BYU transfer Jack Kelly lands on Butkus Award preseason watch list 

Tony Adame

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BYU transfer Jack Kelly lands on Butkus Award preseason watch list  image

BYU might have the best pass rusher in the Big 12 Conference with Weber State transfer Jack Kelly — they also might have one of the nation’s best linebackers. 

Kelly was named to the Butkus Award preseason watch list on Aug. 13 — the award given to the nation’s best collegiate linebacker — following defensive end Tyler Batty being named to the Bednarik Award watch list for the nation’s top defensive player. 

Kelly, 6-foot-2 and 235 pounds, had dominated FCS competition the last two seasons. In 2023, Kelly had 56 tackles, 12.0 tackles for loss and led the Big Sky Conference with 10.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries. 

Over the last two seasons, Kelly, a Kearns, Utah, native had 16.5 sacks. Kelly was ranked as a four-star transfer by 247Sports and No. 94 in its overall transfer portal rankings. 

BYU opens its season on Aug. 31 at home against Southern Illinois.

Tony Adame

Tony Adame Photo

Tony Adame covers the Big 12 Conference for The Sporting News. He is a graduate of Southern Oregon University and has been a sports journalist for 20 years. He has won APSE Awards for breaking news, games stories and feature writing. He is also the writer and host of the Florida Society of News Editors Award-winning podcast The Sheriff: Murder, Lies & Revenge in Okaloosa County for USA Today/Gannett.