Jan. 31, 2026, 1:48 p.m. CT

The Unpacking FuturePackers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects who theGreen Bay Packers could select in the 2026 NFL draft.

As the Green Bay Packers head into the offseason, they’ll need to fortify their linebacker room. Quay Walker is a free agent and Green Bay likely won’t match what the former first-round pick could get on the open market.

Edgerrin Cooper has developed into a pillar on the defense. Isaiah McDuffie has turned into a solid player.  There is hope that Ty’Ron Hopper, a former third-round pick, can break out during his third year in the league and help replace Walker’s production.

Even if Hopper enjoys a breakout campaign, the Packers need bodies in that room and will likely add at least one linebacker to the mix via the 2026 NFL Draft. A potential target on Day 3 is Jack Kelly. The BYU linebacker checks in at No. 81 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown.

A native of Utah, Kelly started his college career at Weber State, where he recorded 20 tackles for loss and 16.5 sacks during his final two seasons with the Wildcats. 

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Kelly transferred to BYU for the 2024 season and recorded 51 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and five sacks. This past season, Kelly recorded 55 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks.

“Kelly was the heart and soul of the BYU defense last season,” Jay Drew, a BYU reporter for the Deseret News, said. “That was actually displayed when he was not in the lineup and battling various minor injuries. For instance, against Arizona, the Cougar defense struggled to contain QB Noah Fifita with Kelly out of the lineup.”

At 6-1, 246 pounds, Kelly has a well-built NFL frame. Kelly may be one of the best blitzing linebackers in this draft class. There were times when BYU would line him up on the edge and he’d rush the passer with relentless energy and he has active hands to keep himself clean. As a blitzer, he does a great job of being patient and when he picks his time to go, he stomps down on the accelerator and closes on the quarterback in a flash. He has the power to blow up any running back foolish enough to try and block him one-on-one. He finished his career with 128 pressures and 31.5 sacks. 

Kelly is an intense worker with a motor that runs hot. While not the most explosive athlete, he has the sideline-to-sideline range to make plays all over the field. His closing speed is impressive for a player of his weight. He’s powerfully built and does a good job of getting himself off blocks. During his two seasons with the Cougars, Kelly recorded 61 run stops. 

While he’s always in on the action, he does need to do a better job of finishing. He was tagged with 28 missed tackles during his two seasons at BYU. That missed tackle rate is alarming, however, when it comes to Day 3 picks, a team will likely take a chance on him due to his relentless energy and toughness against the run. 

“Kelly has that rare combination of speed and power, which helped him a lot against the run,” Drew said. “He can go sideline to sideline effectively, and not only is he sturdy up the middle, he has this uncanny closing speed that you don’t often see from a guy his size. He’s also quite smart, coaches have told me both years he was in Provo. He pays attention to details.”

Kelly is assignment-sound in coverage. He does a good job of reading the quarterback’s eyes and lets them lead him to where he needs to go. The BYU linebacker has the reactionary quickness to drive on throws in front of him and get the pass catchers to the ground to limit YAC.

“I wouldn’t say this was a strength of his, but he was certainly adequate,” Drew said. “Put him on a tight end, and he holds his own. Put him on a slot receiver or wideout, and he’s got his hands full. I should say that he covered some of the top running backs in the Big 12 in pass coverage and did okay. He doesn’t panic when the ball is in the air, as you see some linebackers do in coverage. Poise is one of his strengths.”

Kelly logged 402 snaps on special teams during his collegiate career and recorded three tackles. There is no doubt that the Weber State transfer could provide an immediate impact as a core-four special teams player as a rookie. 

“He could thrive on special teams, because he has the attitude needed to play well there,” Drew said. “He doesn’t think he’s bigger than the game, as it were. Coaches have said that he is extremely coachable and willing to do whatever is asked of him.”

Fit with the Packers

The Packers need to add to the linebacker room. Ideally, that player is someone who has special teams experience and could challenge McDuffie for playing time.

Enter Kelly, who has an NFL frame and the ability to impact the game in a variety of ways. He’s a stout, powerful run defender, with the acceleration and power to impact the quarterback as a blitzer. 

“He’s a mature, earnest player who combines intelligence with God-given ability such as speed, strength and size,” Drew said. “He consistently strives to get better, and is also known as a film room freak who never shows up to games unprepared.”

Kelly is at his best playing north to south. He’s an attacking downhill linebacker who has enough chops in coverage to develop into a three-down linebacker. With his ability to impact the game in a variety of ways, he’s worth a look on Day 3 for a team that needs to bolster their depth at the position and improve on special teams.