Kyu Blu Kelly NFL Draft Scouting Report

CB, Stanford Cardinal

Stanford cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly is a former three-star recruit. He is an athletic cover man that stems from his background in track and field. Blu Kelly was a two-time state long jump champion, finishing second in the 200-meter and third in the 100-meter dash. His father played for USC and 11 years in the NFL for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Detroit Lions. 

As a freshman, Blu Kelly earned playing time and became the starter for the final nine games and has been the starter since. His experience will be valuable to NFL evaluators with more than 1,250 coverage snaps in his career.

Blu Kelly is a competitive and sticky man-coverage corner. The confidence he displays when aligned tightly to the line of scrimmage is clear. Blu Kelly is patient and decisive in press-man coverage. He times his punches well to disrupt the timing of the wide receiver. His footwork is clean to mirror receivers in the release phase to stay attached once they enter their route stems. I appreciate his understanding of leverage and the coaching point of “take away something, to chase something.” 

Blu Kelly uses his pre-snap alignment to force receivers into his strengths. Typically aligning with inside leverage, he wants to carry routes vertically due to his sprinter background. It is easy to see how well he plays the upfield shoulder of the receiver and squeezes them to the sideline. Blu Kelly’s competitiveness at the catch point is impressive. He does a good job with positioning to attack the ball or play through the wide receiver’s hands. Blu Kelly has good route instincts to read and diagnose the receiver’s options. A willing participant in run defense. I admire his ability to squeeze and leverage the ball as a perimeter force defender. There are redeeming reps for Blu Kelly using side-saddle or Cover 3 bail technique. This gives hope of him operating in zone coverages at the next level if needed. 

Blu Kelly does not play with the same confidence or comfort in off-coverage. His transitions are not fluid and his footwork/technique is lacking. He seems too antsy and anxious to protect his leverage and hips. There are some issues with eye discipline for Blu Kelly. As a result, double moves have been a thorn in his side when he is asked to play with a cushion. He struggled versus USC receiver Jordan Addison, mostly from off-coverage, allowing the receiver to dictate pacing and manipulating leverage. This will limit his ability to play in multiple scheme or coverage concepts effectively, if not improved. Improving his tackling technique is important for his run support.

Overall, Blu Kelly projects as an outside/field cornerback. I do believe there is upside to move into the slot if the matchup warrants it. He is a press-man-style corner that excels getting his hands on the receiver and staying hip to hip. There is upside to develop or become a CB1 for a defense. There is potential for him to become a shadow cornerback, following a wide receiver across formations. The physical tools/traits and coverage abilties garner day one or two consideration for the draft. 

Top Reasons to Buy In:

• Good ball production
• Man coverage specialist
• Playstyle and demeanor

Top Reasons For Concern:

• Segmented transitions
• Scheme versatility
• Missed tackles

Size (NFL Combine):

Height: 6′ 0”

Weight: 191 lbs

Arm Length: 32”

Hand Size: 9 3/4”

Athletic Testing (NFL Combine):

40-yard Dash: 4.52s

Vertical Jump: 36”

Broad Jump: 10′ 11”

Short-Shuttle: TBD

Three-Cone: TBD

Bench Reps: TBD 

Ideal Role: Outside cornerback 

Scheme Fit: Heavy man-to-man, sprinkle of Cover 3

TDN Consensus Grade: 80.00/100 (Second-Round Value)

• Parson Grade: 80.00/100

Written By: Damian Parson

Exposures: Washington (2022), USC (2022), Oregon (2022), Washington State (2022)

Kyu Blu Kelly NFL Draft Scouting Report. Add him to your big board here.