Josh Kelly (American football)
American football player (born 2001)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Josh Kelly (born July 1, 2001) is an American professional football wide receiver for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Fresno State Bulldogs, Washington State Cougars, and Texas Tech Red Raiders.
Fresno, California, U.S.
| No. 85 – Houston Texans | |
|---|---|
| Position | Wide receiver |
| Roster status | Practice squad |
| Personal information | |
| Born | July 1, 2001 Fresno, California, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Listed weight | 192 lb (87 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno) |
| College | Fresno State (2019–2022) Washington State (2023) Texas Tech (2024) |
| NFL draft | 2025: undrafted |
| Career history | |
| |
* Offseason or practice squad member only | |
| Awards and highlights | |
| |
| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
Early life
Kelly attended San Joaquin Memorial High School in Fresno, California. He was rated as a three-star recruit[citation needed] and committed to play college football for the Fresno State Bulldogs.[1][2]
College career
Fresno State
In four years at Fresno State from 2019 to 2022, Kelly appeared in 27 games, totaling 87 receptions for 1,305 yards and four touchdowns, while also adding 28 yards and a touchdown on the ground and returning 12 punts for 225 yards.[3] He earned all-Mountain West Conference honorable mention.[citation needed] After the 2022 season, Kelly entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal.[4]
Washington State
Kelly transferred to play for the Washington State Cougars.[5] In week 4 of the 2023 season, he hauled in eight receptions for 159 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Oregon State.[6] In his lone season at Washington State, Kelly recorded 61 receptions for 923 yards and eight touchdowns.[7] After the season, he entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal.[8]
Texas Tech
Kelly transferred to play for the Texas Tech Red Raiders.[9] In his team debut in the 2024 season opener, he brought in ten receptions for 156 yards and a touchdown in a win over Abilene Christian.[10]
Professional career
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | Wingspan | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 0+5⁄8 in (1.84 m) | 186 lb (84 kg) | 30+7⁄8 in (0.78 m) | 10+1⁄2 in (0.27 m) | 6 ft 4+5⁄8 in (1.95 m) | 4.70 s | 1.56 s | 2.73 s | 4.28 s | 7.02 s | 33.0 in (0.84 m) | 10 ft 1 in (3.07 m) | 8 reps |
| All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day[11][12] | ||||||||||||
Dallas Cowboys
After going unselected in the 2025 NFL draft, Kelly signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent.[13] He was waived by the Cowboys on August 25.[14]
Houston Texans
Kelly signed with the Houston Texans to their practice squad on August 28, 2025.[15] On January 20, 2026, he signed a reserve/futures contract with Houston.[16]
On August 30, 2026, Kelly was waived by the Texans as a part of final roster cuts; he was re-signed to the team's practice squad the next day.[17][18]