South Carolina football places two defenders on AP All-American team

On Monday, South Carolina football defenders Nick Emmanwori and Kyle Kennard made the AP All-American team. Emmanwori is a 1st team defensive back, while Kennard is a 2nd team EDGE.

On the season, Emmanwori led the Gamecocks in tackles and had a tremendous season in coverage. Kennard led the SEC in sacks and tackles for loss and posted the 2nd-most and 3rd-most prolific year in program history in the two statistics, respectively.

Both Emmanwori and Kennard have made other All-American teams so far this offseason. Kennard also was named the SEC’s Defensive Player of the Year by the AP and the SEC coaches. Kennard won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the nation’s top defender, as well.

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From the South Carolina Athletics press release:

University of South Carolina defensive back Nick Emmanwori was named to the first-team All-America squad as selected by the Associated Press, while edge rusher Kyle Kennard earned second-team honors, it was announced today.

Emmanwori, a 6-3, 227-pound junior from Irmo, S.C., led the Gamecocks with 83 tackles, 10th in the SEC this season, including 3.0 tackles for loss. He logged an SEC-leading four interceptions, returning two for touchdowns.

Emmanwori was a first-team All-American according to the Reese’s Senior Bowl and was a second-team selection by the FWAA and CBS Sports. He has been a first-team All-SEC performer according to the league’s 16 coaches, the AP, USA TODAY and College Football Nation.

Kennard, a 6-5, 254-pound senior from Atlanta, Ga., posted 15.5 tackles for loss including 11.5 sacks during the 2024 season. Both marks led the Southeastern Conference, and his sack total ranked sixth in the nation. His single-season sack total also ranks second in school history behind Jadeveon Clowney’s 13.0 in 2012, while his tackles for loss total is the school’s fourth-highest single-season mark. Kennard was also credited with 10 quarterback hurries and forced three fumbles.

Kennard, who was recognized as the Nagurski Trophy winner, has been named a Walter Camp, AFCA and a Reese’s Senior Bowl first-team All-American. He was both the Associated Press and the SEC Coaches’ choice as SEC Defensive Player of the Year and was a first-team All-SEC selection by the AP, the Coaches and the USA TODAY. He is a finalist for the Blanchard-Rogers Trophy, widely regarded as the “South Carolina Heisman” and has accepted an invitation to play in the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl.

First-team offense

Wide receivers — Nick Nash, San Jose State, senior, 6-3, 195, Irvine, California; Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona, junior, 6-5, 212, Waimanalo, Hawaii; Xavier Restrepo, Miami, senior, 5-10, 198, Coconut Creek, Florida.

Tackles — Kelvin Banks, Texas, junior, 6-3, 320, Humble, Texas; Will Campbell, LSU, junior, 6-6, 323, Monroe, Louisiana.

Guards — Addison West, Western Michigan, senior, 6-3, 305, Cary, Illinois; Willie Lampkin, North Carolina, senior, 5-11, 290, Lakeland, Florida.

Center — Jake Slaughter, Florida, junior, 6-5, 308, Sparr Florida.

Tight end — Harold Fannin Jr., Bowling Green, junior, 6-4, 230, Canton, Ohio.

Quarterback — Cam Ward, Miami, senior, 6-2, 223, West Columbia, Texas.

Running backs — u-Ashton Jeanty, Boise State, junior, 5-9, 215, Jacksonville, Florida; Cam Skattebo, Arizona State, senior, 5-11, 215, Rio Linda, California.

Kicker — Kenneth Almendares, Louisiana, senior, 6-2, 252, Clute, Texas.

All-purpose — Travis Hunter, Colorado, junior, 6-1, 185, Suwanee, Georgia.

First-team defense

Edge rushers — Abdul Carter, Penn State, junior, 6-3, 252, Philadelphia; Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College, senior, 6-2, 247, Williamstown, New Jersey.

Interior linemen — Mason Graham, Michigan, junior, 6-3, 320, Mission Viejo, California; Walter Nolen, Mississippi, junior, 6-3, 305, Powell, Tennessee.

Linebackers — Jay Higgins, Iowa, senior, 6-2, 232, Indianapolis; Shaun Dolac, Buffalo, graduate, 6-1, 225, West Seneca, New York; Carson Schwesinger, UCLA, junior, 6-2, 225, Moorpark, California.

Cornerbacks — Jahdae Barron, Texas, senior, 5-11, 200, Austin, Texas; Travis Hunter, Colorado, junior, 6-1, 185, Suwanee, Georgia.

Safeties — Xavier Watts, Notre Dame, graduate, 6-0, 203, Omaha, Nebraska; Caleb Downs, Ohio State, sophomore, 6-0, 205, Hoschton, Georgia.

Defensive back — Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina, junior, 6-3, 227, Irmo, South Carolina.

Punter — Alex Mastromanno, Florida State, senior, 6-1, 241, Melbourne, Australia.

Second-team offense

Wide receivers — Travis Hunter, Colorado, junior, 6-1, 185, Suwanee, Georgia; Tre Harris, Mississippi, senior, 6-3, 210, Lafayette, Louisiana; Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State, freshman, 6-3, 215, Miami Gardens, Florida.

