| Personal information | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born: | January 23, 1992 Hodges, South Carolina, U.S. | ||||
| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||
| Weight: | 310 lb (141 kg) | ||||
| Career information | |||||
| High school: | Greenwood (SC) | ||||
| College: | South Carolina | ||||
| Position: | Defensive tackle | ||||
| Undrafted: | 2014 | ||||
| Career history | |||||
| |||||
| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||
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| Player stats at NFL.com · PFR | |||||
Kelcy Quarles (born January 23, 1992) is an American football defensive tackle who is a free agent. He played college football at South Carolina, and was signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2014. Quarles has also been a member of the New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Cleveland Browns, Calgary Stampeders, Edmonton Eskimos, and Saskatchewan Roughriders.
As a junior in 2013, Quarles was a first-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) and second-team All-American selection.[1] and was a first-team All-American selection by The Sporting News.[2][3][4]
On May 10, 2014, Quarles signed with the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent.
On August 31, 2014, the New England Patriots claimed Quarles off waivers from the Giants.
On September 16, 2014, the Indianapolis Colts signed Quarles from the New England Patriots practice squad. In his first NFL game he recorded a sack. He was waived on November 24, 2014,[5] and re-signed to the practice squad on November 25. On September 5, 2015, Quarles was waived by the Colts.[6]
The New England Patriots signed Quarles back to their practice squad on December 2, 2015. They released him on December 15, 2015.
On December 18, 2015, the Indianapolis Colts announced they had signed Quarles to their practice squad.[7] He was elevated to the active roster on December 21.[8]
On September 3, 2016, he was waived by the Colts as part of final roster cuts.[9] On September 4, 2016, he was signed to the Colts practice squad.[10] Quarles was released on September 13.[11] He was re-signed to the practice squad on October 19, 2016.[12] He was released by the Colts on December 2, 2016.[13] He was re-signed back to the practice squad on December 20, 2016.[14]
Quarles signed with the Calgary Stampeders of the CFL on January 19, 2018.[15] He was released before the start of the regular season on June 10.[15]
Quarles signed a futures contract with the Edmonton Eskimos on November 9, 2018.[15] He spent the 2019 season on the team's practice roster.[16]
Quarles signed a futures contract with the Saskatchewan Roughriders on November 1, 2019.[16] He was released on February 17, 2021.[17]
Quarles is the nephew of Patriots Hall of Fame tight end Ben Coates.[18] It is through his mother, Mattie Quarles (née Coates) that he is related to Coates.
Quarles' father, Buddy Quarles, played for the South Carolina Gamecocks for coach Joe Morrison from 1984 to 1987 as an offensive lineman. Quarles initially played as an offensive lineman before switching to defensive around eight grade, however Buddy continued to teach him the tips and tricks of offensive linemen so that he would know what to look for.[19]