Will new Rams DB Kamren Kinchens be the “next great safety” to come from the U?

Kinchens followed in the footsteps of NFL legends at Miami; Will any of that greatness rub off on his own NFL career?

Entering the 2024 NFL Draft, the Los Angeles Rams were in need of secondary help which came in the third round with the selection of safety Kamren Kinchens. The University of Miami has a legendary reputation when it comes to producing some of the NFL’s all-time defensive greats. Ray Lewis, Warren Sapp, Sean Taylor and Ed Reed were among the greatest players to suit up for the “U.”

Kinchens hopes to follow in their footsteps as he possesses a strong appreciation of the greatness that came before him at Miami. This is what the rookie told Adam Lichtenstein of the South Florida Sun Sentinel in an August 2023 interview:

“Somebody has to set the standard to where we know it can be upheld and keep going for way past us, 40 years down the line. What Ed Reed and Sean Taylor (did), and you had Bennie Blades and you had Kenny Phillips. All those guys set a standard when they were here to keep it going for the next guys to come up, so the next guys knew how it was. What you needed to do, how you needed to work to make sure you were the best.”

The incoming safety certainly set the standard at Miami — will he do the same in Los Angeles? Here is a look at Kamren’s humble beginnings which forged his path toward becoming one of the top safeties in the nation.

From “Slow-Jo” at Miami Northwestern High to a four-star recruit

Kamren Kinchens was a four-star recruit in the 2020 class on a list that most notably included future Rams teammates in Blake Corum and Zach Evans. His All-American billing at the “U” didn’t come immediately as he wasn’t seen as the most athletically-gifted player in high school.

Former Miami Northwestern head coach Max Edwards noticed Kinchens was not the fastest guy on the field. Edwards would refer to him as “Slow-Jo,” a play on Kam’s nickname, Jojo.

“Slow-Jo” more than made up for his lack of speed as Edwards recalled a monster hit that “wooed the whole crowd.” The hit came against South Dade in the third game of Kinchens’ sophomore season. Here is a description of the play that Edwards provided:

“The young safety does not bite on a fake handoff. Instead, he zeroes in on a pass headed for a receiver over the middle. Two other Northwestern teammates are closer to the receiver, but it’s Kinchens who pile-drives the receiver, knocking loose both the ball and the opposing player’s helmet.”

That one play likely changed the trajectory of Kinchens’ entire career at Miami Northwestern. Kam quickly developed a reputation for being a violent, punishing defender everywhere on the field.

Kinchens got significant snaps as a junior while Miami Northwestern went on a run to the 6A state title. The Miami Northwestern Bulls were at it again as they won the 5A state title the next season, marking the program’s third consecutive title. Those Bulls received elite production from Kinchens who intercepted a team-high nine passes.

For his efforts that season, Kinchens was a Miami Herald All-Dade 5A-2A first-team selection and a MaxPreps Junior All-American second-team selection. He even participated in the 2019 Legend’s Football All-Florida Junior Showcase where he had the only score of the night for the East squad.

Brian Smith of Gators Nation for FanNation had nothing but glowing praise for the future Miami commit:

“Since the East squad could not find the end zone offensively, Kinchens picked off an errant pass and took it to the house. It was the East’s only score of the night.

The rainy conditions impacted the field and every player really, but inclement weather did not stop Kinchens from being around the football, like he always seems to do, and make the most of his opportunity. Saturday night’s game did nothing but confirm what most already knew: Kinchens is a great football player.”

Smith was hardly the only one sold on Kam’s potential at the collegiate level. Andrew Ivins, director of scouting for 247Sports, wrote the following evaluation of Kinchens before his enrollment at Miami:

“A true ballhawk with some range that picked off nine passes while working over the top as a junior for a program that won a 5A state title. Instincts and ability to quickly diagnose plays allow him to get a head start and crash passing lanes. Quickly finds his balance while in motion and is accurate with sense of angles. Elusive with the ball is in his hands.

Described by his coaches as almost a quarterback on defense that knows everyone’s assignments and is able to get his teammates lined up. Will engage in contact, but must get better at finishing off tackles. Also needs to improve overall foot speed. An intriguing defender that could eventually find himself working in the box if he keeps growing. Figures to develop into a contributor and eventual starter for a Top 25 program.”

Shades of Sean Taylor to the “next great safety” from the U

The COVID-19 pandemic put recruiting on halt and prevented Kamren Kinchens from making visits to Texas A&M and Nebraska, two schools in his top five. That left Auburn and Miami as his remaining options.