Tackles — Spencer Fano, Utah, sophomore, 6-5, 304, Spanish Fork, Utah; Wyatt Milum, West Virginia, senior, 6-6, 317, Kenova, West Virginia.

Guards — Tyler Booker, Alabama, junior, 6-5, 325, New Haven, Connecticut; Donovan Jackson, Ohio State, senior, 6-4, 320, Cypress, Texas, and Dylan Fairchild, Georgia, junior, 6-5, 315, Cumming, Georgia.

Center — Seth McLaughlin, Ohio State, graduate, 6-4, 305, Buford, Georgia.

Tight end — Tyler Warren, Penn State, senior, 6-6, 261, Mechanicsville, Virginia.

Quarterback — Shedeur Sanders, Colorado, senior, 6-2, 215, Dallas.

Running backs — Omarion Hampton, North Carolina, junior, 6-0, 220, Clayton, North Carolina; Kaleb Johnson, Iowa, junior, 6-0, 225, Hamilton, Ohio.

Kicker — Dominic Zvada, Michigan, junior 6-3, 180, Chandler, Arizona, and Alex Raynor, Kentucky, senior, 6-0, 185, Kennesaw, Georgia.

All-purpose — Desmond Reid, Pittsburgh, junior, 5-8, 175, Miami Gardens, Florida.

Second-team defense

Edge rushers — Kyle Kennard, South Carolina, senior, 6-5, 254, Atlanta; Mike Green, Marshall, sophomore, 6-4, 238, Williamsburg, Virginia.

Interior linemen — Derrick Harmon, Oregon, junior, 6-5, 310, Detroit; Alfred Collins, Texas, senior, 6-5, 320, Bastrop, Texas.

Linebackers — Anthony Hill Jr., Texas, sophomore, 6-3, 235, Denton, Texas; Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma, senior, 6-4, 243, Windermere, Florida; Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh, sophomore, 6-0, 225, East Orange, New Jersey.

Cornerbacks — Nohl Williams, California, senior, 6-1, 200, Oxnard, California; Jermod McCoy, Tennessee, sophomore, 6-0, 193, Whitehouse, Texas.

Safeties — Malaki Starks, Georgia, junior, 6-1, 205, Jefferson, Georgia; Malachi Moore, Alabama, graduate, 6-0, 201, Trussville, Alabama.

Defensive back — Michael Taaffe, Texas, junior, 6-0, 195, Austin, Texas.

Punter — Brett Thorson, Georgia, junior, 6-2, 235, Melbourne, Australia.

Third-team offense

Wide receivers — Tai Felton, Maryland, senior, 6-2, 186, Ashburn, Virginia; Jayden Higgins, Iowa State, senior, 6-4, 215, South Miami, Florida; Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State, sophomore, 6-1, 195, Allen, Texas and Eric Rivers, Florida International, senior, 5-11, 174, Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Tackles — Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon, junior, 6-4, 315, Seattle; Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota, senior, 6-3, 330, Kansas City, Missouri.

Guards — Tate Ratledge, Georgia, senior, 6-6, 330, Rome, Georgia; Paolo Gennarelli, Army, sophomore, 6-1, 310, Campton Hills, Illinois.

Center — Jacob Gardner, Colorado State, graduate, 6-4, 300, Rancho Cucamonga, California.

Tight end — Oronde Gadsden II, Syracuse, junior, 6-5, 236, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Quarterback — Dillon Gabriel, Oregon, graduate, 6-0, 200, Mililani, Hawaii.

Running backs — Dylan Sampson, Tennessee; junior, 5-11, 201, Baton Rouge, Louisiana; RJ Harvey, UCF, senior, 5-9, 208, Orlando, Florida.

Kicker — Ryan Fitzgerald, Florida State., senior, 6-1, 190, Coolidge, Georgia.

All-purpose — Brashard Smith, SMU, 5-10, 196, senior, Richmond Heights, Florida.

Third-team defense

Edge rushers — Antwaun Powell-Ryland, Virginia Tech, senior, 6-3, 252, Portsmouth, Virginia; Mikail Kamara, Indiana, junior, 6-1, 265, Ashburn, Virginia.

Interior linemen — Aeneas Peebles, Virginia Tech, graduate, 6-1, 290, Raleigh, North Carolina; Kenneth Grant, Michigan, junior, 6-3, 339, Gary, Indiana.

Linebackers — Chris Paul Jr., Mississippi, junior, 6-1, 235, Cordele, Georgia; Barrett Carter, Clemson, senior, 6-1, 230, Suwanee, Georgia; Jalon Walker, Georgia, junior, 6-2, 245, Salisbury, North Carolina.

Cornerbacks — Chandler Rivers, Duke, junior, 5-10, 180, Beaumont, Texas; Will Johnson, Michigan, junior, 6-2, 202, Detroit.

Safeties — Lathan Ransom, Ohio State, graduate, 6-1, 210, Tucson, Arizona; Jalen Catalon, UNLV, senior, 5-11, 205, Mansfield, Texas.

Defensive back — Mello Dotson, Kansas, senior, 6-1, 190, Daytona Beach, Florida.

Punter — Eddie Czaplicki, Southern California, senior, 6-1, 207, Charlotte, North Carolina.

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