Darian Kinnard wins SEC’s Jacobs Blocking Trophy

Kentucky Wildcats senior offensive tackle Darian Kinnard has won the SEC’s Jacobs Blocking Trophy, the league announced Wednesday.

Kinnard, 6-foot-5, 338-pounder from Knoxville (TN), is just the second UK player to ever win the award, which annually goes to the SEC’s top blocker. Former Wildcats tackle Warren Bryant won it in 1976.

This season, Kinnard led the Wildcats with 30 knockdown blocks. He also allowed only one sack in more than 350 pass plays.

Among Kinnard’s other honors include:

• Two-time SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week following wins over Vanderbilt and Louisville.
• A semifinalist for the 2021 Rotary Lombardi Award, given to an offensive or defensive lineman who combines outstanding performance on the field with the character and discipline of NFL Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi.
• A semifinalist for the 2021 Outland Trophy, given to the nation’s most outstanding interior lineman.
• First-Team All-SEC honors by the league’s coaches and Pro Football Focus.
• CBS Sports First-Team All-American.
• Pro Football Focus has Kinnard as one of only three Power 5 tackles to grade at 85 or better as both a run and pass-blocker. PFF also has UK leading the SEC in rushing yards before contact (2.6).

I think it’s safe to say Kinnard will one day find himself in the UK Athletics Hall of Fame. He’s not only one of the best to ever play in Lexington, he’s also been a big part of one of the most successful periods of UK football history, including a pair of 9-3 regular seasons (2018 and ‘21).