Ben Kelly (2024) - CU Athletic Hall of Fame - University of Colorado Athletics

Ben Kelly

Induction:
2024
Class:
1999

He lettered three times, twice under Rick Neuheisel and once under Gary Barnett before declaring for the NFL Draft following his junior year … Elected as a team captain as a junior in 1999, the first non-senior to be named captain since 1980 … Named to the Big 12’s Ten-Year Anniversary team in 2006 … Kelly is one of seven players in Colorado football history to earn first-team all-conference honors for three seasons … A first-team All-American at cornerback by the Football News as a junior in 1999; he was a second-team choice (AAFF) and a third-team selection (Associated Press) at kick returner… A three-time first-team All-Big 12 performer his freshman through junior seasons, the sixth Buff at the time to accomplish the feat of becoming a three-time all-league selection (since joined by PK Mason Crosby) … He was the kick return man on the ’97 team, when he was selected the Big 12 Conference Defensive Freshman of the Year, and was honored at both cornerback and kick returner as a sophomore and junior… Two-time recipient of CU’s Bill McCartney Award for special teams achievement … His career kickoff return average of 28.1 was the second highest in NCAA history for those players with 50 or more returns at the time … He returned seven kicks in his career for touchdowns (four punt, three kickoffs including bowls) … He finished his career at CU first all--time in kickoff return yards (1,798, a number that remains on top of the list), third in pass deflections (34) and sixth in interceptions (11) … He became CU’s all-time leader in kickoff return yardage in just his 20th career game, and finished his career with 1,798 yards, over 400 yards ahead of the No. 2 man, Terrence Wheatley … Defensively, his 11 career interceptions are tied for eighth all-time for the Buffaloes while his 34 pass deflections are sixth (including 22 as a junior) … Also recorded 132 tackles (102 solo), with 22 third down stops … CU’s all-time leader in non-offensive touchdowns with nine (four kickoff, three punt, two fumble) … His 2,205 all-purpose yards is 39th on the school charts, but 2,193 on combined kick returns is still first … Co-winner of the Dave Jones Award, presented to CU’s outstanding defensive player as selected by the coaches as a sophomore in 1998); co-winner of the Lee Willard Award as CU’s outstanding freshman in his redshirt season in ‘97… In the ’99 Insight.com Bowl win over Boston College, he returned a punt 88 yards for a touchdown, the longest punt return in NCAA bowl history at the time (and still the third-longest) … One of 26 players to have his jersey honored and name hung in Folsom Field … Became the fifth player at Colorado to opt early for the NFL Draft, and went on to be a third round pick by Miami in the 2000 NFL Draft (84th overall) … He spent two years with the Dolphins (2000-01) before moving on to New England for two seasons … He was born Sept. 15, 1978 in Cleveland.