Ryan Kelly was a three-star recruit coming out of Lakota West HS in West Chester, OH. Rivals ranked him as the #6 center in the 2011 HS class. He was recruited by Florida State and Michigan, but signed with Alabama instead. Kelly was redshirted his freshman season, but later became a full-time starter for three of his four eligible seasons. As redshirt senior, Ryan Kelly earned Consensus first team All-American honors and won the Rimington Trophy Award as the nation’s top center. He enters the 2016 NFL Draft as the consensus best center in the class.
Measureables
| DOB | 1993 | Bench (225 lbs) | 26 |
| Height | 6’4″ | Vertical Jump | 30″ |
| Weight | 311 lbs | Broad Jump | 8’7″ |
| Arms | 33.625 in | 20 Yard Shuttle | 4.59 sec |
| Hands | 9.625 in | 3 Cone Drill | 7.58 sec |
| 40 Yard Dash (10 yd split) | 5.03 sec (1.75 sec) | 60 Yard Shuttle | DNP |
Scouting Report
Pass Blocking
Ryan Kelly has a quick snap-to-set motion immediately ready after the snap to attack the defender. He initiates contact with his hands and stays loose and flexible.
Kelly does a good job of keeping his eyes upfield picking up blitzes through the A-gap. His lateral agility is on display here as he drops well into his set and then can absorb the running blitz of the linebacker.
Kelly shows a willingness to block in pass protection and stays patient mirroring his pass rusher if they try to use space to create a path to the quarterback.
Kelly struggles against powerful nose tackles that can get their length into his chest plate and drive him backwards.
On screens, Kelly shows his mobility to get down the field quickly and is a more than willing blocker in space. Unfortunately, he tends to be overeager and frequently misses his target in space or lunges. He needs to show more patience play with a “basketball” mentality, especially against athletic defensive backs.
