Brian Kelly was drafted No. 45 overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1998 NFL Draft out of USC. 141 regular-season games · 5 seasons as a starter · 36 career approximate value
- Overall pick
- #45
- Round
- 2
- Draft class
- 1998
- NFL games
- 141
- Years as starter
- 5
- Career AV
- 3647th at USC
The pick
How Brian Kelly came off the board in 1998.
- Position
- Defensive back DB
- College
-
USC
Big Ten at the draft
- Side of the ball
- Defense
NFL career
141 regular-season games · 5 seasons as a starter · 36 career approximate value
- Games played
- 141
- Seasons as a starter
- 5
- Career approximate value
- 3647th among USC picks
- AV with the drafting club
- 3494% of career value
- Final season
- 200810 years after the draft
Around pick 45
Who came off the board on either side of Brian Kelly.
Cincinnati
Florida State · 1× All-Pro · 1× Pro Bowl
Kansas State
Other DB picks from USC
The program's most accomplished players at the same spot.
USC · Hall of Fame · 6× All-Pro · 10× Pro Bowl
#16
Troy Polamalu
DB · PIT · 2003
USC · Hall of Fame · 4× All-Pro · 8× Pro Bowl
#34
Tim McDonald
DB · ARI · 1987
USC · 6× Pro Bowl
#15
Dennis Smith
DB · DEN · 1981
USC · 6× Pro Bowl
#19
Joey Browner
DB · MIN · 1983
USC · 3× All-Pro · 6× Pro Bowl
#6
Mark Carrier
DB · CHI · 1990
USC · 3× Pro Bowl
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
Brian Kelly in the 1998 NFL Draft
Brian Kelly is a Defensive back out of USC selected No. 45 overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1998 NFL Draft. 141 regular-season games · 5 seasons as a starter · 36 career approximate value USC has produced 252 NFL draft picks since 1980.
Where this data comes from
Pick order and career outcomes come from the nflverse draft archive; position, measurables, and conference at the time of the draft come from the college feed. Career columns stay empty until a player logs regular-season snaps.
Frequently asked questions
Where was Brian Kelly drafted?
Brian Kelly was selected No. 45 overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1998 NFL Draft (Rd 2). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1998/brian-kelly.
What college did Brian Kelly play for?
Brian Kelly played college football at USC in the Big Ten. See every USC draft pick at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/usc-trojans.
How did Brian Kelly's NFL career turn out?
141 regular-season games · 5 seasons as a starter · 36 career approximate value Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1998/brian-kelly.