A three-school journey through Auburn and Middle Tennessee State led to a big-play season at Michigan State and an undrafted deal with the Bears.
Omari Kelly is a rookie wide receiver with the Chicago Bears, signed as an undrafted free agent in 2026 after finding his footing at Michigan State following stops at Auburn and Middle Tennessee State. The Trussville, Alabama native averaged better than 15 yards per catch across his college career and now competes for snaps in an offense led by Caleb Williams.
Path to the league
Kelly attended Hewitt-Trussville High School in Trussville, Alabama, and began his college career at Auburn before transferring to Middle Tennessee State and then Michigan State. He went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft and signed with the Bears shortly after.
Career highlights
After limited action across two seasons at Auburn, Kelly broke out at Middle Tennessee State with 53 receptions for 869 yards and four touchdowns. For his college career, he averaged 15.2 yards per catch, a mark that stood out to NFL evaluators despite his modest overall target share.
2025 season recap
In his only season at Michigan State, Kelly caught 47 passes for 626 yards and two touchdowns, ranking second on the team in both categories. That production, built on his big-play ability, helped him land an undrafted free agent deal with Chicago, where he wears No. 82.
Sources
- ESPN: Omari Kelly
- Chicago Bears: Omari Kelly
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Wide Receiver
- Group
- offense
- College
- Michigan State
- Hometown
- Trussville, AL, USA
- Age
- 22
- Status
- active
