Ian Kennelly has terrorized opposing quarterbacks in college for years. Now, he’ll be aiming to do the same to NFL quarterbacks soon.
One of the best prospects coming out of NCAA Division II football in this year’s NFL Draft class, Kennelly — who is being scouted as a safety at the pro level — showed out in front of pro scouts recently to bump up his stock as a potential late-round selection or coveted undrafted free agent signing. That came on top of a decorated career with the Lakers in which he won a bevy of major awards and helped to lead GVSU, long-known as one of D-II’s premier football programs, on some more deep postseason runs.
Every year, plenty of small-school standouts find their way onto NFL rosters, and Kennelly should be among those from the non-D-I ranks who’ll get the most attention in and around the quickly-approaching 2025 NFL Draft. Once a team takes a chance on him, however, it’s then up to him to rise up the depth chart and prove himself against the best football players in the world.
Considering that plenty of other Lakers and D-II stars like him before have done it, though, we wouldn’t put it past him to break through and shine.
Whether you’re hearing about Kennelly for the first time or are a seasoned viewer of D-II football, here’s a look at what you need to know about Kennelly’s stock and potential outlook just over a month out from the NFL Draft:
Who Is Ian Kennelly?
Ian Kennelly is a 6-foot-2, 205-pound defensive back and 2025 NFL Draft prospect out of Grand Valley State, which plays in NCAA Division II as a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
The Michigan native spent six years with the Lakers, redshirting in his true freshman campaign in 2019 before GVSU did not play in the COVID-19-affected fall 2020/spring 2021 seasons. Finally seeing the field in the fall of 2021, Kennelly made an immediate impact and quickly became a vital member of the Lakers’ pass defense unit, playing in 49 games over the next four seasons and finishing with 174 total career tackles (95 solo), eight interceptions, three fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles and a blocked kick.
Kennelly will be hoping to be Grand Valley State’s first selection in the NFL Draft since linebacker Matthew Judon was picked in the fifth round (146th overall) by the Baltimore Ravens in 2016.
KENNELLY WITH THE GRAB🤝
#20 Ian Kennelly with a huge interception to give the ball back to the Lakers.
GVSU 17, UWL 10#AnchorUp pic.twitter.com/wlktWUv4iC
— GVSU Football (@gvsufootball) September 22, 2024
Ian Kennelly 2024 Season Stats
- 64 tackles (39 solo), one tackle for loss
- Three interceptions
- Six pass breakups
Major Career Awards
- 2024 D2Football.com Elite 100
- 2024 Second Team D2CCA Super Region 3 All-Region
- Two-time First Team All-GLIAC (2023, 2024)
- One-time GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week (10/30/2021)
NFL Draft Round Projection
Seventh round/undrafted.
There’s a lot to like numbers-wise about Kennelly, whose GVSU Pro Day stats would’ve matched him right up among the best of the best among safeties at the NFL Combine had he been invited there.
Kennelly’s 20-yard shuttle time of 4.13 seconds would’ve placed him second across all safety invitees, for instance, and he had both a faster 20-yard shuttle and three-cone drill (7.06 seconds) plus a higher vertical jump (35 inches) than Georgia’s Malaki Starks, who with South Carolina’s Nick Emmanwori is in the running to be the first safety taken off the board late in the first round.
Numbers don’t lie🤷
GVSU’s Ian Kennelly put on a show at Pro Day 👏. We compared his stats to the safeties stats from the 2025 NFL Combine—here’s how he measured up.@gvsufootball | @GLIACsports | @gvsulakers | #GLIACfb #nflcombine #nfldraft #d2football pic.twitter.com/e8zdN8MJ04
— FloCollege | Football (@FloCollegeFB) March 11, 2025
But as we probably don’t have to tell you if you’re reading this, getting drafted as a Division II standout is an uphill battle. Findlay offensive tackle Michael Jerrell (picked in the sixth round by the Seattle Seahawks) was the only D-II player to be selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, though Kennelly is helped by the fact that GVSU is reliably a national title-contending program and has serious NFL pedigree already through the likes of four-time Pro Bowl linebacker Matthew Judon, 12-year NFL cornerback Brandon Carr and plenty of others.
A team probably really has to fall in love with Kennelly to use a draft pick on him — which is not unheard of for D-II players, especially those with strong Pro Day marks — but if his name isn’t called, he’ll likely be quickly swooped up by one of a host of potential suitors as an undrafted free agent.
Best Future Team Fit
Detroit Lions.
It’s the easy answer, considering GVSU’s location and that Kennelly’s hometown of Macomb, Michigan is located less than 40 miles from Ford Field, but with the Lions having given up the fifth-most passing yards in the league last season, why shouldn’t they take a chance on improving their secondary by signing a local player?
Ian Kennelly = interception machine⚓️🆙
Kennelly discusses the Laker’s win against West Florida.@gvsufootball | @nicolebeckelman | @GLIACsports | #GLIACfb #d2football #collegefootball pic.twitter.com/SR90Zxi9jY
— FloCollege | Football (@FloCollegeFB) September 29, 2024
Though Detroit was skilled at keeping teams out of the endzone through the air as it only allowed 18 passing touchdowns a season ago, its aggressive style in line with firebrand coach Dan Campbell’s philosophy did burn the Lions on plenty of occasions as they gave up 62 passing plays of 20 yards or more, the second-most in the league.
In contrast, Kennelly led the Lakers’ secondary last season to a GLIAC-low 121.7 passing yards allowed per game last fall with just a 44.3% completion percentage given up, and though that comes with the obvious caveat that D-II offenses have no comparison to the talent of an NFL offense, it does at least show that Kennelly is able to take charge and find ways to make consistent plays.
Linebackers Trevor Nowaske (Saginaw Valley State) and Anthony Pittman (Wayne State) are both current Lions from D-II in-state schools, as well, so Detroit’s front office does have some proven history in trusting emergent talent from its own backyard, no matter what the level is. Oh, and GVSU’s blue jersey already has a ton of similarities to the Lions’ blue top, anyway.
When Is The NFL Draft?
The 2025 NFL Draft is scheduled to take place from April 24-26 at Lambeau Field and its adjacent Titletown District in Green Bay, Wisconsin, home to the Green Bay Packers.
It is the first time that Green Bay has ever hosted the NFL Draft, which has been held every year since 1936. The Tennessee Titans, who finished with the league’s joint-worst record in the 2024 season at 3-14 overall, have the first overall pick.
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