Florida State has added some much-needed experience to its defensive line.
Colorado State defensive line transfer Grady Kelly announced Sunday as he was leaving his visit that he has committed to FSU and will be joining the Seminoles for the 2024 season.
"I did commit. I'm a Nole," Kelly said. "It's just the family orientation. We talked more about the love for the players, the off-field stuff, who you are as a person, character 10 times more than we talked anything related to the field. When there are coaches that care about more than football and it's deeper than football and it's family, that's the place I want to be."
Kelly, originally a two-star recruit in the 2021 class out of Navarre (Fla.) High, is rated by Rivals as a three-star tranfer prospect in this cycle, the No. 838 overall transfer prospect.
The 6-foot-3, 293-pound defensive lineman appeared in 24 games over the last two seasons for the Rams. After recording 43 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack in 2022, he broke out in 2023 with 35 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and a blocked field goal.
“I’m excited about Grady joining the Nole Family and getting him back near his home in the Panhandle. He brings toughness and the ability to be an impactful playmaker on the defensive front," FSU head coach Mike Norvell said in a press release. "He will be a wonderful addition to a group that has set a tremendous standard here at FSU. Grady will be a difference-maker because he is extremely smart and has a relentless style of play.”
Kelly's move will be similar to the one FSU defensive tackle Braden Fiske made last offseason when he transferred from Western Michigan to FSU. Fiske made a major impact in his lone season with the program, earning a second-team All-ACC honor with six sacks and nine tackles for loss this season.
While Kelly didn't get to speak in person to Fiske while visiting, he did get to talk to him on the phone, gathering intel about the type of move he's about to make from a Group of Five team to a high-level Power Five program.
"I got to talk with Braden Fiske a little bit on the phone, which was a great conversation..." Kelly said. "Similar level of ball, similar player types. I got to connect with him about what making that transition is like and the love on the team and how great of a coach (Odell) Haggins is...
"I was on the fence a little bit and I think after talking to him, him telling me, 'You walk in with as much confidence as you can. You walk in and know you're the best ballplayer on the field. Put your head down, work hard and things are going to work out.' That was enough for me to ease everything and know this was the place for me to be."
Kelly brings two years of remaining eligibility to FSU and is set to bolster a defensive tackle room at FSU that has some promising younger players but has to replace Fiske, Fabien Lovett and Malcolm Ray this offseason.
"They have great players here. I know that, I'm aware of that walking into it," Kelly said of his fit in FSU's defensive tackle room. "It's just about fighting, competing, working as hard as I possibly can to beat these guys out, build connection with the guys in the room so that we can hit the field running and take off this year."
As for what Kelly brings in a football sense?
"I like to say I come in with a high football IQ and good leadership. I've played in a scheme that's a little more loose with the (3-techniques) and the 2-Is as far as not as gap-sound," Kelly said. "It's something I'm going to have to adjust to a little bit, but I think I bring twitch, I have explosiveness, I'm going to bring a sense of leadership."
Kelly is FSU's second defensive line transfer addition of the offseason along with Georgia defensive end transfer Marvin Jones Jr. He's the fifth transfer addition overall for the Seminoles this offseason and the third of the weekend along with LSU wide receiver transfer Jalen Brown and Alabama defensive back transfer Earl Little Jr, who each committed to FSU on Saturday.
Follow The Osceola on Facebook
Follow The Osceola on Twitter
Subscribe to the Osceola's YouTube channel
Subscribe to the Osceola's podcasts on Apple
