Kelly wants to show scouts he's healthy

NORMAN — Two weeks ago, the NFL Network's Mike Mayock speculated several NFL teams were taking former Oklahoma wide receiver Malcolm Kelly off their draft boards because of concerns of chronic knee problems.

Those rumors intensified so much that last week Kelly's agent, Chad Speck, wrote a letter to every NFL team calling those rumors "irresponsible” and "untrue,” and enclosed a doctor's letter stating Kelly was "100 percent healthy.”

Today at OU's Everest Indoor Training Center in his first and only workout before NFL scouts, Kelly will have the opportunity to silence the questions about his health for good.

"I just have to show them with my drills, my change of direction, that I have no knee problems,” said Kelly, speaking publicly for the first time about the rumors, which likely started with Kelly tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in junior high and later having arthroscopic knee surgery after his sophomore season at OU.

"I've been working so that tomorrow morning I can come out here and prove them wrong and shut everybody up. I guarantee they won't be saying I have knee problems (anymore).”

Former Sooner defensive back Reggie Smith, who's been recovering from a broken big toe, will also be working out in front of scouts for the first time.

Smith could elevate himself into the first round with an impressive workout.

Running back Allen Patrick and tight end Joe Jon Finley, who both participated in OU's pro day last month, will test as well.

But most of the scouts will be in town to watch and evaluate Kelly.

The 6-foot-4, now 232-pound wide receiver has been working out in Atlanta with trainer Chip Smith, who has prepared more than 800 players for the draft over the years, including stars like Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher.

Smith said Kelly has gained almost 20 pounds of muscle since the winter while lowering his body fat to less than 4 percent.

Smith expects Kelly to run the 40-yard dash today in under 4.5 seconds.

If he does, Kelly — already renowned for having some of the best hands in college football last season — should solidify himself as the top receiver available in the draft, despite a topsy-turvy last five months, beginning with a thigh injury in December.

About a week after the Big 12 Championship, Kelly suffered a partial quadriceps tear, first diagnosed as a deep thigh bruise.

Kelly was able to play in only one series at the Fiesta Bowl, which the Sooners lost to West Virginia 48-28.

"If he had played in the bowl game, there was a chance he could've torn his quad,” Smith said. "And if he does that, he's out for the year.”

A February MRI showed that Kelly had a tear, which kept him from participating in the NFL Scouting Combine and in OU's pro day.

"By finding out early, we were able to aggressively treat that,” Smith said, "and at least get him to where he is today, where he's going to be able to run around and put up some good numbers.”

Because of the injury, Kelly said he has only been training at full speed for the last three weeks. But he's hoping that will have given him enough time to put on a show in front of scouts, which, according to ESPN's Todd McShay, should include Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski and wide receivers coach Mike Sheppard.

The Bengals, who have the ninth overall pick, have been in the market for a wide receiver since last week when they cut No. 3 receiver Chris Henry after he was accused of punching a man in the face and breaking the man's car window with a beer bottle.

The Bengals will fly Kelly to Cincinnati immediately after today's workout for a private meeting with team personnel.

Kelly will also meet with Minnesota Vikings and Washington Redskins officials later in the week.

The Buffalo Bills, who have the No. 11 pick, should have a number of scouts in attendance as well for Kelly's workout. The Bills don't have a receiver taller than 6 feet on the two-deep depth chart and have said they're looking to add another weapon for second-year quarterback Trent Edwards.

"Watching everyone else participate, you kind of get anxious and get down on yourself,” Kelly said. "But you have to let your injuries heal up, and a lot of scouts, they understand all that stuff.

"They're just waiting for me to work out and they'll be here to see it — hopefully, I'll give them what they want to see.”