Recent Forum Topics › Forums › The Rams Huddle › Kelly: tweets n bits n articles n vids n stuff
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April 28, 2018 at 3:56 pm #85542
znModeratorEric Edholm@Eric_Edholm
Man, for not having high picks at all, the Rams and Texans are more than making up for it yesterday and todayPro Football Weekly@PFWeekly
#Rams take RB John Kelly in Round 6. From @greggabe: Agile with quick feet and the ability to make people miss:Albert Breer@AlbertBreer
John Kelly should be interesting in the Rams offense.Josh Norris@JoshNorris
Enjoy this, RamsCBS Sports
Don’t underestimate John Kelly’s size, the Rams selected one TOUGH running back.Pro Football Focus@PFF
The Rams draft Tennessee HB John Kelly, who ranked seventh among draft-eligible running backs in yards per route run in 2017 (1.53)Kristen Lago@kristennlago
#LaRams RB John Kelly got the chance to learn from the 2017 Offensive Rookie of the Year, Alvin Kamara in his time at Tennessee. Now, he will get the chance to develop under the 2017 Offensive Player of the Year, Todd Gurley.Lindsey Thiry@LindseyThiry
New Rams RB John Kelly says he wanted to show his versatility last season, worked some with the receivers, and wanted to incorporate route running and pass catching to prepare for NFL.April 28, 2018 at 3:58 pm #85544
AgamemnonParticipant
AgamemnonApril 28, 2018 at 4:18 pm #85549znModeratorPFF@PFF_Rams
New #LARams HB John Kelly was not taken down by first contact on 36% of his runs. He also gained 1,128 of his 1,552 rushing yards after contact over the last three seasons for a 3.5 yards after contact per attempt total. #NFLDraftApril 28, 2018 at 5:19 pm #85556znModeratorLook at Tenn RB John Kelly create, especially on contact, versus Florida.
Wonderful pic.twitter.com/62NxB3Offj
— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) February 22, 2018
April 28, 2018 at 5:31 pm #85561znModeratorMike Clay@MikeClayNFL
John Kelly falls to Rams in 6th. Weird prospect. Efficiency atrocious in some areas and good in others (YAC, elusive good last year). Did very bad in short-area drills in Indy.Joe Curley@vcsjoecurley
John Kelly said has has watched Todd Gurley play over the years. “I think he’s a great back in the league, obviously. I can’t wait to be able to learn some of the things that he’s able to do and compete with him at practice,” @DowntownRams @CVRamsClubJohn Kelly says he was able to learn from Alvin Kamara at Tennessee: “I was blessed to have a guy like Alvin who was able to show me how to perfect my craft. I definitely feel like I’m ready for it.” @DowntownRams @CVRamsClub
“They were able to help me develop my skills. Me just being able watch him, how everything translated. I expected him to do the great things that he did. Having a guy like that is motivational.”
@PFF on Kelly: “Kelly was sparingly used at Tennessee and enters the NFL as a dynamic weapon in all facets of the game and has very little wear and tear. His grades have been impressive but very inconsistent, showing potential rather than reliable production…
…He has a lot of weight on a short frame but doesn’t have the powerful legs that that usually translates to. He represents an interesting and versatile option for a team looking for a complementary back who could have success early.”
