Chargers Roster Spotlights: Kyle Kennard, A Sneaky Breakout Candidate

A series where every single player on the Chargers' 90-man roster is covered. Today, EDGE Kyle Kennard is highlighted.

August 23, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Kyle Kennard (54) rushes against San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Austen Pleasants (62) during the second quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Kyle Kennard, born on December 12, 2001, in Flint, Michigan, played his high school ball in Georgia for the Riverwood International Charter School football team. During his tenure with the high school, he was able to garner a three-star recruiting status according to 247Sports, which led him to stay local and commit to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

With Georgia Tech, Kennard saw the field early, collecting 2.5 sacks in his redshirt freshman season in 2020. 2021 and 2022 saw similar sack production, even with a jump in the amount of time seen on the field.

2023 for Kennard was a big leap, collecting six sacks, 11 tackles for loss, and an interception. In 2024, Kennard knew that his final year of eligibility was around the corner, and the ACC is not the highest level of competition to put on film, thus yielding his decision to transfer to South Carolina in the SEC.

Kennard recorded a conference-leading 11.5 sacks, won SEC Defensive Player of the Year and firmly put his name on the map for NFL scouts. In 2025, NFL Scouts had this to say about Kennard: "[he] keeps his long frame clean with well-timed punches and has plus range as a playmaker...He is frequently knocked off balance at contact points, though. He will create pressure with his get-off and length alone, but needs less predictable rush patterns and more hand skill to beat NFL tackles."

This skill set was enough for the Chargers to take a chance on him in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, with many excited to see what he does in year one behind the likes of Khalil Mack and Tuli Tuipulotu.

Chargers Kyle Kennard, EDGE South Carolina

Kennard's rookie season was unfortunately extremely minimal, to no fault of injuries or anything to inherently keep him off the field; it was just that the coaching staff did not have much belief in his readiness to compete at the NFL level.

2025 Season Stats 

5 Games
2 Tackles
80 Defensive Snaps
13 Special Teams Snaps

Measurables 

Contract Status 

"Kyle Kennard signed a 4 year, $5,130,564 contract with the Los Angeles Chargers, including $930,564 signing bonus, $930,564 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $1,282,641. In 2026, Kennard will earn a base salary of $1,005,000, while carrying a cap hit of $1,237,641 and a dead cap value of $697,923." - Spotrac

Kyle Kennard's 2026 Season Outlook

Like the Chargers' 2024 fourth-round draft pick, Justin Eboigbe, Kennard had practically a redshirt rookie year with the team. Eboigbe was able to turn it around in 2025, becoming one of the team's better interior pass rushers.

The same type of jump is expected of Kennard, with Mack answering a press conference question regarding Akheem Mesidor, he went out of his way to praise the now second-year man, Kennard, "It's a lot of intangibles there man...I'm excited to see him with the pads on man. As well as Dame [Nadame Tucker]. As well as Kyle [Kennard]."

With belief from his veteran leader, and precedent that defensive linemen break out in year two with the team, Kennard is expected to have a role on this defensive line and create a stronger rotation behind the starters.

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