BYU LB Jack Kelly Surpasses Sacks Milestone
Sep 27, 2025, 9:28 PM | Updated: 9:56 pm
BYU linebacker Jack Kelly reached a career milestone after bringing down Colorado QB Kaidon Salter in the second quarter. (Courtesy BYU Photo)
(Courtesy BYU Photo)
BOULDER, Colorado – Former Weber State and current BYU linebacker Jack Kelly has turned into a defensive nightmare under the coaching of defensive coordinator Jay Hill. In Ogden and Provo, Hill has deployed Kelly on opposing quarterbacks to great success.
Kelly’s excellence as a pass rusher has allowed the former Kearns Cougar to amass more than 25 career sacks after bringing down Colorado QB Kaidon Salter in the second quarter against the Colorado Buffaloes.
BYU vs. Colorado: Live Updates, Analysis, And More From Boulder
Jack Kelly's closing speed. These NFL scouts in the press box at Folsom, behind BYU's media, had to be impressed with that sack.
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) September 28, 2025
Kelly’s second tackle against the Buffaloes also marked the 150th of his career.
The redshirt senior’s production hasn’t prevented the Cougar defense from having its worst first quarter of the season against Colorado.
The Buffaloes scored touchdowns on the first two drives while piling up 137 yards of offense in the first 13 minutes of the game.
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BYU linebacker Jack Kelly is building an NFL-caliber resume
Kelly entered 2024 as a co-captain before being named Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year & Defensive Transfer of the Year, along with All-Big 12 First Team by the College Football Network.
After proving himself as a defensive difference maker last season, Kelly has taken it to another level in 2025.
he's a JACK of all trades 😎
📺 ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/NgNGaEhUZE
— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) August 31, 2025
He started the year with an early sack against Portland State, followed by a blocked kick recovery that he took to the endzone for BYU’s first touchdown of the season.
Kelly entered the week with 13 tackles, 4.5 tackles for a loss, three sacks, and a forced fumble.
About Kelly
The junior linebacker out of Kearns, Utah, was rated a three-star prospect and the 28th-best recruit in the state of Utah.
Playing on both ends at Kearns High School, Kelly posted 59 tackles with 4.5 sacks and two interceptions on defense and 66 receptions for 1,299 yards and 13 touchdowns on offense.
He signed at Weber State in December 2020 and redshirted in 2021, appearing in one game.
In 2022, Kelly played in all 13 games and recorded 28 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, six sacks, one pass breakup, and one forced fumble.
RELATED: Kelly Scores First BYU Football TD Of 2025
BYU LB Jack Kelly (@jack_kelly1717) came to play last Saturday vs Stanford. He posted 5 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, and a strip sack.
If he keeps playing like that, Kelly could be in the All-Big 12 conversation.#GoCougs #Big12FB pic.twitter.com/XdV9KwZ2q5
— Bryan (@BGauvin23) September 9, 2025
Kelly played in 11 games for the Wildcats in 2023 but had improved numbers across the board with 56 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and an interception.
Kelly transferred to BYU following his breakout sophomore season.
Last year in his first season with the Cougars, Kelly recorded 51 total tackles (33 solo), 10 tackles for loss, five sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and one interception.
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BYU Cougars 2025 Schedule (3-0, 0-0)
- Portland State Vikings @ BYU Cougars | W 69-0
- Stanford Cardinal @ BYU Cougars | W 27-3
- BYE
- BYU Cougars @ East Carolina Pirates | W 34-13
- BYU Cougars @ Colorado Buffaloes |
- Friday, October 3 – West Virginia Mountaineers @ BYU Cougars | Kickoff 8:30 p.m. MT
- Saturday, October 11 – BYU Cougars @ Arizona Wildcats | Kickoff TBA
- Saturday, October 18 – Utah Utes @ BYU Cougars | Kickoff TBA
- Saturday, October 25 – BYU Cougars @ Iowa State Cyclones | Kickoff TBA
- BYE
- Saturday, November 8 – BYU Cougars @ Texas Tech Red Raiders | Kickoff TBA
- Saturday, November 15 – TCU Horned Frogs @ BYU Cougars | Kickoff TBA
- Saturday, November 22 – BYU Cougars @ Cincinnati Bearcats | Kickoff TBA
- Saturday, November 29 – UCF Knights @ BYU Cougars | Kickoff TBA
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Find BYU’s entire 2025 football schedule here.
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Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball here. Find Brian on X, Instagram, and BlueSky at @bpreece24.
