Ian Kennelly wasn't supposed to be there. Most Division II players aren't. Yet, there he was in August 2025, lining up in the deep half of the Detroit Lions secondary, barking out adjustments to veterans.
It’s one of those classic football stories that gets people fired up. A local kid from Macomb, Michigan, stays home to play for Grand Valley State University (GVSU), goes undrafted, and then somehow finds himself wearing the Honolulu Blue. Honestly, the jump from the GLIAC to the NFL is massive. Most guys hit that wall and bounce right off. Kennelly, though? He hit it and kept running.
Why the Lions UDFA Safety Ian Kennelly Narrative Took Off
The buzz started way before the pads came on. During the Lions' local pro day in 2025, Kennelly basically forced the coaching staff to look at him. You know how those events go—dozens of kids from small schools like Wayne State or Saginaw Valley showing up, hoping to catch a glimpse from a scout.
Kennelly didn't just catch a glimpse. He "crushed it," according to Lions safeties coach Jim O’Neil.
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It wasn't just the DB coaches watching. Dan Campbell and Dave Fipp (the special teams mastermind) drifted over to the drill. When the head coach and the special teams coordinator stop what they're doing to watch a D-II safety, you’ve done something right. His numbers were legitimate. We’re talking about a 4.52-second 40-yard dash and a 35-inch vertical jump. On paper, his Relative Athletic Score (RAS) was a 9.14 out of 10. That's elite, regardless of what school is on your jersey.
The Preseason Surge: "Time to Take the Diapers Off"
The Detroit Lions signed Ian Kennelly as an undrafted free agent (UDFA) to a three-year, $2.975 million deal. It sounds like a lot, but in NFL terms, the "guaranteed" part is the only thing that matters, and for Kennelly, that was roughly $40,000. He was playing for his life every single rep.
By the time the Hall of Fame Game rolled around against the Los Angeles Chargers, the Macomb native was ready. He logged six tackles in his debut. He wasn't just trailing plays; he was initiating contact.
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- Week 1 Preseason: 6 tackles.
- Week 2 Preseason: Earned a start against the Miami Dolphins.
- The Mindset: "I'm never going to feel like I don't belong," Kennelly told reporters. He had been playing since he was eight. He wasn't scared of the logo on the other helmet.
The coaching staff loved his "sponge" mentality. Being in a room with guys like Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch is a masterclass in safety play. Kennelly spent his summer trying to figure out the "minute details" of a defense that requires the secondary to adjust on the fly.
The Reality of the Roster Bubble
The NFL is a cold business. You can be the "feel-good story" of August and a transaction on a waiver wire by September. That’s exactly what happened.
Despite the early preseason starts and the praise from Campbell, the Lions released Ian Kennelly on August 26, 2025, during the final roster cuts to 53 players. It wasn't because he couldn't play. It was a numbers game. The Lions were deep. They had Joseph, Branch, and draft picks like Dan Jackson from Georgia competing for those limited spots.
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He was a step slow in the final preseason game against the Houston Texans, and in a league where "what have you done for me lately" is the law of the land, that was enough to tilt the scale.
What We Can Learn From Kennelly's Journey
If you're looking for a takeaway from the Lions UDFA safety Ian Kennelly experiment, it’s about the value of the local pro day. Most fans ignore those events. But for a kid from Utica Eisenhower High School, it was the only door left open.
Kennelly proved that the "small school" label is often just a lack of exposure. His 4.18-second 20-yard shuttle would have ranked near the top of the actual NFL Combine if he’d been invited. He had the traits. He had the production (174 tackles and 8 interceptions at GVSU). He just didn't have the Power Five pedigree.
Practical Steps for Following Future UDFAs:
- Watch the Local Pro Day Reports: The Lions under Brad Holmes love Michigan-based talent (think Aidan Hutchinson or Trevor Nowaske).
- Follow the "Special Teams" Trail: If a UDFA safety isn't playing on the kick coverage unit by the second preseason game, his chances of making the 53-man roster are nearly zero.
- Check the Guaranteed Money: Teams usually keep the UDFAs they gave the biggest signing bonuses to. Kennelly's $40k was decent, but other players had more "skin in the game" from the front office.
Kennelly's stint in Detroit might have ended on the waiver wire, but he provided a blueprint for every other GLIAC player with NFL dreams. He showed that if you "crush" the workout and play with a "diapers off" mentality, the league will at least stop to watch.
The Lions continue to be a destination where undrafted players get a fair shake. Whether it's Ian Kennelly or the next small-school flyer, the door in Allen Park remains open for those willing to outwork the veterans.