Uncommitted: Devon Kennard
High School: Desert Vista (Phoenix, Ariz.)
Position: Defensive end
Size: 6-foot-3, 245 pounds
Tom Lemming’s national recruit rank: No. 4
Finalists (alphabetical): Arizona State, California, Texas, USC
By Mitch Stephens
MaxPreps.com
When Devon Kennard endured a season-ending torn ACL injury to his right knee the third game of the season, he didn’t shut down.
The 6-foot-3, 245-pound defensive end from Desert Vista (Phoenix, Ariz.) continued coming to practice. He exalted, he cheered, he even led on crutches.
But that’s consistent with his personality, Desert Vista head coach Dan Hinds said. Kennard is a passionate sort, personable and funny.
Kennard, the son of former NFL center Derek Kennard, is the highest ranked player yet to verbally commit among CBS College Sports recruiting expert Tom Lemming’s Top 100 National Recruits from the Class of 2009.
He ranks No. 4 overall and No. 1 on defense after recording 24 sacks as a junior.
Over the next two weeks we’ll breakdown the top five uncommitted players – talk with recruiting experts, local scribes and coaches and even the players themselves – to figure out where we think they will go and should go.
National signing day is Feb. 4 and continues through April 1. All verbal commitments are non-binding.
Here are Kennard’s finalists and my percentages that he'll pick that school.
Arizona State (10 percent): According to Arizona Republic reporter Richard Obert, the Sun Devils entered the game late. He hasn’t even taken an official visit to the nearby campus, but last week Kennard met with school president Michael Crow, who made quite an impression for sure. Still, you want to feel close to your team and coaches, not the administration.
Cal (20 percent): The Bears are on the rise and coach Jeff Tedford, an excellent recruiter, flew to Phoenix to meet with Kennard on Monday. But Berkeley doesn’t reek of high energy or the college environment Kennard would be attracted to. It’s a fit on the field, but not the campus.
Texas (50 percent): According to Obert, Texas’ main man Mack Brown is meeting with Kennard tonight. It’s hard to beat Southern hospitality, the smell of burnt orange in Austin or the mystique of football in Texas. Further, he can continue his dad’s legacy near where he won Super Bowls for the Cowboys. His dad can also offer key insight on the Texas heat, from literal humidity and the pressure cooker of producing in the Lone Star State.
USC (70 percent): The Trojans double-teamed Kennard on Tuesday, bringing in defensive coordinator Rocky Seto and DL coach Jethro Franklin, a former Houston Texan who might offer crystal clear Southern California weather reports compared to muggy Texas. Ultimately, we suspect the closer Pete Carroll will make his mark. He’s a dead-on match for Kennard’s personality. Carroll will connect with Kennard on the vivacious train and steer him straight to La-La land.
My best choice for Kennard: There’s no better college town in America than Austin. Kennard would be challenged on all levels with the Longhorns. We'd like to see Brown hook his man.
National News and Notes
Greene to Trojans
Sacred Heart Cathedral (San Francisco) defensive end Kevin Greene, a converted basketball player, actually had breakfast with Carroll on Sunday and that's all it took for the converted basketball player to choose the Trojans over Washington State on Monday. See story.
Buffalo duo verbals
Joe Paterno and Turner Gill got big news this week from a pair of Buffalo, N.Y., standouts.
Canisius two-way lineman John Urschel has made a verbal commitment to play football at Penn State next season and will sign his letter of intent Feb. 4. The 6-foot-4, 275-pound first-team all-state selection also considered Boston College, Stanford, Buffalo and Ivy League schools.
Meanwhile, Section II standout and fellow Class A first-team pick Bunduka Kargbo of Bishop Maginn will head down the Thruway to the University of Buffalo, where he is expected to fit it at free safety. He’s canceled planned visits to Rhode Island, where he might have also played the point for the basketball team, and Maine. --- John Schiano
Drummond to “check out” Mississippi
Defensive end Craig Drummond, a highly recruited defensive end from Morgan Park (Chicago, Ill.) who previously gave a verbal commitment to Illinois, is apparently having second thoughts and will make an official visit to Mississippi.
Drummond told the Chicago Tribune that he remains committed to Illinois, but just wanted to “check out another school.” --- Paul D. Bowker
