Devon Kennard

Hometown: Phoenix, AZ (Desert Vista HS)

Height: 6'4"     Weight: 240

Position: DE

Teams Of Interest

Arizona State, California, Texas, UCLA, USC

The Skinny

Beast of a defender is the top d-lineman in the nation

The Analysis

Kennard's athleticism and quickness make him an explosive prospect. His burst off the line - whether it is around the end or up the gut - is lightning quick. His speed is above average as are his feet. He also moves very well laterally down the line of scrimmage. He must be accounted for on weak side plays as his motor is great and constantly running. He will chase down the ball even if its 30 yards down field.

His hands and technique are good enough now that with solid coaching they could be elite. He is already good at creating separation and shedding blockers. His pass rush moves are ahead of schedule in their development and should only need refinement once he gets into a collegiate program. His ability to set-up blockers is a sixth sense and very natural for the young defender.

His physicality is elite as well. He is a violent tackler who brings his weight with him every where on the field. Although he destroys most ball carriers, he needs to work on fundamentally wrapping up on every tackle. He will destroy quarterbacks on the next level.

His versatility makes him a very intriguing prospect. He has great size for a defensive end in high school but will need to add weight if he expects to play a true end position. He is comfortable with his hand on the ground or standing. This will make him a great fit as the Shawn Merriman hybrid LB/DE position in a 3-4 scheme or a pure rush end in a 4-3 system.

Kennard as all the ability needed to be a dominant force on the outside of any defense.

2007: 111 tackles, 24.5 sacks
2006: 81 tackles, 7 sacks

Disclaimer: These videos are from a public media site and are in no way produced or edited by Athlon Sports.

Return to the Consensus 100

Check out the Athlon Sports Recruiting Blitz Podcast

---

Del.icio.us | Digg it | Athlon Sports RSS Feeds

Go Deeper

> ESPN Profile (Premium)
> PrepStar Profile (Premium)
> Rivals Profile
> Scout Profile