HOOVER, Ala. -- On-field indications that Chad Kelly wasn't ready for the NFL were hard to find last season.
The Ole Miss quarterback averaged 311 passing yards per game, threw for 31 touchdowns and showed all the physical traits NFL scouts look for at the position. But Rebels coach Hugh Freeze believes physical skills had nothing to do with why his quarterback -- the nephew of Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Kelly -- needed another year of college seasoning.
Kelly suffers from Attention-Deficit Disorder, Freeze said, and the mental aspect of the game is more the reason why another year at Ole Miss can benefit the 6-foot-2, 225-pound senior.
"I think he needs to be drafted to the right environment for him. He suffers from A.D.D. and it's easy for him in our system because of the way we use our verbiage for him," Freeze said at SEC Media Days on Thursday. "I think translating that into a typical NFL system could be a challenge for him, not one he couldn't overcome. But I think fit is everything for him as we talk about his next step."
Freeze said he's been asked by NFL clubs about how the Rebels' offense simplifies it's offensive verbiage. Kelly, for his part, doesn't believe the condition will affect his draft status or be an issue for NFL scouts evaluating his pro potential.
"My mom's a teacher, she's seen it all. I don't think they'd hold it against me," Kelly said. "A lot of people learn in different ways and stuff happens throughout your life that you grow into."
As for his physical skills, Freeze was hard-pressed to pick out much that Kelly needs to improve.
"His last seven games last year were pretty good. I don't know that I can look at a lot of things and say, 'Man, you're doing this really poorly.' He did everything for those last seven games pretty solidly. I would say the transition from our game to the NFL for him is going to be more mental than physical," Freeze said.
Kelly's production over Ole Miss' last seven games included wins over Auburn, Texas A&M, LSU, in-state rival Mississippi State and finally Oklahoma State in the Sugar Bowl. Over his final four games, Kelly's production was beyond reproach: 85 of 131 passing for 1,186 yards, 11 touchdowns and just one interception.
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