A Controversial Injury Fells ASU’s Top Recruiting Target
The second-ranked college football prospect in the nation is playing fewer than 10 miles from Sun Devil Stadium. Well, he was playing there until suffering a controversial injury on Friday, and some in recruiting circles are all fired up about it.
(Photo courtesy East Valley Tribune)
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Meet Devon Kennard, a 6-foot-3 255-pound senior at Ahwatukee’s Desert Vista High. Pretty much every college football coach in the country (including Arizona State’s Dennis Erickson) wants Kennard to play defensive end in his colors next fall.
Kennard racked up an astounding 111 tackles and 24 sacks last year while leading Desert Vista to the 5A-I state championship game. He also moonlights as a running back, and while chewing the clock late in Friday’s 21-20 win over Chandler High he was tackled awkwardly from behind and his right knee bent the wrong way.
According to the Ahwatukee Foothills News, an X-ray revealed no bone damage yesterday and an MRI seeking ligament damage is scheduled for today. That’s a relief, even is Kennard doesn’t choose to attend ASU.
As pointed out today in the Arizona Republic, the fact that Kennard was playing offense has caused a bit of controversy in recruiting circles. Having watched any number of great players from Todd Heap to Kyle Caldwell play both ways in high school, we find this ludicrous.
As Desert Vista coach Dan Hinds told the Republic: “The scholarships (offers) are going to be there. We had an agreement about using him on offense. He wants the ball and loves running over people. It’s the icing on the cake for him after all that he does on defense for us.”
Kennard is one of those can’t miss prospects that you just know is going to make it in the NFL, not unlike Terrell Suggs, Zach Miller and Loren Howard. Oh wait, that’s right. Recruiting is an inexact science.
Still it sure is fun to watch these guys treat high school opponents like they’re playing a game of Madden on rookie level and to dream of them one day sporting the maroon and gold. Here’s to a speedy recovery for Kennard.
In the meantime, check out the video below for some Kennard carnage. You may want to turn your speakers off, though, unless you consider the N word a socially-acceptable part of a 21st century vocabulary.
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How is it considered a “great” highlight when a big, unblocked kid runs over a smaller kid who’s standing there like he’s a tackling dummy?
On half of these highlights, DK isn’t even being blocked. If he’s even an average high school DE he better flatten someone when he’s not blocked.
The real highlights are when he beats a block and then makes a tackle. On those occasions, he looks very good.
JB, have you see him play or played against him this season? I’m curious what he looks like play in play out.
Obviously anyone who makes a highlight reel of a player and puts it on youtube is going to only put the best plays on it. Drop a scouting report on us.
UPDATE: Devon Kennard is indeed out for the year. Torn ACL. Here’s to a quick return to health for Mr. Kennard.
[...] Devon Kennard, 5A-1 No. 3 Ahwatukee Desert Vista. The top-ranked defensive end in the country, Kennard suffered a controversial knee injury back in September and is out for the season. Kennard still lists ASU among his top five along with [...]