| No. 11 – UCF Knights | |
|---|---|
| Position | Defensive end |
| Class | Senior |
| Personal information | |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 250 lb (113 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Dillard (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) |
| College |
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| Stats at ESPN | |
Nyjalik Kelly is an American football defensive end. He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes and UCF Knights.
Kelly is from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. [1] He attended Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale where he played football as a defensive end. [2] As a sophomore, he won the district championship and was named honorable mention All-Broward. [3] He helped Dillard go undefeated in 2020 while recording 13 sacks and 21 tackles-for-loss (TFLs), then was named the Broward 8A-6A Football Defensive Player of the Year as a senior in 2021 when he recorded 58 tackles, 12 sacks and 20 TFLs. [4] Kelly participated at the All-American Bowl at the end of his high school career. [4] He was ranked a four-star recruit and one of the top-100 prospects nationally in the class of 2022. [5] He initially committed to play college football for the Florida State Seminoles before de-committing. [6] He later signed to play for the Miami Hurricanes. [7]
As a true freshman at Miami in 2022, Kelly appeared in all 12 games and posted 11 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, four sacks and 15 pressures. [8] [9] He was limited by injuries in 2023 and recorded only eight tackles while starting three games. [10] After the 2023 season, Kelly entered the NCAA transfer portal and transferred to the UCF Knights. [10] In his first year with the Knights, he totaled 53 tackles, 5.5 sacks and three forced fumbles while earning honorable mention All-Big 12 Conference honors. [11] In 2025, he posted 46 tackles, 7.5 TFLs, two forced fumbles and an interception while earning honorable mention All-Big 12 honors for a second time. [12] Kelly declared for the 2026 NFL draft and was invited to the 2026 Senior Bowl. [12] [13]