South Carolina senior Kyle Kennard makes yet another All-American team

On Thursday night, South Carolina senior EDGE Kyle Kennard was named to another All-American team, this time making the cut for the honor from the Walter Camp Football Foundation. The oldest All-America team in college football put Kennard on its 1st team defense as one of four defensive line selections.

The honor is well deserved for Kennard. Following his transfer from Georgia Tech this offseason, No. 5 led the SEC in sacks (11.5) and tackles for loss (16) as part of one of the most improved pass rushes in the country.

In the last week, Kennard also has won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the nation’s top defender, earned the AP and SEC Coaches conference Defensive Player of the Year, made virtually every 1st team All-SEC honor available, and found a spot on the Reese’s Senior Bowl All-American team. He is a finalist and/or nominee for several other prestigious awards, as well.

Kennard is the first South Carolina star to make the Walter Camp All-American team since punter Kai Kroeger in 2022.

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From the South Carolina Athletics press release:

University of South Carolina Edge rusher Kyle Kennard has been named to the first team in the 135th edition of the Walter Camp All-America team, the nation’s oldest college football All-America team, it was announced tonight. Twenty-five players were selected to the first team by the 131 Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors.

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 on Monday in Charlotte, has been named to the Reese’s Senior Bowl All-America team and to the Associated Press, the SEC Coaches and the USA TODAY All-SEC first team. He was both the AP and the Coaches’ choice as SEC Defensive Player of the Year. 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

Pos. Name, School Hgt Wgt. Class Hometown

WR Travis Hunter, Colorado 6-1 185 Junior Suwanee, GA

WR Nick Nash, San Jose State 6-3 195 Senior Irvine, CA

TE Harold Fannin Jr., Bowling Green 6-4 230 Junior Canton, OH

OL Will Campbell, LSU 6-6 323 Junior Monroe, LA

OL Wyatt Milum, West Virginia 6-6 317 Senior Kenova, WV

OL Kelvin Banks, Jr, Texas 6-4 320 Junior Humble, TX

OL Addison West, Western Michigan 6-3 305 Senior Cary, IL

C Seth McLaughlin, Ohio State 6-4 305 Grad Buford, GA

QB Cam Ward, Miami 6-2 223 Senior West Columbia, TX

RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State 5-9 215 Junior Jacksonville, FL

RB Kaleb Johnson, Iowa 6-0 225 Junior Hamilton, OH

PK Kenneth Almendares, Louisiana 6-2 252 Senior Clute, TX

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE

Pos. Name, School Hgt Wgt. Class Hometown

DL Kyle Kennard, South Carolina 6-5 254 Senior Atlanta, GA

DL Mason Graham, Michigan 6-3 320 Junior Mission Viejo, CA

DL Mike Green, Marshall 6-4 248 Soph. Williamsburg, VA

DL Abdul Carter, Penn State 6-3 252 Junior Philadelphia, PA

LB Jay Higgins, Iowa # 6-2 232 Senior Indianapolis, IN

LB Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma # 6-4 243 Senior Windermere, FL

LB Shaun Dolac, Buffalo 6-1 225 Grad West Seneca, NY

DB Nohl Williams, California 6-1 200 Senior Oxnard, CA

DB Travis Hunter, Colorado 6-1 185 Junior Suwanee, GA

DB Xavier Watts, Notre Dame* 6-0 203 Grad Omaha, NE

DB Caleb Downs, Ohio State 6-0 205 Soph. Hoschton, GA

P Alex Mastromanno, Florida State 6-1 241 Senior Melbourne, Australia

KR Keelan Marion, BYU 6-0 195 Junior Atlanta, GA

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE

Pos. Name, School Hgt Wgt. Class Hometown

WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona 6-5 212 Junior Waimanalo, HI

WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State 6-3 215 Fresh. Miami Gardens, FL

TE Tyler Warren, Penn State 6-6 261 Senior Mechanicsville, VA

OL Spencer Fano, Utah 6-5 304 Soph. Spanish Fork, UT

OL Willie Lampkin, North Carolina 5-11 290 Senior Lakeland, FL

OL Tyler Booker, Alabama 6-5 325 Junior New Haven, CT

OL Kage Casey, Boise State 6-5 316 Soph. Happy Valley, OR

C Leif Fautanu, Arizona State 6-2 315 Senior Honolulu, HI

QB Dillon Gabriel, Oregon 6-0 200 Senior Mililani, HI

RB Omarion Hampton, North Carolina * 6-0 220 Junior Clayton, NC

RB Dylan Sampson, Tennessee 5-11 201 Junior Geismar, LA

PK Alex Raynor, Kentucky 6-0 185 Senior Kennesaw, GA

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE

Pos. Name, School Hgt Wgt. Class Hometown

DL Nic Scourton, Texas A&M 6-4 285 Junior Bryan, TX

DL Walter Nolen, Ole Miss 6-3 305 Junior Powell, TN

DL Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College 6-2 247 Senior Williamstown, NJ

DL Antwaun Powell-Ryland, Virginia Tech 6-3 252 Senior Portsmouth, VA

LB Carson Schwesinger, UCLA 6-2 225 Junior Moorpark, CA

LB Anthony Hill Jr., Texas 6-3 235 Soph. Denton, TX

LB Jalon Walker, Georgia 6-2 245 Junior Salisbury, NC

DB Ra’Mello Dotson, Kansas 6-1 190 Senior Daytona Beach, FL

DB Malaki Starks, Georgia * 6-1 205 Junior Jefferson, GA

DB Will Johnson, Michigan 6-2 202 Junior Detroit, MI

DB Jahdae Barron, Texas 5-11 200 Senior Austin, TX

P Eddie Czaplicki, USC 6-1 207 Senior Charlotte, NC

KR Rayshawn Pleasant, Tulane 6-0 185 Soph. West Monroe, LA

* – 2023 First Team Walter Camp All-America selection

# – 2023 Second Team Walter Camp All-America selection

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