Chad Kelly may attend NFL combine to talk to teams despite having invite rescinded

Kelly was dis-invited from the combine due to off-field issues

During two seasons as the starting quarterback at Ole Miss, Chad Kelly completed 503 of 786 passes (64 percent) for 6,800 yards (8.65 per attempt), 50 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions. He showed accuracy (particularly on short and intermediate passes), mobility, touch, and above-average arm strength.

There are some concerns about his size (6-foot-1 1/2) and tendency to lock onto a target and lead the defense to interceptions (again, 20 in two years), but overall, he seems like a perfectly respectable mid-to-late-round draft prospect, especially considering his pedigree as the nephew of Hall-of-Famer Jim Kelly. (NFL teams love relatives of former players.) 

Kelly, though, had his invitation to the NFL’s annual scouting combine rescinded because of off-the-field issues, which brought him under the microscope of the policy on combine invites:

“As in the past, draft-eligible prospects will not be permitted to participate in any aspect of the Combine if a background check reveals a conviction of a felony or misdemeanor involving violence or use of a weapon, domestic violence, sexual offense and/or sexual assault. The NFL also reserves the right to deny participation of any prospect dismissed by their university or the NCAA.”

Kelly was famously involved in a bar fight while at Ole Miss. He pleaded guilty to the non-criminal charge of disorderly conduct, but per Yahoo! Sports , one of Kelly’s agents was led to believe that the organization that runs the combine did more digging around the incident and didn’t like what it found, which led to the dis-invitation. 

Well, according to Pro Football Talk, which was reached via email by another of Kelly’s agents, Kelly may show up to the combine to talk to teams anyway.

“We are still considering the possibility of traveling to the combine along with Chad,” agent Duray Oubre said. 

Kelly wouldn’t be able to work out with the official combine invitees, but he could get himself in a room with any team that wants to talk to him and try to allay concerns about his off-field issues. It’s not a bad strategy, so long as Kelly’s able to work some charm and convince teams that he’s worth a shot. If the interviews go bad, however, it could end his chances of getting drafted altogether.