Kellam first hit our radar during our Johnston/Harnett County Deep Dives for the linebacker position, his primary spot. He has good instincts on both sides of the ball and flies to the ball as a linebacker. He has some upside as a running back, as well, which is why he retained his athlete label when he made the jump from the watchlist to the rankings.

Pick a random play, and Kellam is likely moving forward with purpose at some point. He’s not really a guy who waits around, hoping the play comes his way. Rather, he works downhill, and it’s helped him become one of the most prolific tacklers in the state. I like his instincts, and he isn’t afraid to leave coverage to crash a scrambling quarterback, or take a unique angle to bring ball carriers down.

Kellam’s impact shifted a bit as a junior as he leaned into his best position. Kellam gained some weight, and while he played both ways, he doubled his tackle number from his sophomore season, while racking up 15 tackles for loss. He’s certainly worthy of inclusion in our rankings, and is turning into a legitimate college prospect after bulking up.