot-seven and weighing 250 pounds, he possesses the ability to make big plays downfield to his open receivers, as well as the ability to make plays via rushing when need be. In a game against rival Nicholls, Cole put up numbers that would’ve turned numerous heads if they had paid attention. He put up five touchdowns, two of which were on the ground, and the other two were through the air. He has a similar build to Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
Southeastern Louisiana QB Cole Kelley, an Arkansas transfer, has some intriguing tools.
— John “Winter Soldier†Vogel 🇺🇦 (@DraftVogel) January 2, 2022
Quick, fluid release motion and consistent feet. Kelley’s skillset reminds me of Bills QB Josh Allen, good arm talent, excellent size, and good enough mobility to extend and improvise plays. pic.twitter.com/oumrwk4gLu
Weaknesses
At times, Cole struggles to hold on to the ball, as he fumbled the ball ten times this past season while also sometimes relying too much on screen passes instead of check-downs. These are things that can be polished up as he develops more as a quarterback. In an FCS playoff game, Cole had one of his worst performances against powerhouse James Madison. He totaled two touchdowns and three interceptions for a total of 397 passing yards. While also losing 59-20, this isn’t the best tape to watch, but if you wish to see his true weaknesses, they’re shown in this game.
Draft ProjectionÂ
While Kelley could more than likely go undrafted, or maybe even be a late rounder, he could be a quarterback who needs to sit behind a starter and simply get better with time. The teams that come to mind would be the Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans, and Las Vegas Raiders. Whoever has the chance to coach him will surely have a true diamond in the rough. For me, his ceiling is Joe Flacco, with the floor being Ryan Mallet. Kelley could be a worthwhile project with a nice, if not decent, payoff.
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*Top Photo: Courtesy of Crescent City Sports