Kyle Kennard

Kyle M. Kennard (born December 12, 2001) is an American professional football linebacker for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and South Carolina Gamecocks. Kennard was selected by the Chargers in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL draft.

Kyle Kennard

No. 54 – Los Angeles Chargers
Position:	Linebacker
Personal information
Born:	(2001-12-12) December 12, 2001 (age 23) Flint, Michigan, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:	254 lb (115 kg)
Career information
High school:	Riverwood (Sandy Springs, Georgia)
College:	Georgia Tech (2020–2023) South Carolina (2024)
NFL draft:	2025: 4th round, 125th pick
Career history
Los Angeles Chargers (2025–present)
Roster status:	Active
Career highlights and awards
Bronko Nagurski Trophy (2024) Consensus All-American (2024) SEC Defensive Player of the Year (2024) First-team All-SEC (2024)
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Early life

Kennard was born on December 12, 2001 in Flint, Michigan.^[1] Kennard's family moved to Georgia when he was 9 and he attended Riverwood International Charter School in Sandy Springs, Georgia.^[2] Coming out of high school, he was rated as a three-star recruit and committed to play college football for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.^[3]

College career

Georgia Tech

In his first two seasons in 2020 and 2021, Kennard recorded 25 tackles with six being for a loss and four and a half sacks.^[4][5] During the 2022 season, Kennard played in twelve games for the Yellow Jackets while making nine starts, where he totaled 36 tackles with four and a half being for a loss, and two sacks.^[6] In week two of the 2023 season, Kennard was named the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) defensive lineman of the week after notching five tackles with half of one being for a loss, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and an interception, in a win over the South Carolina State Bulldogs.^[7] In week four, he would once again be named the ACC defensive lineman of the week after recording four sacks and a forced fumble versus Wake Forest.^[8] Kennard finished the 2023 season tallying 54 tackles with 11 being for a loss, six sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and an interception.^[9] After the conclusion of the 2023 season, Kennard entered the NCAA transfer portal.^[10]

South Carolina

Kennard transferred to play for the South Carolina Gamecocks.^[2] In his first game as a Gamecock in week one of the 2024 season, he notched five tackles, two and a half sacks, and two forced fumbles, as he helped South Carolina to a win over Old Dominion.^[11] He also holds the #2 spot for program single season sacks with 11.5, trailing only Jadeveon Clowney who recorded 13 in 2012. Kennard was named the Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner as the top defensive player in college football.^[12]

College statistics

Season	GP	Tackles				Fumbles				Interceptions
		Cmb	Solo	Ast	Sck	FF	FR	Yds	TD	Int	Yds	TD	PD
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
2020	6	10	8	2	2.5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2021	12	15	5	10	2.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2022	12	36	19	17	2.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2023	12	54	32	22	6.0	2	2	0	0	1	12	0	0
South Carolina Gamecocks
2024	12	28	20	8	11.5	3	2	0	0	0	0	0	1
Career	54	143	84	59	24.0	5	4	0	0	1	12	0	1

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables

Height	Weight	Arm length	Hand span	40-yard dash	10-yard split	20-yard split	Bench press
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)	254 lb (115 kg)	34 in (0.86 m)	9+3⁄4 in (0.25 m)	4.73 s	1.63 s	2.74 s	23 reps
All values from NFL Combine[13][14]

Kennard was selected with the 125th pick by the Los Angeles Chargers, in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL draft.^[15]