Derrick Kelly II facts for kids

Derrick Kelly II (born August 23, 1995) is an American professional football player. He plays as an offensive guard for the San Antonio Brahmas in the United Football League (UFL). Before turning professional, he played college football at Florida State University.

College Football Journey

Derrick Kelly played for the Florida State Seminoles football team for five seasons. He spent one year as a "redshirt" freshman, meaning he practiced with the team but did not play in games. This allowed him to gain experience and develop his skills. During his college career, he played in 34 games and started 28 of them.

Professional Football Career

After college, Derrick Kelly began his professional football journey. He has played for several teams in different leagues.

Starting with the New Orleans Saints

Kelly joined the New Orleans Saints in 2019. He was not chosen in the NFL draft, so he signed as an undrafted free agent. This means a team signs a player who was not picked by any team during the draft. He first joined the team's practice squad. A practice squad is a group of players who train with the main team but do not play in games unless they are moved to the active roster.

In 2020, Kelly made it onto the Saints' main roster. He played his first NFL game on September 13, 2020. Later that year, he was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list but returned to play in December. He stayed with the Saints until August 2021.

Time with the New York Giants

In October 2021, Derrick Kelly joined the practice squad of the New York Giants. He stayed with the Giants until their season ended in January 2022.

Playing for the New York Jets

Kelly then signed with the New York Jets in May 2022. He was with the team for a few months before being released in August 2022.

Returning to the New Orleans Saints

Shortly after leaving the Jets, Kelly was claimed by the New Orleans Saints again. This means the Saints picked him up after he was released by another team. He was with them briefly before being released again. He later rejoined their practice squad in November 2022.

First Stint with San Antonio Brahmas

In March 2023, Kelly joined the San Antonio Brahmas in the XFL. He was placed on a reserve list but became active in April 2023.

Brief Time with the Cleveland Browns

Kelly signed with the Cleveland Browns in August 2023. He was released by the Browns later that same month.

Second Stint with San Antonio Brahmas

Derrick Kelly returned to the San Antonio Brahmas in January 2024. The Brahmas are now part of the United Football League (UFL). He was placed on injured reserve in April 2024. This means he was unable to play due to an injury. He was released in June 2024 but re-signed with the team in August 2024.