Darian Kinnard Named First-Team Walter Camp All-American
Kentucky senior offensive tackle Darian Kinnard has been named a first-team All-American by the Football Writers Association presented by the Goodyear Cotton Bowl, it was announced Thursday tonight.
He is UK’s third Walter Camp All-American in the last four years and 12th overall. Wildcats linebacker Josh Allen was named to the first team in 2018, while punter Max Duffy earned first-team honors in 2019.
Kinnard, a 6-foot-5, 338-pound mountain from Knoxville, Tennessee, continues to rack up the postseason honors this season after leading the team at the right tackle position with 30 knockdown blocks. He also allowed only one quarterback sack in 375 pass plays. Pro Football Focus evaluated Kinnard as one of only three Power Five tackles to grade at 85 or better as both a run and pass blocker.
Kinnard was recently awarded the SEC’s Jacobs Blocking Trophy, just the second Kentucky player to win the award, which annually has been given to the SEC’s top blocker since 1935. He was a semifinalist for both the 2021 Rotary Lombardi Award, given to an offensive or defensive lineman who combines outstanding performance on the field with the character and discipline of NFL Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi, and the Outland Trophy, given to the nation’s most outstanding interior lineman. He also was a two-time SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week following wins over Vanderbilt and Louisville. In addition, he has earned first-team All-America honors by CBS/247sports and the Senior Bowl and second-team All-America by PFF and The Athletic.
Under Kinnard’s leadership on the offensive line, the Wildcats’ offense is averaging 431.1 total yards per game, including 206.1 on the ground, and is averaging 6.57 yards per play, which would set a new school record for a season. According to PFF, UK leads the SEC in rushing yards before contact, averaging 2.6 yards per attempt.
Kinnard becomes the 12th Wildcat in program history named to the FWAA All-America First Team, joining Bob Gain, Tackle (1950); Doug Moseley, Center (1951); Ray Correll, Guard (1953); Lou Michaels, Tackle (1957); Sam Ball, Tackle (1965); Art Still, End (1977); Tim Couch, Quarterback (1998); James Whalen, Tight End (1999); Derek Abney, Kick Returner (2002); Josh Allen, Linebacker (2018) and Max Duffy, Punter (2019). He is UK’s third First-Team All-American in the last four years and the first offensive lineman to earn first-team honors since Sam Ball in 1965.
Postseason Awards for Kinnard:
First-Team All-America (Walter Camp, CBS Sports, Reese’s Senior Bowl)
Second-Team All-American (PFF)
First-Team All-SEC (AP, PFF, Coaches)
2021 Jacobs Blocking Trophy
Kentucky (9-3, 5-3 SEC) is headed to Orlando, Fla., for a school-record sixth straight bowl appearance. The No. 22 Wildcats have accepted a bid to play in the Vrbo Citrus Bowl and will face No. 15 Iowa Jan. 1 in Camping World Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. ET on ABC, ESPN Radio and the UK Sports Radio Network.
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