OVERVIEW
In high school, Kelce was a three sport star, but his best sport was always football. He was a three-year letter winner at quarterback, and earned All-Lake Erie League honors after totaling 2,539 yards of total offense and 31 total touchdowns as a senior. Kelce’s uncle Don Blalock played football at Purdue and grandfather Don Blalock played football at Ohio. Travis is the younger brother of former Cincinnati Bearcats and current Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce.
In his first year on campus, Travis redshirted. In his redshirt freshman year, Kelce participated in 11 games as the tight end. He caught one pass for three yards. Kelce also played some quarterback, strictly in a Wildcat role. He logged eight carries for 47 yards and two touchdowns. Kelce did not play in 2010, as he was suspended for a violation of team rules. Upon his return in 2011, Kelce caught 13 passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns. In his senior season, Kelce put himself on the NFL prospect map, as he caught 45 passes for 722 yards and eight touchdowns. He was selected to the All-Big East first team for his play.
ANALYSIS
STRENGTHS Kelce has an ideal tight end frame. Athletic for his size, with great strength, and the ability to stretch the field vertically. Very physical run blocker, generates power from the lower half, and will move defenders off the ball. Plays with leverage. Wide catching radius, can adjust and make the difficult catch. Tough to bring down after the catch. Light feet, and has lined up in numerous different positions.
WEAKNESSES Suspended for an entire season for violating team rules. Only one season of production. Doesn't have blazing speed. Not a tremendously explosive athlete. Doesn't come out of his breaks all that well.
NFL COMPARISON Rob Gronkowski
BOTTOM LINE Kelce has been a tremendous run blocker throughout his career for the Bearcats, but really elevated his game as a receiver in his senior season. He isn't a tremendous athlete, but he does a lot of things very well. It's a deep tight end class, but Kelce's play suggests that he should be highly sought after. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Otter:
He's the guy wearing the lampshade on his head at the office party who thinks people are laughing with him instead of at him.
It's amusing in a cringe way.
It is, but it’s also sad knowing complete losers like him exist and they’re not homeless. Guy seems really pissed at life. For him life is taking too long. [Reply]
Originally Posted by -King-:
I'd like to come in this thread and say I was 100% right in my initial assessment of Kelce.
Could you please save us all a bunch of time and post up your initial thoughts?
Originally Posted by Megatron96:
I hope he comes back for at least another season. But I’ve seen that contemplative look on his face more than once on his face this year; the same look we saw on Rothlisberger’s/Jason Kelce’s/Tony G’s/etc. I have this feeling this is it for Travis.
And just for the record, I think he could still be effective for another 2-3 seasons.
Yeah man if we get the triple crown he's done, you're right about some of his body language at times too
He surely has commercial/movie/tv offers coming out of his cornhole, not to mention being engaged to Tay Tay and all that entails... the more I think about it, the more it seems he's done after this season win or lose [Reply]
Originally Posted by Easy 6:
Could you please save us all a bunch of time and post up your initial thoughts?
Yeah man if we get the triple crown he's done, you're right about some of his body language at times too
He surely has commercial/movie/tv offers coming out of his cornhole, not to mention being engaged to Tay Tay and all that entails... the more I think about it, the more it seems he's done after this season win or lose
My thoughts exactly. No way you keep taking that punishment pushing 40.
Go out healthy both mentally and physically with the bank and take advantage of your free passes for a couple pressers.
Not sure where this narrative is coming from that Kelce is retiring after this season? My guy still had 97 catches for 823. He’s far from done. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Deberg_1990:
Not sure where this narrative is coming from that Kelce is retiring after this season? My guy still had 97 catches for 823. He’s far from done.
I think it's more about people trying to guess his priorities. If we win a third one, what more does he think he can accomplish in terms of legacy? He's set for life, so a lot of us assume he'd call it quits. I certainly would if it were me.
On the other hand, he is of the same blood as Jason who bawled like a baby when he had to hang it up. I could easily see Travis giving it a couple more years. The dude loves football. [Reply]
Originally Posted by RealSNR:
Okay. Noted. 493rd joins Ed and Christian McCaffrey to your gay sex list.
Tell us your new prognosis on how you know more than the GM and HC and bitch their draft choices, make an ass hole out of yourself while documenting it, over possibly the two greatest picks and then come out yelling victory and I'll start worrying about when someone actually believes I'm a turd burglar.
You're not smart and probably borderline mentally impaired.
Good luck gay blade. You might even come to the realization you're the one implying gay sex, dumbass. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Otter:
Tell us your new prognosis on how you know more than the GM and HC and bitch their draft choices, make an ass hole out of yourself while documenting it, over possibly the two greatest picks and then come out yelling victory and I'll start worrying about when someone actually believes I'm a turd burglar.
You're not smart and probably borderline mentally impaired.
But by all means keep thumbsing me down, 493rd. I think that will change my opinion of you as a cowardly bitch who can't handle his emotions or let the professionals in charge of a goddamn dynasty do their jobs. [Reply]