Kyle Kennard had a stellar 2024 season at South Carolina before declaring for the 2025 NFL draft.
The 23-year-old finished the year with 10 sacks, six QB hits, 24 pressures and three forced fumbles. There is no pressure on him entering training camp, but he has plenty to gain with the right performance.
The Los Angeles Chargers have veteran edge-rushers ahead of Kennard for him to watch and learn from such as Khalil Mack, Bud Dupree and Tuli Tuipulotu.
These three will be handling the primary pass-rush duties for the Chargers, but Kennard should not be far behind.
With his 34-inch arms and speed-to-power conversion, the Flint, Michigan native offers a valuable skill set as a pass-rusher. His power and leg strength to drive blockers deep into the pocket were near the best in the 2025 draft class.
In training camp, his ability to disrupt the quarterback’s comfort in the pocket against their outstanding offensive tackle duo of Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt will help him climb the depth chart and pass-rush pecking order.
Kennard will need to display physicality at the point of attack in the run game. This is how he can secure a role on this defense as a rotational edge defender.
Tuipulotu is a rusher with alignment versatility, creating different pass-rush packages, essentially opening the door for Kennard to see the field this season.
If Dupree is also not overly effective off the edge, the door should be open for Kennard, but a strong training camp will be paramount for his playing time.