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[SIZE=+2]Oklahoma WR Malcolm Kelly to enter NFL draft
[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]12:20 AM CST on Friday, January 11, 2008
[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]By BRANDON GEORGE / The Dallas Morning News
bgeorge@***BANNED-URL***[/SIZE] Oklahoma junior wide receiver Malcolm Kelly of Longview has decided to forgo his senior season and enter the NFL draft, the school announced Thursday.
Kelly (6-4, 219) filed paperwork with an NFL advisory committee in December to gauge when he might be selected. Kelly received a second-round grade, but several mock drafts list Kelly going late in the first round.
"I felt like the time was right to make this decision," Kelly said in a statement. "My family and I have talked it over for the last few days and decided this was the way to go. I've talked to a lot of guys who I trust who are playing in the NFL, and I value their input.
"OU and the coaches there gave me the best opportunity to reach the pro level. Going to OU was really the thing that put me in the position to be able to make this decision."
Kelly is the first OU junior to declare for the draft this season. Others are also seriously considering it, including All-American linebacker Curtis Lofton – the Big 12 defensive player of the year – All-American offensive lineman Duke Robinson and cornerback Reggie Smith. The deadline for early entry is Tuesday, but players who declare have until Friday to withdraw.
"We're excited for Malcolm and his family," OU coach Bob Stoops said. "He was an outstanding player in our program, and we appreciate all of his efforts. We look forward to watching him in the NFL. He is well-suited to professional football in many ways, and we are sure that the attributes that made him such a success for us will serve him equally well on that level."
Kelly averaged a team-best 16.8 yards per catch this season and was second on the team with 49 receptions for 821 yards and nine touchdowns. As a sophomore, he had 62 catches for 992 yards and 10 touchdowns. His 21 career touchdown catches ranks No. 2 at OU, behind Arlington Sam Houston-ex Mark Clayton.
Kelly had seven touchdown catches before Big 12 play this season. His production declined in conference games, when he was often double-teamed.
Kelly played only one series in OU's Fiesta Bowl loss to West Virginia because of a deep thigh bruise. Last year, he left OU's Fiesta Bowl loss to Boise State with a knee injury. He had surgery during the off-season on the knee.
Kelly totaled 144 catches for 2,285 yards in 38 games (33 starts) at OU. He was an All-Big 12 second-team selection by the coaches the last two seasons.
[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]12:20 AM CST on Friday, January 11, 2008
[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]By BRANDON GEORGE / The Dallas Morning News
bgeorge@***BANNED-URL***[/SIZE] Oklahoma junior wide receiver Malcolm Kelly of Longview has decided to forgo his senior season and enter the NFL draft, the school announced Thursday.
Kelly (6-4, 219) filed paperwork with an NFL advisory committee in December to gauge when he might be selected. Kelly received a second-round grade, but several mock drafts list Kelly going late in the first round.
"I felt like the time was right to make this decision," Kelly said in a statement. "My family and I have talked it over for the last few days and decided this was the way to go. I've talked to a lot of guys who I trust who are playing in the NFL, and I value their input.
"OU and the coaches there gave me the best opportunity to reach the pro level. Going to OU was really the thing that put me in the position to be able to make this decision."
Kelly is the first OU junior to declare for the draft this season. Others are also seriously considering it, including All-American linebacker Curtis Lofton – the Big 12 defensive player of the year – All-American offensive lineman Duke Robinson and cornerback Reggie Smith. The deadline for early entry is Tuesday, but players who declare have until Friday to withdraw.
"We're excited for Malcolm and his family," OU coach Bob Stoops said. "He was an outstanding player in our program, and we appreciate all of his efforts. We look forward to watching him in the NFL. He is well-suited to professional football in many ways, and we are sure that the attributes that made him such a success for us will serve him equally well on that level."
Kelly averaged a team-best 16.8 yards per catch this season and was second on the team with 49 receptions for 821 yards and nine touchdowns. As a sophomore, he had 62 catches for 992 yards and 10 touchdowns. His 21 career touchdown catches ranks No. 2 at OU, behind Arlington Sam Houston-ex Mark Clayton.
Kelly had seven touchdown catches before Big 12 play this season. His production declined in conference games, when he was often double-teamed.
Kelly played only one series in OU's Fiesta Bowl loss to West Virginia because of a deep thigh bruise. Last year, he left OU's Fiesta Bowl loss to Boise State with a knee injury. He had surgery during the off-season on the knee.
Kelly totaled 144 catches for 2,285 yards in 38 games (33 starts) at OU. He was an All-Big 12 second-team selection by the coaches the last two seasons.
