UCF EDGE Nyjalik Kelly becomes the latest Knight to declare for the 2026 NFL Draft.
UCF Knights EDGE Nyjalik Kelly has declared for the 2026 NFL Draft, he announced in a statement posted to his Instagram account Friday afternoon. Kelly, who could have tried to get a medical redshirt after playing just four games in his last season at Miami in 2023, elected to enter his name into the 2026 NFL Draft after two seasons at UCF.
"To Knight Nation, from my initial step in The Bounce House, I felt nothing but love, from everyone at UCF," Kelly said in his statement. "I will cherish those memories for the rest of my life. Thank you." Kelly also thanked the UCF coaching staff, including Scott Frost, his mother, his Uncle Rod, family, daughter and teammates. Kelly is the third Knight to publicly declare for the 2026 NFL Draft, joining defensive back Phillip Dunnam and kicker Noe Ruelas. However, they are not the only ones who have been showcasing their skills to professional scouts. Running backs Myles Montgomery and Jaden Nixon both participated in the Hula Bowl, with Nixon even scoring a touchdown during the game. Linebacker Keli Lawson and Cole Kozlowski, plus offensive lineman Paul Rubelt, are set to compete in the inaugural American Bowl on Jan. 22nd at 8 p.m. in Lakeland. Finally, EDGE Malachi Lawrence, alongside Kelly himself, is slated to play in the East-West Shrine Bowl on Jan. 27. Taking into account all of those players, Kelly is one of nine Knights vying for a shot at signing with an NFL roster, perhaps with hearing their name called during the 2026 Draft to boot. Kelly is coming off a second-straight season getting named an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention. He started all 12 games for the Knights, recording 46 tackles , 7.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles, three pass breakups and an interception. With Kelly's return now officially off the table, the Knights lose both of their starting EDGEs from the 2025 season, likely needing to turn to the transfer portal to fill those roles for 2026. As of the time of this article's writing, they've already added six defensive linemen, although their opportunities to add more are set to gradually shrink once the transfer portal closes to new entrants at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, which is a few hours away.Bryson Turner is a sports journalist who covers UCF Athletics. Turner has contributed to the Black and Gold Banneret, the home for UCF Athletics on SB Nation. He has called the Orlando area home since the age of 8 and received his bachelor's and master's degrees from UCF.
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