Darian Kinnard is your 2021 Jacobs Blocking Trophy winner

First-Team All-Southeastern Conference lineman Darian Kinnard took home the league’s top lineman award when the SEC revealed its big postseason winners on Wednesday.

Kinnard is the recipient of the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, an award named in honor of William P. Jacobs, the founder and former president of Presbyterian College. There are several versions of Jacobs’ namesake award given to offensive linemen in various conferences each season. The SEC began presenting Jacobs Trophies back in 1935.

“Kinnard leads Kentucky with 30 knockdown blocks and has allowed only one quarterback sack in more than 350 pass plays this season,” the SEC’s announcement reads. “The two-time SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week was a semifinalist for both the 2021 Rotary Lombardi Award and the Outland Trophy.”

Other SEC postseason awards

Joining Kinnard in accepting awards from the conference: Alabama’s Bryce Young is the Offensive Player of the Year; also from Alabama, Will Anderson Jr. was named Defensive Player of the Year; again from Alabama, Jameson Williams shares Special Teams Player of the Year honors with Tennessee’s Velus Jones Jr.; Georgia’s Brock Bowers is SEC Freshman of the Year; and Kirby Smart won the SEC Coach of the Year following an undefeated regular season at Georgia.

The postseason awards were decided by a vote among the SEC’s 14 head coaches.