NFL Draft 2025: Chargers SEC Defensive Player of the Year Kyle Kennard in round 4

The Los Angeles Chargers have selected Kyle Kennard, an edge rusher from South Carolina, with their fourth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. 

Kennard posted an 11.5-sack season for the Gamecocks in 2024 en route to winning to the SEC Defensive Player of the Year Award. Getting the top defensive player from what many feel is the top conference in college football could be a huge draft steal for Joe Hortiz and Jim Harbaugh. 

After releasing Joey Bosa this offseason, the Chargers made sure to re-sign Khalil Mack as soon as free agency opened, but the team needed an additional edge rusher with Tuli Tuipolotu and Bud Dupree as the main options behind Mack. 

Kennard transferred to South Carolina after being at Georgia Tech for four seasons last year and he parlayed that move into winning the SEC DPOY. He finished his college career with 24 sacks, but nearly half of those came in 2024 when he got into a new system. 

That makes it difficult to gauge how much of an impact he will make in the NFL, but Harbaugh's smashmouth defense could be the optimal fit for him. Fans should like this pick as Kennard can be developed into a strong situational pass-rusher as early as this coming season, but he will need to become much better against the run if he wants to see the field for more than just those situations. 

He slots in immediately as the No. 4 option at the outside linebacker position for the Chargers and there will be plenty of room for him to grow. 

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