The Kennesaw State Owls are hoping to become the next FCS-to-FBS success story, but times might be rough in Greater Atlanta in 2024. With a transitional offense and a general difficulty in adding and retaining talent, the Owls could struggle early. Who are Kennesaw State’s top returning players in 2024?
Kennesaw State Owls Top 10 Returners in 2024
10) Jacob Kettels, OL
Most of Kennesaw State’s transfers are Power Four players who didn’t play much early in their careers, but Jacob Kettels is the exception, and he might end up being the most impactful transfer of the group. He played extensively at Montana State and was extremely effective at tackle. Where he plays this year remains to be seen, but he should contribute on a young offensive line.
9) Jordan Miles, EDGE
The defensive line isn’t the strength of this team, but Jordan Miles is the best of the bunch and extremely experienced. Unlike many of his peers, he didn’t redshirt last season, instead playing the whole year and leading the defensive line in every major statistical category. Still, he hasn’t come close to matching his 2021 production, so that’s the goal this fall.
8) Alexander Diggs, RB
Alexander Diggs was the primary running back last season, and he probably won’t be the featured guy this year either, but that doesn’t matter too much in this offense that operates almost exclusively out of two-back sets. Diggs was effective last year on limited carries, averaging around four yards a tote.
7) Garland Benyard, LB
In his four games last season, Benyard was an excellent pass rusher, racking up six pressures and a handful of run stops. This year, he’s likely to factor into the linebacker room full-time as a starter on the outside. His best year was in 2021 (like several of these guys), so he’ll be looking to return to that form this year.
6) Nate Wright, OL
Nate Wright started the first two games last season at tackle and really struggled, but when he jumped back into the lineup at the end of the year, he was outstanding for the final three games of the season. This year, he might slide inside and could even play center for the Owls. He’s a strong pass blocker, but moving up to the FBS might prove tricky for the offensive line.
5) Sidney Porter, S
Sidney Porter was another one of the many Owls who rotated in last season, but unlike many of the others, Porter played most of the season, excelling as a box safety and run defender. He’ll bring a hard-hitting mentality to the FBS, but he’s also decent in pass coverage, picking off two passes last year.
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4) Gabriel Benyard, WR
Because of the shotgun option scheme, the wide receivers aren’t quite as important in this offense, but Gabriel Benyard is more of an athletic weapon than a true wide receiver. Benyard led the team in rushing in 2022 before primarily catching passes out of the backfield in 2023. He was a huge threat, averaging over 23 yards a catch on 14 catches in the four games he played.
3) Jamar Rucks, LB
Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but Jamar Rucks played in just four games last year to preserve his eligibility. He was great in those four games, racking up seven pressures and 11 tackles as a linebacker-edge hybrid. He’ll need to be really good in 2024 if this team is going to gain some traction in the FBS ranks.
2) Michael Benefield, RB
It’s hard to go just by last year as the Owls redshirted so many players that it was hard to get a good idea of who the best players were. That being said, Michael Benefield was dominant enough last season to secure the clear No. 1 spot in 2023. In this run-heavy attack without much quarterback experience, he’ll be vitally important to the team’s success.
1) JeRico Washington Jr., CB
JeRico Washington only played in a few games to preserve his redshirt, but he was outright dominant in those contests. In just five games, he picked off three passes and made 16 tackles without missing one. He’s a true lockdown corner and the best player on this roster.
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