Darian Kinnard named First Team AP All-American

Another day, another accolade for Darian Kinnard, and this is a big one. The star of Kentucky’s Big Blue Wall was just named First Team All-American by the Associated Press. The senior is listed alongside NC State’s Ikem Ekwonu at tackle. Last year, Kinnard was Third Team AP All-American. I think returning to Kentucky for his senior season worked out for him.

In 2021 Kinnard had 30 knockdown blocks and only one 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. 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, Kentucky leads the SEC in rushing yards before contact, averaging 2.6 yards per attempt.

Darian Kinnard’s postseason honors thus far

At this rate, it’s getting difficult to keep with all of Kinnard’s postseason honors. Here are the ones he’s received so far:

• First-Team All-American (AP, CBS Sports, Senior Bowl, Walter Camp, Football Writers Association)
• Second-Team All-American (PFF, The Athletic)
• First-Team All-SEC (PFF, Coaches, AP)
• 2021 Jacobs Blocking Trophy

Kinnard becomes the 15^th player in school history to be named to AP’s first team, joining Clyde Johnson, Tackle (1942); Bob Gain, Tackle (1950); Babe Parilli, Quarterback (1950); Doug Moseley, Center (1951); Howard Schnellenberger, End (1955); Lou Michaels, Tackle (1957); Art Still, Defensive End (1977); James Whalen, Tight End (1999); Derek Abney, Kick Returner (2002); Randall Cobb, All-Purpose Player (2010); Josh Allen, Linebacker (2018); Jervontius “Bunchy” Stallings, Offensive Guard (2018); Lynn Bowden Jr., All-Purpose Player (2019); and Max Duffy, Punter (2019). 

He is UK’s fifth first-team AP All-American in the last four years and the first offensive lineman to earn first-team honors since Stallings in 2018.

Here are the complete AP All-American Teams:

FIRST TEAM

OFFENSE

• Quarterback — Bryce Young, sophomore, Alabama.
• Running backs — Kenneth Walker III, junior, Michigan State; Breece Hall, junior, Iowa State.
• Tackles — Ikem Ekwonu, junior, North Carolina State; Darian Kinnard, senior, Kentucky.
• Guards —Kenyon Green, junior, Texas A&M; Zion Johnson, senior, Boston College.
• Center — Tyler Linderbaum, junior, Iowa.
• Tight end — Trey McBride, senior, Colorado State.
• Receivers — Jordan Addison, sophomore, Pittsburgh; David Bell, junior, Purdue; Jameson Williams, junior, Alabama.
• All-purpose player — Deuce Vaughn, sophomore, Kansas State.
• Kicker — Jake Moody, senior, Michigan.

DEFENSE

• Edge rushers — Aidan Hutchinson, senior, Michigan; Kayvon Thibodeaux, junior, Oregon.
• Linemen — Jordan Davis, senior, Georgia; DeMarvin Leal, junior, Texas A&M.
• Linebackers — Will Anderson, Jr., sophomore, Alabama; Nakobe Dean, junior, Georgia; Devin Lloyd, junior, Utah.
• Cornerbacks — Ahmad Gardner, junior, Cincinnati; Roger McCreary, senior, Auburn.
• Safeties — Verone McKinley III, sophomore, Oregon; Jalen Pitre, senior, Baylor.
• Defensive back — Marcus Jones, senior, Houston.
• Punter — Matt Araiza, junior, San Diego State.

SECOND TEAM

OFFENSE

• Quarterback — Kenny Pickett, senior, Pittsburgh.
• Running backs — Sean Tucker, sophomore, Syracuse; Tyler Badie, senior, Missouri.
• Tackles — Evan Neal, junior, Alabama; Nicholas Petit-Frere, junior, Ohio State.
• Guards — Thayer Munford, senior, Ohio State; William Dunkle, junior, San Diego State.
• Center — Alec Lindstrom, senior, Boston College.
• Tight end — Brock Bowers, freshman, Georgia.
• Receivers — Chris Olave, senior, Ohio State; Garrett Wilson, junior, Ohio State; Jerreth Sterns, junior, Western Kentucky.
• All-purpose player — Jahmyr Gibbs, sophomore, Georgia Tech.
• Kicker — Noah Ruggles, senior, Ohio State.

DEFENSE

• Edge rushers —Jermaine Johnson, senior, Florida State; Cameron Thomas, junior, San Diego State.
• Linemen — Devonte Wyatt, senior, Georgia; Haskell Garrett, senior, Ohio State.
• Linebackers — Malcolm Rodriguez, senior, Oklahoma State; Leo Chenal, junior, Wisconsin; David Ojabo, junior, Michigan.
• Cornerbacks — Coby Bryant, senior, Cincinnati; Ja’Quan McMillian, junior, East Carolina.
• Safeties — Jaquan Brisker, senior, Penn State; Kyle Hamilton, junior, Notre Dame.
• Defensive back — JoJo Domann, senior, Nebraska.
• Punter — Adam Korsak, senior, Rutgers.

THIRD TEAM

OFFENSE

• Quarterback — C.J. Stroud, redshirt freshman, Ohio State.
• Running backs — Hassan Haskins, senior, Michigan; Sincere McCormick, junior, UTSA.
• Tackles — Connor Galvin, senior, Baylor, Max Mitchell, senior, Louisiana-Lafayette.
• Guards —Andrew Vorhees, senior, Southern California; Josh Seltzner, senior, Wisconsin.
• Center — Michael Maietti, senior, Missouri.
• Tight end — Michael Mayer, sophomore, Notre Dame.
• Receivers — Drake London, junior, Southern California; Jaxon Smith-Njigba, sophomore, Ohio State; Jahan Dotson, senior, Penn State.
• All-purpose player — Deven Thompkins, senior, Utah State.
• Kicker — Caleb Shudak, senior, Iowa.

DEFENSE

• Edge rushers — Will McDonald IV, junior, Iowa State; Sam Williams, senior, Mississippi.
• Linemen — Calijah Kancey, sophomore, Pittsburgh; George Karlaftis, junior, Purdue.
• Linebackers — Chad Muma, senior, Wyoming; Nik Bonitto, junior, Oklahoma; Andre Carter II, junior, Army.
• Cornerbacks — Riley Moss, senior, Iowa; Trent McDuffie, junior, Washington.
• Safeties — Jordan Battle, junior, Alabama; Lewis Cine, junior, Georgia.
• Defensive back — Kolby Harvell-Peel, senior, Oklahoma State.
• Punter — Jordan Stout, senior, Penn State.