Darian Kinnard’s name certainly should be one that a lot of college football fans are going to recognize — or should — going into this season. He received All-American honors last year and he continues to pile up preseason All-American honors. His latest one is first-team All-American by Athlon Sports. That goes along with All-America honors already announced from Walter Camp (first team), Pro Football Focus (first team), and Phil Steele (second team) — all three also had him as a first-team all-Southeastern Conference selection.
The 6-5, 335-pound Kinnard is already listed as a potential NFL first-round draft pick. Pro Football Focus graded him as the top run-blocking tackle in the country going into the 2021 season.
“The senior has played in 33 career games with 26 straight starts. He graded at 88 percent in 10 regular-season games with 40 knockdown blocks and 138 blocks at the point of attack last year.
He will be at SEC Media Days next Tuesday along with UK head coach Mark Stoops and defensive lineman Josh Paschal. Kentucky’s appearance on the big stage in Hoover, Ala., will be Tuesday — the same day Georgia and Ole Miss will appear.
Georgia and coach Kirby Smart will be the big attraction as many think the Bulldogs can unseat Alabama as SEC champion — do not put me in that group. Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin is always a quote machine but the job Stoops has done at UK has gained respect and there should be plenty of attention for Kentucky and especially Kinnard.
