Chad Kelly Injury Is Latest Hit To Sagging 2017 QB Class
By Erik Lambert
The best thing anybody can say about the 2017 NFL draft quarterback class is that it’s high on talent. There are plenty of promising athletes.
That being said it’s not a group that inspires a ton of confidence at this point. Though there is still time, it’s becoming clear there won’t be an Andrew Luck, Peyton Manning or John Elway in this class. Every notable name has likeable traits about them. DeShone Kizer has a strong arm, intelligence and mobility. Deshaun Watson is a supreme athlete who knows how to win. Mitch Trubisky has eaten up most of his competition and doesn’t seem to carry many red flags.
Even so, most of them come with certain red flags too. Kizer’s production and mechanics are questionable at times. Watson suffers accuracy issues. Trubisky is in his first year as a starter, so he’s inexperienced. Then there is Chad Kelly. Most would agree the Ole Miss senior might have the best arm in the class. When he cuts it loose he can hit a receiver in-stride 60 yards down the field. The young man is gifted.
Unfortunately even he has further muddied the waters of this draft, this time with a recent injury.
"Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly exited the Rebels’ 37-27 win over Georgia Southern Saturday with a knee injury, and will undergo an MRI to determine its extent.Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze said the MRI would take place on Sunday, according to the Daily Mississippian.His replacement, Jason Pellerin, said Kelly was optimistic about his playing status.“(Kelly) said he’s fine,” Pellerin said, according to the Oxford Eagle. “I don’t know if he is or not, but he’s the one who knows how he feels. Chad’s one of the toughest guys I know.”"
One hopes this injury isn’t too serious. For one thing Kelly can’t afford it. He’s already considered a fringe 1st round prospect due to his erratic decision-making and maturity question marks. Any sort of setback that could force him to miss several game could potentially known him out of the conversation entirely. On top of that it just makes things more difficult for scouts to figure out where he and the rest of this quarterback class stands.