Kyle Kennard Selected by the Los Angeles Chargers in the Fourth Round of the NFL Draft
University of South Carolina Edge rusher Kyle Kennard was selected by the Los Angeles Chargers with the 23rd pick in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft on Saturday. He was 125th player taken overall.
Kennard, a 6-4 1/8, 262-pounder from Atlanta, Ga., spent four years at Georgia Tech before finishing up his collegiate career at South Carolina. Over the five-year span he played in 54 contests making 32 starts. He was credited with 143 career tackles with 37.0 tackles for loss and 24.0 sacks.
Kennard transferred to South Carolina in 2024 and produced one of the most decorated seasons in Gamecock Football. He became the first Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner in school history. He also captured the Blanchard-Rogers Trophy as the top college player in the state of South Carolina and was a finalist for the Lombardi Award, the Chuck Bednarik Award and Walter Camp Player of the Year. He was named first-team All-America by AFCA, Walter Camp, FWAA, SI.com, Reese’s Senior Bowl, and Phil Steele and was a second-team selection by the AP, Sporting News, CBS Sports and ESPN. He captured both the Coaches and the AP’s SEC Defensive Player of the Year Award. He was one of three players cited as the Joe Morrison MVP for the Carolina defense.
Kennard logged 28 tackles including 15.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks in his lone season as a Gamecock. He had the fourth-best TFLs and the second-highest sack total in a single season in school history. He forced three fumbles and recovered two. He led the SEC in both sacks and TFLs, tied for fourth in fumbles forced and tied for fourth in fumbles recovered. He also led the team with 10 quarterback hurries. In addition, he was named to the CSC Academic All-America first team and to the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll.
Kennard, who earned his degree in services management in December, becomes the fourth Gamecock selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, joining second-round selections Nick Emmanwori, T.J. Sanders, and Demetrius Knight Jr. He is the first Gamecock taken by the Chargers since Melvin Ingram was a first round pick in the 2012 draft.
