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Chad Kelly Shows NFL What They Want to See!

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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There were mixed reviews on Chad Kelly as a pro prospect to start the season. But after Saturday’s performance against Georgia, there should be less of a mix.

Mississippi Rebels quarterback Chad Kelly has had his ups and downs on and off the field. He also comes from the Spread Offense, making him that much more difficult to evaluate. Only some had him projected into the first of the 2017 NFL Draft next May.

In my last 2017 Mock Draft, I had him going late in the first round to the Pittsburgh Steelers. I thought the Spread quarterback sit and learn behind Ben Roethlisberger until he retires. But not anymore as all Spread Offenses or Spread quarterbacks are the same.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott went to the NFL ready because he played in a Spread Offense with pro concepts. Yeah, he ran the option and threw a few of those bubble screens. But he also threw the ball down the field with anticipation into tight windows.

Then there’s the mental side of the game like calling plays and changing them at the line. And most importantly, he changed protections based on the type of front they showed. Doing those types of things in college prepared him for the NFL.

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Prescott told USA TODAY Sports of his preparation, “The offense we ran at Mississippi State was nothing short of an NFL offense. The only thing that was different is that we didn’t go under center.

“I swear to you, in [pre-draft] visits, every play they showed me, I could name it. We just called it something different. At another team I visited, they ran the exact same stuff we ran.

“Knowledge-wise, I think I’m the smartest quarterback that came in this class. I would love to go on the board and go head to head with anybody else. That’s how I feel. That’s how confident I am.”

Kelly’s offense is similar to what Prescott ran so he will be prepared when he gets to the NFL. Ole Miss runs a lot of routes that break at 15-20 yards to take advantage of his big arm. Another thing Kelly has in common with Prescott is his toughness poise and wheels.

And he put it all display Saturday in a win against Georgia, going 18-24 for 282 yards and two TDs. Kelly also had a 41-yard TD run, giving him 53 yards on four carries. But his highlight was a 55-yard TD pass after breaking a tackle with another defender closing in to nail him.

That’s what the NFL is looking for!

Plays like that will make NFL teams consider him early in the first round!

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