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Former BW Yellow Jacket Anthony Kendall ’22 earns spot on NFL Titans roster

Reports out of Titans training camp say the former BW Yellow Jacket football star impressed the head coach during preseason play.

 

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Kendall, right, wearing number 40, celebrates a stop in the August 19 preseason game between the Titans and Vikings. Photo Credit: Donald Page/Tennessee Titans

In a post pinned to the top of one of his social media accounts, Anthony Kendall '22 can be seen in action in the National Football League (NFL) preseason, along with a shot of him as a gap-toothed little boy cradling a football. It's captioned, “Just a kid chasin’ his dreams.”

Following Tuesday's NFL deadline for teams to reduce preseason rosters from 90 to 53, those dreams are still alive.

Kendall, a former Baldwin Wallace University All-American defensive back, earned a coveted spot on the Tennessee Titans 53-man roster after signing, showing up and showing out as an undrafted free agent this spring and summer.

Improbable path

A story posted to Sports Illustrated's website noted, "Kendall's story is remarkable. He spent five years at Baldwin Wallace University on the division-three level after having zero division-one offers coming out of high school. He went to multiple regional tryouts after not getting an invite to the NFL combine and eventually joined the Titans as an undrafted free agent. Kendall's climb is a testament to his hard work and the possibilities the sport of football creates."

Kendall's defense and special teams play stood out in three preseason games.

A report on Titans Wire noted that while Kendall had “received praise from head coach Mike Vrabel on multiple occasions, it’s always at least somewhat surprising to see an undrafted rookie make the cut.” 

Making Yellow Jacket History

Anthony Kendall in Yellow Jacket uniform

Kendall is the second BW football player in the last 12 years to sign with an NFL team, joining Keith Darbut '11, who was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals and the Seattle Seahawks in 2011.

During his time in a Yellow Jacket uniform, the native of Port Richey, Florida was selected as an American Football Coaches Association, Associated Press, D3football.com All-American and an All-Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) first-team selection.

In his final season at BW, the 2022 Lee J. Tressel OAC Defensive Back of the Year led the Yellow Jackets and the conference with 12 pass breakups as a starter in all 10 games. That pass breakup stat tied for 13th in all of NCAA Division III.

Read more about Kendall’s NFL signing and career stats at yellowjackets.com.