Kyu Blu Kelly Bio
Kyu Blu Kelly (born May 22, 2001) is an American professional football cornerback for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Stanford Cardinal before being selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL draft. Kelly is the son of former NFL defensive back Brian Kelly.
Across his first three professional seasons, Kelly has bounced between several franchises as a waiver-wire contributor, carving out his place in the league through persistence and defensive playmaking. He has since settled into a depth role in Las Vegas, where he recorded his first two career interceptions during the 2025 season.
Early Life and Background
Kyu Blu Kelly was born on May 22, 2001, in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he was raised. Growing up in a household shaped by professional football gave him an early understanding of the work required to reach the highest level of the sport.
His father, Brian Kelly, played cornerback in the NFL for 11 seasons, an environment that placed the game at the center of daily life for Kyu Blu Kelly. That exposure helped shape his path as a young athlete and influenced his decision to pursue defensive back as a position.
Kelly attended Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, where he developed into one of the top prep cornerbacks in the region. He was named first-team All-State as a senior, recognition that highlighted his coverage skills and physicality on the perimeter.
Path to American Football
Coming out of Bishop Gorman, Kyu Blu Kelly was rated as a three-star recruit. Despite his pedigree, he drew interest from a wide range of West Coast programs, including Arizona State, California, UCLA, Oregon, and Utah, before ultimately committing to play college football at Stanford.
The Stanford Cardinal offered Kelly the chance to compete in a conference known for producing NFL-ready defensive backs, and his commitment marked the start of a college career that would quickly accelerate. He stepped onto campus with an opportunity to earn early playing time and the tools to develop within a pro-style system.
Kyu Blu Kelly Career
Early Career (2023)
Kyu Blu Kelly entered the NFL after a strong senior campaign at Stanford, and the 2023 league year became a whirlwind of transitions. The Baltimore Ravens selected him in the fifth round, 157th overall, marking the official start of his professional career.
His time in Baltimore was short, as he was waived on August 29, 2023, during the final roster cuts. Over the following months, Kelly would cycle through multiple organizations, learning different defensive schemes and proving he could contribute wherever he landed.
Seattle Seahawks Tenure (2023)
Just one day after being waived by Baltimore, Kyu Blu Kelly was claimed off waivers by the Seattle Seahawks on August 30, 2023. He joined the secondary looking to carve out a role during the regular season.
His stint in Seattle ended on November 11, 2023, when he was waived again. Although his time with the Seahawks was brief, the experience provided another window into the speed and complexity of NFL defensive playbooks.
Green Bay Packers Tenure (2023)
On November 15, 2023, Kyu Blu Kelly was claimed off waivers by the Green Bay Packers, marking his third team in a single calendar year. The Packers were in the thick of a playoff push and added Kelly for depth in the secondary.
Green Bay released Kelly on December 12, 2023, less than a month later. Even with the short stay, his ability to stay ready between opportunities helped set the stage for his next move.
Washington Commanders Tenure (2023-2024)
Kyu Blu Kelly was claimed off waivers by the Washington Commanders on December 13, 2023, joining his fourth team of his rookie season. He remained with Washington through the offseason program and into the summer.
The Commanders released Kelly on August 27, 2024, ending his time in the nation’s capital. Even so, his persistence through multiple transactions signaled a player unwilling to give up on his NFL opportunity.
Las Vegas Raiders Era (2024-Present)
On September 10, 2024, Kyu Blu Kelly signed with the Las Vegas Raiders practice squad, returning to his hometown region. The move gave him a chance to reset and grow within a single organization for an extended period.
Kelly was promoted to the Raiders’ active roster on December 21, 2024, an important step that confirmed his standing within the team. On November 6, 2025, he recorded his first two career interceptions during the Raiders’ Week 10 matchup against the Denver Broncos, although Las Vegas fell 10-7. The performance signaled his growing impact on the defensive side of the ball.
Driving Style and Strengths
Kelly plays with the technique and patience that comes from a Stanford background, reading routes and breaking on the ball with controlled aggression. His coverage instincts and willingness to support the run game have made him a dependable depth corner who can be trusted in spot duties.
Notable Events and Milestones
Kelly’s first two career interceptions, both recorded against the Denver Broncos on November 6, 2025, stand as the headline statistical milestone of his young professional career. Cycling through four teams in his rookie season also remains one of the more unusual early-career trajectories in recent NFL memory.
Kyu Blu Kelly Career Highlights
Kyu Blu Kelly’s professional résumé is still in its early chapters, but it already includes several notable checkpoints. From being a fifth-round draft pick to logging interceptions at the NFL level, he has continued to build his profile year by year.
NFL Regular Season Highlights
Kelly’s most memorable NFL moment arrived on November 6, 2025, when he snared his first two career interceptions against the Denver Broncos. Beyond that performance, his professional journey has been defined by quickly adapting to new defensive schemes across Baltimore, Seattle, Green Bay, Washington, and Las Vegas.
College Career Highlights
At Stanford, Kyu Blu Kelly became a starter four games into his freshman season and earned honorable mention All-Pac-12 Conference honors as a sophomore. He was then named second-team All-Pac-12 as a junior after recording 58 tackles, a conference-leading 13 passes defended, and two interceptions. He repeated as a second-team All-Pac-12 selection as a senior before declaring for the 2023 NFL draft.
Kyu Blu Kelly Family
Family Background and Football Lineage
Kyu Blu Kelly is the son of Brian Kelly, a former NFL cornerback who played 11 professional seasons. That lineage gave Kelly a direct connection to the league long before he ever wore an NFL jersey and helped shape his understanding of what a long professional career requires.
Personal Life
Kelly was raised in Las Vegas, the city where he continues to play professionally with the Raiders. Details about his personal relationships are not publicly confirmed.
2025 Season Performance
Kyu Blu Kelly entered the 2025 season as a depth cornerback on the Las Vegas Raiders roster, having earned his promotion the previous December. He spent the early portion of the year rotating into the secondary and contributing on special teams while continuing to refine his role within the defensive game plan.
His breakout moment came in Week 10 against the Denver Broncos on November 6, 2025, when Kelly hauled in his first two career interceptions. Although the Raiders ultimately lost the game 10-7, his ball production offered a clear sign of his development and ball-hawking instincts at the professional level.
Looking ahead, Kelly’s task is to turn a single standout performance into sustained production across the remainder of the 2025 season. With the Raiders investing in his growth and his trajectory trending upward, he has a clear opportunity to cement himself as a long-term member of the Las Vegas secondary.