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Kevin Gorman 412-320-7812
Sports Columnist
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Kevin Gorman is a sports writer for the Tribune-Review.

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Washington running back Jaylin Kelly.

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JAYLIN KELLY

6-foot-2, 230 pounds, FB-LB, Washington

Jaylin Kelly is a four-year starter at linebacker for Washington, but he believes a big junior season put him on everyone's radar.

If not, they better beware.

Kelly plays like a heat-seeking missile.

“I love to hit,” said Kelly, who bench-presses 315 pounds, squats 495 and has been timed at 4.68 seconds in the 40-yard dash. “I love contact. Ever since I was a kid, I've been hitting people.”

Kelly made a monster hit on Jeannette's Jordan Edmunds on Friday night, timing the handoff perfectly and crushing the bruising back with a blow that lifted Edmunds off the turf. Kelly was dominant defensively all game for the Little Prexies.

“He disrupted things a lot in there,” Washington coach Mike Bosnic said. “Jaylin's a great high school football player, and he came up big for us.”

That play came with Pitt linebackers coach Chris Haering standing on the sidelines, and Kelly is hoping that a strong senior season will attract attention from more major-college programs.

“I wanted to show him what I could do,” Kelly said, “but I just wanted to do what I had to do to win.”

Kelly has scholarship offers from Eastern Michigan, Delaware, New Hampshire and Youngstown State, and he is receiving interest from Pitt, Cincinnati, Maryland and Temple.

Kelly also plays fullback and could gain notice while serving as the lead blocker for big-time back Shai McKenzie, although he believes his future is at linebacker.

“I'm good at getting to the ball, and I want to go somewhere where they're big on defense,” Kelly said. “I try to go as hard as I can. Hopefully, people get to see it.”

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