South Carolina football's Nick Emmanwori and Kyle Kennard make Sporting News All-American team
In what is becoming expected at this point, South Carolina football defenders Kyle Kennard and Nick Emmanwori were named to another All-American team on Wednesday as the Sporting News announced their season-ending honors. Emmanwori made the 1st team, while Kennard made the 2nd team.
On the season, Emmanwori led the Gamecocks in tackles (83) and interceptions (4). He also tied for the SEC lead in picks and defensive touchdowns (2), despite having a pick-6 taken off the board due to questionable officiating.
Kennard led the SEC in both sacks (11.5) and tackles for loss (16) and finished in the top 10 nationally in both categories. He was named the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (National Defensive Player of the Year) and picked up multiple SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors, as well.
Along with the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), Associated Press (AP), Walter Camp Football Foundation (WCFF), and American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), the Sporting News’ All-American team is one-fifth of the requirements for a player to be considered a consensus All-American.
Kyle Kennard (three 1st team honors and two 2nd team honors) is officially a consensus All-American.
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From the South Carolina Athletics press release:
University of South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori has been named a first-team All-American, while Edge rusher Kyle Kennard earned a spot on the second-team squad, according to The Sporting News.
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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 previously named a first-team All-American by the Associated Press and the Reese’s Senior Bowl and was a second-team selection by the FWAA and CBS Sports. He was a first-team All-SEC performer according to the league’s 16 coaches, the AP, USA TODAY and College Football Nation. He is a finalist for the Blanchard-Rogers Trophy, widely regarded as the “South Carolina Heisman.”
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, FWAA and a Reese’s Senior Bowl first-team All-American and was a second-team selection by the Associated Press. He was both the AP 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 also a finalist for the Blanchard-Rogers Trophy and has accepted an invitation to play in the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl.
Sporting News is one of five outlets used to determine consensus All-American status at the end of the season.
