Stanford kicker Emmet Kenney to return to program in 2025

Arguably the team's biggest rising star, Kenney will return and look to become an ever bigger name in the world of college football.

Nov 29, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal place kicker Emmet Kenney (13) warms up before their game against the San Jose State Spartans at CEFCU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images / Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

There is still unfinished business for one of Stanford football's biggest 2024 stars. In what was a dominant first season as the Cardinal’s starting kicker, Emmet Kenney made a name for himself and became one of most clutch kickers in all of college football. And it appears that Kenney will be back for more in 2025, as we confirmed via Stanford personnel his intentions to return to The Farm next season.

Posting an attention grabbing tweet on his X account, a GIF from the film The Wolf of Wall Street, Kenney will look to build off of a campaign in which he converted on 14 of his 17 field goals (82.4%), including two game winners against Syracuse and Louisville respectively, while also making all 32 of his extra points.

Putting together a strong enough year to raise the question of being an NFL draft prospect, Kenney only having one season under his belt as a starter could have been a major factor in his decision to return, as another strong season could be vital in helping him improve his draft stock. Starting his career as a backup to former star kicker turned NFL draftee, Joshua Karty, Kenney had only attempted three career extra points without ever attempting a field goal before the 2024 season.

A star at Shanley High School in Fargo, South Dakota, Kenney was a two-time North Dakota Special Teams Player of the Year, while also helping guide his team to a state championship in 2018. Leaving high school as the North Dakota record holder for the longest made field goal while being Shanley’s all-time points scorer, Kenney was rated as a five-star kicker on Kohl’s Kicking Camps and chose Stanford over offers from North Dakota State, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Winning Stanford’s special teams MVP award, Kenney returning keeps the consistency at the kicker position alive, as after Karty left prior to the start of 2024, there were questions all throughout training camp as to whether Kenney would fill the void. Proving all year that he in fact could, his return will provide extra comfort and keep the program from having to worry about the kicker position leading up to a crucial 2025 campaign.