Derrick Kelly II Bio
Derrick Kelly II (born August 23, 1995) is an American former professional football offensive guard who spent time in the National Football League (NFL) and in spring football leagues. Standing 6 feet 5 inches tall and listed at 320 pounds, he played college football at Florida State University, where he spent five seasons with the Seminoles. After going undrafted in the 2019 NFL draft, Kelly built a journeyman career across multiple organizations, demonstrating resilience and adaptability through practice squad promotions, brief stints, and injuries.
Kelly signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2019 and went on to appear in regular-season games for the franchise. He also spent time with the New York Giants, New York Jets, and Cleveland Browns, while playing two separate stints with the San Antonio Brahmas of the spring football circuit. His career arc reflects a player who continually earned opportunities to compete at the professional level.
Early Life and Background
Derrick Kelly II was born on August 23, 1995, in Gretna, Florida, a small community in the panhandle region of the state. He grew up in the same area and attended East Gadsden High School in nearby Havana, Florida, where he developed into a college recruit at the offensive line position. His physical profile, including his eventual listed height of 6 feet 5 inches and weight of 320 pounds, gave him the frame that coaches covet in an interior lineman.
Kelly’s path from a small-town high school to a Power Five conference program underscored the work ethic that would later define his professional journey. He balanced athletic development with academic responsibilities, eventually qualifying for a scholarship at Florida State, where he joined a program with a long tradition of producing NFL-caliber linemen. Those formative years in north Florida shaped his approach to the game.
Path to American Football
Kelly committed to Florida State University, where he joined a competitive offensive line room and began his ascent toward the professional level. He redshirted as a true freshman, preserving a year of eligibility while adjusting to the speed and complexity of the college game. Over the following seasons, he worked his way into the rotation and earned the trust of the coaching staff.
Across his five seasons in Tallahassee, Kelly appeared in 34 games and made 28 starts, a workload that highlighted his durability and consistency. The Seminoles relied on him as a steady presence at the guard position, and his experience against top-tier competition in the Atlantic Coast Conference prepared him for the next step. By the time his college career concluded following the 2018 season, he had built a résumé that, while not flashy, was grounded in repetition and dependability.
Derrick Kelly II Career
Early Career (2019–2020)
Following the 2019 NFL draft, Kelly signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent on April 27, 2019. He was waived during final roster cuts on August 30 of that year but was quickly re-signed to the team’s practice squad the following day. That cycle of release and re-signing became a familiar part of his early professional life, as he used the practice squad to continue developing while remaining within the Saints’ system.
Kelly signed a reserve/futures contract with New Orleans on January 6, 2020, and earned a spot on the active roster after training camp. He made his NFL debut on September 13, 2020, appearing in the season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Later that fall, he was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on November 29 before being activated on December 9, navigating the unique challenges of the pandemic-era season.
New Orleans Saints Breakthrough (2019–2021)
Kelly’s most significant NFL opportunity came during his first stint with the New Orleans Saints, the organization that first invested in his development. After spending his rookie year on the practice squad, he returned to the active roster in 2020 and contributed along the offensive line, logging regular-season game appearances as part of the team’s depth chart. His work with the Saints gave him his longest sustained look at the NFL level.
On August 31, 2021, Kelly was waived and re-signed to the practice squad before being released on October 12. That move opened the door to his next chapter with a different franchise. Across his various stints in New Orleans, he appeared in 7 NFL games, the total reflected in his career statistics.
New York Giants and New York Jets Era (2021–2022)
Kelly was signed to the New York Giants practice squad on October 19, 2021, giving him a chance to compete within a new organization. His contract expired at the conclusion of the Giants’ season on January 9, 2022, returning him to the open market. The stint in East Rutherford, while brief, added another franchise to his growing professional resume.
On May 9, 2022, Kelly signed with the New York Jets, marking his second AFC East opportunity in just a few months. He was released on August 16, 2022, during the preseason, only to be claimed off waivers by the New Orleans Saints the next day. After a brief return to New Orleans, he was waived on August 28 and re-signed to the practice squad on November 10, 2022, as the Saints once again leaned on his familiarity with the program.
San Antonio Brahmas Era (2023–2025)
Kelly joined the San Antonio Brahmas of the XFL in 2023, opening a new chapter in spring professional football. He was placed on the reserve list on March 7, 2023, before being activated on April 7, contributing to the team’s offensive line as the league completed its season. He then signed with the Cleveland Browns on August 5, 2023, but was released on August 27, returning to the Brahmas after the NFL opportunity closed.
On January 19, 2024, Kelly re-signed with the Brahmas, who had transitioned to the United Football League (UFL). He was placed on injured reserve on April 23, 2024, and released on June 12 before being re-signed on August 23. By 2025, he remained with the organization, continuing his role as a steady veteran presence on the offensive line.
Driving Style and Strengths
Kelly’s game is built on positional reliability and physical leverage rather than raw flash. His 6-foot-5 frame, combined with his listed 320-pound build, allowed him to anchor against powerful defensive tackles and maintain gaps in the running game. Coaches valued his practice squad reliability, a trait that repeatedly earned him second chances across multiple organizations.
Notable Events and Milestones
Kelly’s most memorable professional milestone came on September 13, 2020, when he made his regular-season NFL debut with the New Orleans Saints against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Across his NFL career, he appeared in 7 games, a modest but meaningful total for a player who entered the league without a draft selection.
Derrick Kelly II Career Highlights
Derrick Kelly II’s professional résumé is defined less by headline-grabbing numbers and more by persistence across multiple franchises. He appeared in 7 NFL games, primarily during his time with the New Orleans Saints between 2019 and 2022. He also contributed in spring football with the San Antonio Brahmas, playing in the XFL in 2023 and in the UFL in 2024.
College and NFL Highlights
At Florida State, Kelly played in 34 games with 28 starts, anchoring the offensive line through multiple seasons of ACC competition. In the NFL, his first appearance came on September 13, 2020, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a moment that capped a long climb from undrafted free agent to active roster contributor.
Derrick Kelly II Family
Personal Life
Publicly available information about Derrick Kelly II’s immediate family remains limited. He is known to have grown up in the Gretna and Havana areas of Gadsden County, Florida, where he attended East Gadsden High School before moving on to Florida State University.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 season, Derrick Kelly II continued his tenure with the San Antonio Brahmas of the United Football League, the organization that has provided him with the most consistent platform since 2023. He re-signed with the team on August 23, 2024, after a brief injured reserve stint earlier that spring, signaling the franchise’s continued belief in his veteran presence along the offensive line.
The 2025 campaign represents an opportunity for Kelly to extend his professional career into a seventh calendar year of football at the highest levels available to him. His familiarity with the Brahmas’ offensive scheme, combined with his size and experience, positions him as a potential depth piece and rotational guard. While spring league rosters can shift quickly, his re-signing suggests the organization values his reliability.
Outlook for 2025 centers on health, consistency, and the possibility of contributing on a Brahmas offensive line that is among the most established in the UFL. For a player whose career has been marked by repeated chances earned through perseverance, another season in San Antonio would add another meaningful chapter to a journeyman story still being written.