In reality, Auburn had little chance of landing Kinchens given the personal connection he had established with Hurricanes assistant recruiting director Demarcus Van Dyke (DVD). Kinchens shared in a July 2020 piece for The Athletic why the connection to DVD steered him to the “U” instead of being influenced by his four high school teammates already committed to the university:

“DVD was huge for me from Day 1. Before I had the offer, he was working to get me the offer. I’ve known him since I was little. I started to get to know him more as far as leading up to high school and getting into high school. Really, it’s important to have those coaches who come from inner-city schools like us instead of people that don’t really (understand) us. They know where we came from. They have more to talk about with the kids.”

Van Dyke was not the only connection Kinchens had at Miami as former Hurricanes safety Kenny Phillips served as a mentor to the young defender. Phillips was the 31st overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. The six-year pro retired in 2015 after playing in 59 games between stops with the Giants and New Orleans Saints, winning Super Bowl XLVI with New York.

Early on, Phillips saw greatness in Kinchens and even compared him to a couple Miami legends:

“He’s got the ball-hawking skills like Ed (Reed). He’ll go and hit you like Sean (Taylor). And he’s got the range like myself. Like you said, the height isn’t there. But he’s not a small kid and he’s got a lot of growing to do. He’s 17. He’s going to fill out nice. I think he’s definitely going to be the next great safety to come out of Miami.”

If Kam was working on his best Sean Taylor impression, he emulated the late great to perfection. Kinchens had 11 interceptions in his last two years with the Hurricanes. He became the first player since Taylor to register double-digit picks over the course of his Miami career. Special company indeed.

The Miami product earned back-to-back First-team All-ACC selections in those campaigns. Kinchens was named a First-team All-American by the Associated Press in 2022 after he amassed a team-high 59 tackles and six interceptions in 12 games. Three of those picks came in a dominant showing against Georgia Tech which won Kam an ACC Defensive Back of the Week award.

Kinchens was likely one of the few bright spots on a Miami team that went 5-7. The Hurricanes went 3-7 after a promising 2-0 start which left many dispirited in the locker room. Demonstrating his leadership in the aftermath of a season-ending blowout to Pittsburgh, Kinchens decided to deliver a tough, yet necessary message to his upset teammates: “If you don’t want to be here, farewell.”

His despondent teammates seemingly took the message to heart as Miami improved to 7-6 in 2023 and clinched a spot in the Pinstripe Bowl. Kinchens maintained his remarkable level of play. Despite suffering a scary injury in the Hurricanes’ 48-33 comeback win over Texas A&M, Kam started in all 10 games in which he competed. For the second straight year, Kinchens led Miami in interceptions with five.

What will Kamren Kinchens bring to the Rams?

The hope stemming from the Kamren Kinches selection is that he will eventually grow into a starter in the secondary, ideally sooner rather than later. Kinchens has truly elite ball-hawking skills and has starting material written all over him whenever he is able to secure the job.

Outside of the Jared Verse pick, A.J. Schulte of Pro Football Network believes that “no other Rams rookie will have as large an impact as Kamren Kinchens will.”

“Kinchens isn’t an elite athlete by any stretch, and that was likely why he slid in the NFL Draft. However, what I like about Kinchens is that his eyes get him to places faster than his tools suggest. He’s a smart and instinctual player, something that the Rams desperately need in the secondary to fill that void.

His film frequently shows a player quickly recognizing and diagnosing the play in front of him, and then moving to make a play. He isn’t the smartest defensive back I have ever evaluated, but he’s up there in terms of route recognition, his awareness in coverage, and his run defense.”

By no stretch of the imagination would this considered a “hot take” as LA has a clear hole at the safety spot. With veterans Jordan Fuller and John Johnson III gone, a starting role (on paper) should be guaranteed to the first-year player. Free agent acquisition Kamren Curl has one safety spot locked up. Kinchens has Quentin Lake and Russ Yeast alongside him on the depth chart.

Neither of those players possess the nose for the ball that Kinchens has. Despite a clear lack of speed that likely dropped him in the draft, his instincts should realistically get him far in the NFL. Given the gaping hole in the secondary, the talent is evident and worth taking a chance on in the starting lineup in Week 1.

Obviously, we’ve got a long summer to go and someone else can always surprise by then. Either way, Kinchens followed in the footsteps of greatness at Miami and the rookie appears set to take the reigns. His sheer determination has certainly prepared him to be the next great safety to come out of the “U.” Now it’s time for the follow through.