PITTSBURGH — BYU linebacker Jack Kelly was selected by the New York Giants in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft with the 193rd overall pick on Saturday.
“I think Jack is going to have an amazing career in the NFL,” said BYU head coach Kalani Sitake. “Jack is one of the most versatile linebackers in the country. Not a lot of linebackers can pressure the quarterback like he does in the pass rush but also drop in coverage and play his zones and man coverage with such great skill. He is also a complete player in the run game, whether playing at the line of scrimmage or at linebacker depth. He reminds me a lot of what Fred Warner can do.”
With his selection, Kelly becomes the 11th Cougar linebacker and 32nd BYU defensive player to be selected in one of the first six rounds of the annual NFL Draft. Overall, the 6-foot-2, 240-pound All-Big 12 linebacker is the 82nd BYU player to be taken during rounds 1-6 and the 13th former Cougar to be a sixth-round pick. The last BYU player selected in the sixth round was offensive lineman Dustin Rykert by the Raiders in the 2003 NFL Draft.
We already know @jack_kelly1717 looks great in blue 🤙
— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) April 25, 2026
2026 #NFLDraft – on NFL Network/ESPN/ABC pic.twitter.com/6Jcn9zydO9
We're ready for you, Jack 🫡 pic.twitter.com/EaY4pLQcZV
— New York Giants (@Giants) April 25, 2026
Cougars to Giants
Jack Kelly is the first BYU player drafted by the New York Giants since fellow Cougar linebacker Bryan Kehl was taken in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. In all, five Cougars have been drafted by the Giants dating back to back Bob Bills being selected in the 17th round in 1955. Other Cougars drafted by the Giants were defensive linemen David Futrell (1988, 12th round) and Bill Rice (1977, 8th round). Including undrafted free agents signing with the Giants following the annual draft, 11 Cougars have started their NFL careers with the Giants.
Cougar Linebacker Room
The only previous BYU linebacker selected in the sixth round was a defensive anchor on BYU’s 1980 Miracle Bowl team, the late Glen Redd, who was taken by the New Orleans Saints in 1981 NFL Draft on his way to a six-year NFL career. Redd passed away in 2007 at the age of 49 following a battle with cancer.
The last BYU linebacker drafted was Sione Takitaki, who was selected in the third round by the Browns in 2019, the year after former BYU linebacker Fred Warner went to the 49ers in the third round in 2018. Other Cougar linebackers to go in the opening rounds were All-American Kyle Van Noy (2014, 2nd round, Lions), Bryan Kehl (2008, 4th round, Giants), Brady Poppinga (2005, 4th round, Packers), Rob Morris (2000, 1st round, Colts), Leon White (1986, 5th round, Bengals), Todd Shell (1984, 1st round, 49ers) and Jeff Lyman (1972, 4th round, St. Louis Cardinals).
Historically, Kelly is BYU’s 16th linebacker to be drafted dating back to the 1976 NFL Draft when Sid Smith was selected in the 10th round by Tampa Bay. Overall, Kelly is the 45th Cougar linebacker to go to the NFL when including undrafted free agents, where notably current Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham was the first BYU linebacker to sign as an undrafted free agent with Denver in 1982.
The Sitake Era
In Sitake’s 10 seasons at BYU, he has had 14 players drafted including Kelly while another 52 Cougars have obtained NFL opportunities as undrafted free agents entering this year's draft.
Kelly is the first sixth-round selection under Sitake and the 11th Cougar overall to be selected in the first six rounds. Others drafted in the first six rounds include offensive lineman Kingsley Suamataia (2024, 2nd round, Chiefs), Freeland (2023, 4th round, Colts), Hall (2023, 5th round, Vikings), Nacua (2023, 5th round, Rams), running back Tyler Allgeier (2022, 5th round, Falcons), quarterback Zach Wilson (2021, 1st round, Jets), offensive linemen Brady Christensen (2021, 3rd round, Panthers), Takitaki (2019, 3rd round, Browns), Warner (2018, 3rd round, 49ers) and running back Jamaal Williams (2017, 4th round, Packers).
In addition to being the third linebacker selected under Sitake along with Takitaki and Warner, Kelly is the eighth BYU linebacker in the Sitake era including undrafted free agents to gain NFL opportunities.
Jack Kelly Profile
A team captain, Kelly played in 25 games at BYU, starting all 25 as a two-year transfer. The 6-foot-2, 240-pound All-Big 12 linebacker totaled 53 collegiate games between BYU and Weber State, starting 47 career games. From Kearns, Utah, Kelly posted 190 total tackles, including 125 solo stops and 43.5 tackles for loss and 31.5 sacks in college. A disruptive force, Kelly also had nine forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, eight pass breakups, two interceptions and scored a defensive touchdown.
In 2025, Kelly was named an All-Big 12 First Team selection and recorded 55 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and led BYU in sacks with 10. Kelly was one of 17 players nationally with 10 or more sacks en route to leading the Cougar defense to its highest sack total since 2015 with 30. BYU’s defense was ranked No. 19 nationally in scoring defense at 19.1 points per game, No. 9 in interceptions (17), No. 14 in total turnovers (24), and No. 25 in pass efficiency defense (116.97).
Kelly added two forced fumbles, a pass breakup and seven quarterback hurries in 2025. He was a Pro Football Network All-Big 12 Third Team selection, a Bronko Nagurski and Butkus Award Watch list honoree.
In 2024, Kelly received Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year honorable mention after posting 51 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, five sacks, two forced fumbles and a school-record 14 quarterback hurries (since 2000). Kelly spent three years at Weber State where he played in 28 games for the Wildcats, totaling 85 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 16.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, seven pass breakups and an interception. He led the Big Sky in 2023 with 10.5 sacks and four forced fumbles.
Kelly graduated with a degree in business management from BYU in December and participated in the Senior Bowl and 2026 NFL Combine.
BYU in the NFL Draft
The Cougars have been represented in 55 of the last 61 drafts since their first conference championship team in 1965 and in 70 of the 91 drafts conducted overall since the inaugural NFL Draft in 1936. With Kelly’s selection, NFL teams have now drafted a former BYU player 156 times since the program’s first draft choice in 1938 (John Stringham, Back, ninth round). Entering this year’s post-draft free agency signings, 224 additional Cougars have received NFL deals as undrafted free agents following the annual draft.