Kearney is having a resurgent senior year as a versatile defender. Likely a safety at the next level, he’s playing closer to the line of scrimmage this year and having great results. He has fantastic ball skills, closer to what you’d expect from a corner than a safety-linebacker hybrid. He’s also flashed as a blitzer and shown himself to be a willing and sure tackler. His athleticism and versatility have been on full display this year.

Kearney first hit our radar when I evaluated the 2027 watchlist athletes, and we decided to move him to defensive back in the system after watching his film. After that, he made our Franklin County DB Deep Dive list, and we saw him in a camp setting. I like his length and overall skill set, and he should be an anchor in a strong Franklinton secondary.

One of the better box safeties in the area, Kearney is an excellent tackler and always puts himself in position to make plays. We like his ability to read the field and make plays on the ball and think that he could see an uptick in production as a pass defender in 2026.

Kearney has good size for a safety, and he’s rangy as well. He put it all together in a breakout junior campaign in which he racked up 58 tackles. At this point, he’s likely going to stay a full-time defensive back. His particular skill set, including his ability to read the quarterback’s eyes and make plays on the ball, fit best there.