Michigan State's explosive receiver Omari Kelly flashes speed and versatility, seizing a promising opportunity with the Chicago Bears.
The NFL Draft is always a blur. From months preparation to the first round on Thursday night to Mr. Irrelevant. Now it's over, and teams are now turning their attention to contacting undrafted players, inviting them in for tryouts and potential practice squad spots.
Among those players are a few Michigan State Spartans standouts.
After the Spartans saw two players selected in the draft (Matt Gulbin to Washington and Ryan Eckley to Baltimore), several former Michigan State players are now getting opportunities to continue their careers at the next level.
Wide receiver Omari Kelly is one of those players, earning a chance with Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson.
Kelly began his collegiate career at Auburn Tigers, where he appeared in 19 games. During his time there, he recorded five receptions for 101 yards. After his sophomore season, Kelly transferred to Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders, where he broke out with 53 receptions for 869 yards and four touchdowns.
Following that junior season, Kelly entered the transfer portal once again—this time heading to the Big Ten and East Lansing to suit up for Michigan State.
In his lone season with the Spartans, Kelly hauled in 47 passes for 626 yards and two touchdowns. He also added six carries for 33 yards, showcasing his versatility and ability to contribute in multiple ways.
Kelly’s explosiveness shows up in the return game as well. Over the past two seasons, he returned 20 punts for 233 yards, including a touchdown during his junior year.
For his career, Kelly averaged an impressive 15.2 yards per catch—an attribute that could make him an intriguing weapon in a Bears offense led by former No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams and orchestrated by Johnson.
Chicago has solid top-end talent in its wide receiver room, but the depth remains a question mark.
Rome Odunze and Luther Burden headline the group, while the team moved on from veteran DJ Moore and brought in former Detroit Lions receiver Kalif Raymond, who has familiarity with Johnson. Beyond the starters, Chicago features Jahdae Walker, Maurice Alexander, and JP Richardson, along with rookies Zavion Thomas, Squirrel White, and Kelly himself.
That leaves the door open for Kelly to make an impression and potentially earn a roster spot—or at the very least, a place on the practice squad.
However, nothing will come easy under Johnson. He is well known for demanding precision and accountability. With him, perfection isn’t something you chase—it’s the expectation.
Last season offered a glimpse of that standard, as Johnson publicly challenged then-rookie Burden for not running routes exactly as designed. Still, he stuck with him, and Burden developed into one of the team’s most reliable weapons, helping push Chicago to a playoff appearance in Johnson’s first year as head coach.
Now, even without hearing his name called on draft night, Kelly has a real opportunity in front of him.
If he can showcase his speed, versatility, and playmaking ability right away, he may just earn himself a seat at the table in Chicago.