Kiael Kelly is Ball State’s do-it-all QB with sneaky dual-threat juice
Kiael Kelly has been Ball State’s offensive engine, leading the Cardinals in both passing and rushing in the 2025 season with 1,583 passing yards, 11 passing touchdowns, 608 rushing yards, and 5 rushing scores[9][12]. His biggest differentiator is versatility: he can create off-script, punish defenses with his legs, and give a team a built-in run threat at quarterback, which is exactly why he earned a spot in the 2026 Dream Bowl[13]. The flip side is efficiency—his passing production comes with modest completion percentages and a fair amount of sacks/pressure exposure, so he fits best with a team that can scheme around his mobility and let him attack downhill[6][15].
