Kyle Kennard wins Bronko Nagurski trophy. South Carolina edge rusher honored in Charlotte
No college football defender was more dominant than Kyle Kennard.
South Carolina’s standout edge rusher won the Bronko Nagurski trophy Monday night at the Charlotte Convention Center. Kennard was named the best defensive player in college football after leading the Gamecocks with 15.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks this season.
“Playing inside of Williams-Brice (Stadium), there’s just nothing like it in terms of the fans and atmosphere,” Kennard said Monday. “Everything has been cool. From the people I meet out in the streets, the people inside the buildings — to the football we play. The coaches, the facilities, the strength staff.”
Texas defensive back Jahdae Barron, Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter and Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham were the other finalists.
‘Shane Beamer, you did a hell of a job recruiting’
Kennard, a fifth-year defensive standout, has even impressed Jadeveon Clowney during his first season in a Gamecocks uniform. He’s powered the defense throughout this season and led South Carolina, which is set to play Illinois in the Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Eve.
Missouri head coach Eliah Drinkwitz, the keynote speaker for the event inside the Charlotte Convention Center on Monday evening, spoke about how he had gone to breakfast at First Watch with Kennard and his father.
Kennard, an Atlanta native, had played four strong seasons at Georgia Tech and was looking to move to a bigger program. Drinkwitz felt they had formed a great relationship — but one day later, Kennard announced he was headed to Columbia to join Beamer and the Gamecocks.
“There is no way we’re not getting this kid,” Drinkwitz said. “The next day, Kyle Kennard called me, and said he was committing to South Carolina.
“Shane Beamer, you did a hell of a job recruiting. Congratulations.”
Who else has won the Bronko Nagurski trophy?
Kennard succeeds Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts, who made 49 tackles and recorded five interceptions as a graduate student for the Fighting Irish this season, as the winner of the prestigious award.
Other notable past Nagurski trophy winners include Will Anderson (2021 and 2022, Alabama), Chase Young (2019, Ohio State), Aaron Donald (2013, Pittsburgh), Manti Te’o (2012, Notre Dame), Luke Kuechly (2011, Boston College), Ndamukong Suh (2009, Nebraska) and Warren Sapp (1994, Miami).
Who else was honored Monday by the Charlotte Touchdown Club?
▪ Shayne Leddy, a senior inside linebacker at Norwich University in Vermont, won the Defender of the Nation, going to the best defensive player at a military college.
▪ Page Wofford, the head coach at Northwestern High School in Rock Hill, S.C., was named the Coach of the Year.
▪ Northwestern senior captain Byron Putman, a defensive end and outside linebacker for the Trojans, was presented with the Student-Athlete of the Year award.
▪ Mount Pleasant senior Tylin McDowell — who survived a stroke during high school — was honored with the Thomas Davis Comeback Player of the Year.
▪ Charlotte 49ers defensive back Dontae Balfour, Johnson C. Smith linebacker Benari Black, Wingate cornerback Joseph Reddish, Catawba linebacker Khalil Stimpson, Davidson defensive end Julian Rawlins and Gardner-Webb defensive back Jeff Bowens are the local college scholarship recipients.
▪ Darryl Talley, the 1982 consensus All-American at West Virginia who played 14 years in the NFL, won the Bronko Nagurski Legends Award.
▪ Weddington High School senior linebacker Braeden Barger, a four-year starter for the Warriors who has excelled as a leader both on and off the field, won the Luke Kuechly high school defensive player of the year.
▪ Kaylin Williams, a flag football captain and top student at Concord High School, was named Female Flag Football Student-Athlete of the Year.
▪ Hermon Ekpenyong, a senior offensive guard at Philip O. Berry High School, won the high school leadership award.
▪ Julius L. Chambers High School won the Female Flag Football Team of the Year.
▪ The Weddington Titans’ 10U program won the Pop Warner Defensive/Scholastic Team of the Year Award.
This story was originally published December 9, 2024 at 10:07 PM.
