The son of former UT defensive end/linebacker Todd Kelly Sr., Todd Kelly Jr officially committed to Tennessee on March 10th and helped jumpstart the 2014 class. Since his commitment, he has visited campus on 10 separate occasions. Defensive backs coach Willie Martinez and offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian served as his recruiters.

Kelly is likely to play safety at Tennessee but could grow into an outside linebacker—two positions where the Vols need both depth and immediate contributions. He’ll need to bulk up to play linebacker and probably needs work on his agility to be effective at safety, but he has the frame and athleticism to make those adjustments. Immediately, safety is the best fit so he’ll get a look there first. Brian Randolph has one safety spot locked down but the other one is up for grabs after LaDarrell McNeil’s struggles during the last half of the season.

The Basics: Rated as a 4-star prospect by ESPN, Scout, 247Sports, and Rivals, Todd Kelly Jr is a 6-1, 190 pound safety from Knoxville, Tennessee (Webb HS). ESPN ranks Kelly as the No. 5 safety and No. 59 overall prospect in the nation. As a junior, he tallied 72 tackles, three interceptions, and broke up seven passes. Kelly also led the team in rushing with 99 carries for 1,120 yards (11.3 yards per carry), scored 23 rushing touchdowns and 5 receiving TDs. Last season he rushed for 1,014 yards on 130 carries and scored 23 total touchdowns. On the other side of the ball, he recorded 59 tackles, 1 sack, 2 interceptions, and broke up 5 passes. He chose the Vols over Alabama, Florida, Notre Dame, Auburn, Florida State, California, and others.

Scouting Reports: “Kelly, Jr. is a very headsy and smart player in the secondary. He plays running back and safety in high school, but he will be defense all the way in college. He has very good range in the secondary and he can cover a lot of ground. He is better when moving forward than he is when backing up in coverage. Against the run he is very good because of his size and ability to tackle. He has above average ball skills.” – Chad Simmons

“Very explosive player. Lacks ideal height and length, but well built and still has very good size at the position and plays bigger on film. Shows good acceleration closing on the ball and has good overall pursuit speed…Kelly can run, close and hit for big production and momentum changing plays. Overall, is a well-rounded, scheme versatile prospect who could play strong or free safety at the next level depending on need. Has size, range athleticism and physicality that should make him highly coveted on the recruiting trail. Potentially a great contributor on special teams adding to his value.” – ESPN.com

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