Kelly Poppinga

After playing outside linebacker throughout his football career, Poppinga was a bit hesitant when the coaches asked him to shift to middle linebacker for his senior season. Not only was he going to have to learn the intricacies of a new position, he had to replace 2006 team captain and All-Mountain West Conference performer Cameron Jensen. "It's a leadership position," said coach Bronco Mendenhall. "We think Kelly's cut very similarly to Cameron. Nobody will ever be Cameron. We moved Kelly there because of his leadership and his presence." Playing on Saturdays became a common occurrence in the Poppinga household. Kelly's brother, Casey, was a starting tight end for Utah State who enjoyed a career in the NFL playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs and 2004 NFC Champions Philadelphia Eagles. His older brother, Brady, was an All-Mountain West Conference performer at Brigham Young and currently plays linebacker for the Green Bay Packers. Poppinga was a first-team All-State selection as a senior after earning second-team All-State honors as a junior linebacker at Evanston High School. He helped the team to the state championship as a sophomore and also competed as a tight end. In addition to football, he lettered in basketball and track. He was an All-state selection in both of those sports as well, winning the state championship in the discus his senior year (162-10). Poppinga decided to take a few years off from the game after high school. He joined the work force in 2000 and then served on a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Guayaquil, Ecuador. When he returned to the United State, he enrolled at Utah State in 2003. That year, he appeared in six games as a reserve at the "Stud" (left outside linebacker) position, appearing in six games as a reserve. He missed five midseason contests with a shoulder separation, finishing with five solo tackles, including one for a loss, as he also recovered a fumble. As a sophomore, he took over "Stud" position chores, ranking third on the team with 61 tackles (31 solo), a sack and five stops behind the line of scrimmage in 11 games. He also caused and recovered a fumble while also deflecting one pass. After the season, he decided to transfer to Brigham Young, sitting out the 2005 campaign under NCAA rules. Poppinga started two of 13 games at strong-side linebacker at Brigham Young in 2006. He placed ninth on the squad with 36 tackles (15 solo), coming up with a pair of sacks and 3.5 stops for losses. He also picked off two passes and deflected another. At middle linebacker in 2007, Poppinga led the team with a career-high 113 tackles (46 solo), adding 7.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage and three quarterback pressures to earn All-Mountain West Conference second-team honors. He played early in the season with a foot sprain suffered in fall camp's final scrimmage, but still helped lead the team to a tenth place ranking in the nation, as the defense allowed just 307.85 yards per game. BYU saw their middle linebacker deflect five passes, intercept another and cause a fumble while starting all thirteen games. In 26 games at Brigham Young, Poppinga recorded 149 tackles (61 solo) with two sacks for minus-9 yards, 11 stops for losses of 30 yards and four quarterback pressures. He caused one fumble, broke up six passes and intercepted three others for 55 yards in returns.

positives

Has a narrow upper-body frame, but a well-developed lower frame with a good bubble and thick thighs and calves...Quick learner and hard worker who has the ability to digest a complicated playbook with no issues...Durable athlete who will play with pain...Has just adequate top-end speed, but takes a long stride and has a good concept for angles in attempts to shorten the field and close on the ball...Very active moving down the line and makes most of his plays along the front wall, not in the backfield (better in run contain than as a blitzer)...Not a physical striker, but plays with good urgency and aggression...Has good weight-room strength, but doesn't to translate to the field when attempting to stack and control...Knows that he does not have the power to combat bigger blockers in the hole but is patient enough to wait to attack at the line of scrimmage...Better when engaging the tight end than when taking on offensive linemen in one-on-one battles...Has the ability to widen with the blocker on outside running plays (struggles to redirect to the cutback lanes, though)...Has enough short-area quickness to make plays moving down the line, but will more likely finish at the pile than when giving chase...Has enough ability to stay tight with tight ends and backs in the short area passing game...Makes good adjustments on the move vs. underneath action and works hard to keep plays in front of him...Adequate face-up tackler who can make plays in space when he comes to balance and wrap up.

negatives

Over-aged prospect who will need time to develop at that position at the next level (learning curve needs to be speeded up, as he will be 26 when he reports to training camp)...Has adequate upper-body development, with very narrow shoulders and thin arms and chest muscles...Does not always play up to his timed speed, especially when asked to mirror a receiver...Does not have the quick burst needed to trail in route progression and is not sudden to redirect...Has some noticeable hip stiffness when trying to change direction...Marginal pass rusher with no speed to slip past blockers and give chase in the backfield...Has good intelligence to digest the playbook, but lacks an instinctive feel on the field and is slow to see plays develop when playing through trash...Needs to be quicker recognizing blocking schemes and locating the ball on the move...Not fluid when trying to adjust to pocket movement...Does not have the upper-body strength to disengage from blocks when an opponent gets into his body...Does not shed quickly when engaging the tight end and lacks a strong hand punch to jam...Lacks acceleration to cover ground vs. outside running plays, leaving him more suited for an inside position in a 3-4 defensive alignment...Does not have the loose hips to get back on the runner redirecting to the cutback lanes...Looks a bit awkward coming out of his breaks, as he takes false steps in transition...Marginal blitzer, as he does not slip past blocks consistently and his opponent can lock on and wash him out of the play...More of a pile jumper than a tackler who will be the first in on a play.

2003: Sat out the New Mexico, Wyoming, North Texas and Arkansas State games with a shoulder separation.

Campus: 4.76 in the 40-yard dash

380-pound bench press

Bench presses 225 pounds 27 times

500-pound squat

350-pound power clean

34-inch vertical jump

9'3" broad jump

4.27 20-yard shuttle

6.88 three-cone drill

31-inch arm length

9 1/4-inch hands

Right-handed

25/47 Wonderlic score.

Attended Evanston (Wy.) High School, playing football for head coach Doug Rigby

First-team All-State selection as a senior after earning second-team All-State honors as a junior linebacker

Helped the team to the state championship as a sophomore and also competed as a tight end

In addition to football, he lettered in basketball and track

All-state selection in both of those sports as well, winning the state championship in the discus his senior year (162-10).

Exercise Science major

Married, wife's name is Rebekah

Brother, Casey, was a starting tight end for Utah State who enjoyed a career in the NFL playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs and 2004 NFC Champions Philadelphia Eagles

Brother, Brady, was an All-MWC performer at BYU and currently plays linebacker for the Green Bay Packers

Son of Dennis and Vicki Poppinga

Born 1/31/82

Resides in Evanston, Wyoming.