April 28, 2018 at 8:05 pm #85588znModeratorAlden Gonzalez@Alden_Gonzalez
John Kelly can perhaps fill the role the Rams were hoping for Lance Dunbar last year, as a change-of-pace back for Todd Gurley.Rich Hammond@Rich_Hammond
John Kelly is the first Rams pick who left college early, after his junior season at Tennessee. Kelly said he felt confident about his decision all along and “it got me a job.”April 28, 2018 at 8:22 pm #85596znModeratorApril 29, 2018 at 8:47 am #85653znModerator#Rams fans, John Kelly is a stud. I wrote about him in my RB rankings:https://t.co/9aAhwG6jR4
— Jon Ledyard (@LedyardNFLDraft) April 28, 2018
April 29, 2018 at 8:55 am #85654
canadaramParticipantFrom Ourlads Guide to the Draft
Junior entry from Detroit, MI. One-year starter and a two-year contributor who made his name known along with Alvin Kamara in 2016. With Kamara on that 2016 squad, it was Kelly who led the team in rushing with 630 yards and a 6.4 average. Last fall he led the team in rushing again with 778 yards but also showed top tier receiving skills, tying for the team lead in receptions with 37. He is very good at absorbing contact, staying upright, and moving forward. Lacks some size and power, but he is a though runner who understands the physical side of the game. Doesn’t shy away from contact. Excellent vision between the tackles. Can see the cutback lanes instantly and won’t hesitate to alter his running lane. Very savvy and smart with the ball in his hands. Has a natural catch-to-tuck motion on the move and makes plays all over the route tree. Does show a little stiffness in his lower body when moving laterally. Seems to have a hard time adjusting his weight on the full-move and a lot of missed tackles that he created in college simply won’t happen in against NFL defenders. Also has some work to do as a blocker, as he doesn’t sustain contact after the initial blow. Has a coup,e of off field concerns that need to be looked into as well. 2017 stats: 778 yds, 4.1 ypc, 9 TD, 37 rec, 299 yds, 8.1 ypr. Did not run at the Combine, his choice. Fifth/sixth round. (A-31 3/8, H-9 3/8, BP-15, SS-4.51).
April 29, 2018 at 9:00 am #85656canadaramParticipantBrugler:
JOHN KELLY | Tennessee 5097 | 216 lbs. | JR. Detroit, Mich. (Oak Park) 10/4/1996 (age 21.6) #4
BACKGROUND: A three-star athlete recruit out of high school, John Kelly Jr. was a three-year starter at Oak Park (suburb of Detroit) and made an impact in all three phases as a running back, cornerback and return man. As a senior he rushed for 1,321 yards and collected 25 total touchdowns (five different ways) to be a finalist for the Michigan High School Player of the Year Award in 2014. Ranked as a top-10 recruit in the state of Michigan, Kelly spurned offers from in-state powers like Michigan and Michigan State, committing to Tennessee as a running back. He was the third-string running back as a true freshman (behind Jalen Hurd and Alvin Kamara) and rushed for 165 yards and one touchdown. Kelly started the 2016 season as the third back on the depth chart, but his touches increased after Hurd left the team midseason, leading all Tennessee running backs with 630 yards and 6.4 yards per carry (Kamara: 596 yards, 5.8 yards per carry in 2016). With Kamara to the NFL, Kelly was the Vols’ starter and led the team with 778 rushing yards and nine touchdowns, adding 37 receptions for 299 yards. He left early for the NFL Draft.(also worked out at wide receiver)
STRENGTHS: Highly competitive tackle breaker…compact build and balanced feet to bounce off contact…legs are always pumping and never content as a runner…sharp plant-and-go quickness with lateral mobility…decisive at the line of scrimmage…secures the football with only three career fumbles – put the ball on the ground only once in 2017…aggressive blocker and won’t back down at the point of attack…workhorse mentality, averaging 20.5 offensive touches per game in 2017…dependable receiving traits to be a catch-and-go threat with potential to be more than simply a screen target…tied for the team-lead in catches in 2017…team captain who connects well with his teammates and carries himself like an alpha.WEAKNESSES: Lacks ideal size and body armor for the position…not graceful through small creases…lacks wiggle in the open field…tunnel vision and late to locate developing lanes…can be caught from behind and lacks a finishing gear…limited juice around the corner…exposes his body to excessive impact and shelf-life might be a concern…willing in pass protection, but prefers to ram/slow instead of using his hands to engage/control…off-field decision-making requires homework after he was pulled over for a busted headlight and cited for misdemeanor marijuana possession and failure to provide proof of insurance (Oct. 2017) – served a one-game suspension, which he accepted, calling his mistake “immature and selfish.”
SUMMARY: A one-year starter at Tennessee, Kelly was one of the few offensive bright spots for the Volunteers in 2017, producing steady numbers despite little help from the passing game. With only six career receptions entering his junior year, he proved his worth as a pass-catcher as the only player in 2017 from a power-five conference to lead his team in rushing yards and receptions. A fearless ballcarrier, Kelly runs with forceful momentum and tacklers better finish him to the ground because he won’t let them off easy – credits his balance and courage to his days as an accomplished skateboarder in high school. He is athletically average by NFL standards and lacks creativity/wiggle in tight quarters. Overall, Kelly is a competitive, full-speed-ahead ballcarrier with the contact balance, toughness and receiving/blocking traits that project him as a reliable horse in the backfield.
GRADE: 4th RoundApril 30, 2018 at 10:29 pm #85784znModeratorMay 10, 2018 at 11:37 pm #86067znModeratorfrom 7 late-round NFL draft picks likely to exceed expectations in 2018
Lance Zierlein
John Kelly, RB, Los Angeles Rams
Drafted: Round 6, No. 176 overall out of Tennessee.
Analysis: Todd Gurley is the man for the Rams, but to keep him at his best, the Rams will need a runner who can pick up tough yards as a backup and catch passes out of the backfield. That’s where Kelly comes in. The Rams’ Malcolm Brown is a try-hard runner, but he had just 9 catches for 53 yards last season, while Gurley led the team with 64 grabs. Kelly helps diversify the running back corps, and he has the ability to offer legitimate RB2 versatility right away.
May 17, 2018 at 5:11 pm #86239znModeratorMatt Waldman’s RSP: RB John Kelly (Tennessee)
If Walter Payton wasn’t a mutant, his tape would have looked like the portfolio of John Kelly.
John Kelly understands angles as a cutback runner and after contact badass.
John Kelly’s stance as s runner is like a coiled spring.
John Kelly knows it’s better to walk down the hill and $&@? them all up than to run down it and just get one….
John Kelly will be competent in zone or gap.
John Kelly doesn’t just catch easy targets.
John Kelly’s burst and speed is adequate but not going to stand out in the NFL.
May 22, 2018 at 5:53 pm #86430znModeratorRams rookie RB John Kelly, a sixth-round pick, has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor drug charge. The charge will be dropped if he avoids trouble for a year. https://t.co/IDbt8SpoPi
— Lindsey Thiry (@LindseyThiry) May 22, 2018
June 12, 2018 at 4:07 pm #87308znModeratorKelly Excited About Personal Growth Throughout Offseason
Kristen Lago
Rookie running back John Kelly will be the first to tell you he has a big personality.
Whether on the field or off, Kelly can often be found joking around with his new teammates and running backs coach Skip Peete — always with a big smile on his face.
And in the six weeks since he was drafted by the Rams, that bright personality has served him well, helping to build a solid foundation throughout OTAs.
“I’ve been able to learn at a nice tempo, so I’m pretty excited,” Kelly said. “Just being able to come up here and bond with some of my teammates, build a good relationship with the coaches and everybody in the building. It’s been a good ride so far.”
But Kelly, like many other first-year players, has also experienced his share of challenges. In just a few months, the Tennessee product has undergone several big life changes — moving to the West Coast and beginning a full-time career among them.
While the most difficult aspect for Kelly has admittedly been learning the offensive system at such a quick pace, the process has been made easier by the veterans in his room.
“Todd Gurley, Malcolm Brown, and Justin Davis have all been pretty helpful,” Kelly explained. “If we make a mistake out here, they are making sure to help us on the corrections as soon as possible. We’ve got a pretty good running backs room, so I’m excited to see what the year got for us.”
The group has also helped Kelly with one of the lesser acknowledged aspects of being an NFL rookie — acting as a professional.
“I think I’m the youngest guy in our class [and] this is grown-man business, so I’ve got to mature for sure,” Kelly said. “We’ve got a bigger target on us than it was at first when we were in college. We’re more under the
microscope being professional athletes, so I’m definitely trying to make sure I stay along with that phase as well.”
And after his first month with the organization, Kelly feels as if he has been placed into the perfect environment. Not only does he believe the roster features “a nice blend of personalities,” but a head coach in Sean McVay who is very connected with the team as a whole.
“With coach McVay being a younger guy, he can relate to us a lot more and we have a nice group of older guys who’ve been in this league for a long time as well,” Kelly said.
“I feel like we got a culture that’s like no other,” he continued. “As far as me being here and me taking visits to other places, I feel like coach McVay did a good job of developing a great culture here. We’re all caring and loving on each other everyday, but we’re also competing everyday at practice.”
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