Fair, 54°
Weather sponsored by:

Roderick Kearney gets All America honors

By Randy Lefko Sports Editor
Posted 10/26/22

ORANGE PARK - Orange Park High senior offensive tackle Roderick Kearney joined former Oakleaf High linebacker Shaquille Quarterman, now an NFL player for the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Fleming Island …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Don't have an ID?


Print subscribers

If you're a print subscriber, but do not yet have an online account, click here to create one.

Non-subscribers

Click here to see your options for subscribing.

Single day pass

You also have the option of purchasing 24 hours of access, for $1.00. Click here to purchase a single day pass.

Roderick Kearney gets All America honors


Posted

ORANGE PARK - Orange Park High senior offensive tackle Roderick Kearney joined former Oakleaf High linebacker Shaquille Quarterman, now an NFL player for the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Fleming Island High’s Ian Silberman, an offensive tackle at the University of Florida and Boston College and an NFL veteran, now an offensive line coach at Fleming Island High School, as the latest recipient of the Under Armour All America jersey and a spot for the annual All American all star game in January.

The Under Armour All American selection team is the nation’s top 100 recruits according to major recruiting sources. The list of Under Armour selection players that have made National Football League rosters includes Julio Jones, A.J. Green, Jameis Winston, Leonard Fournette and Jadeveon Clowney all still playing in the NFL.

Roderick Kearney’s football journey started at Orange Park Junior High and has stayed the course with a select bunch of Wildcat teammates that have been at his side as an Orange Park High Raider football star and, at last week’s Under Armour All America selection jersey ceremony held at Orange Park High, Kearney acknowledge his guys by his side.

“It’s special to share this with my guys,” said Kearney, an offensive tackle for the Raiders football team under coach Marcus Wimberly. “We’ve been playing together and getting better together for a long time. Family is important.”

One of Kearney’s guys, senior running back JoJo Restall, said his four-plus years of following Kearney downfield has shown him the destructive force of his big guy up front.

“It’s so cool to run behind him,” said Restall. “I’ve had a lot of long runs from behind him. We talk all the time in the huddle when we think a play can go the distance.”

Wimberly, who took over the Raider football program this year and got to see just a year of Kearney, noted that Kearney’s All American selection is not entirely about knocking people around on a football field.

“The qualities of leadership and work ethic and a thirst to learn are all the qualities of an All American selection,” said Wimberly. “Whenever we run power, he just dominates the guy in front of him and he’s pretty simple about it. I don’t think there was guy that Roderick could not dominate.”

Wimberly did note that Kearney has been inquiring about running the ball into the end zone in a game.

“Every big guy wants to do that,” said Wimberly.

As for Kearney in college, Wimberly cited Kearney’s football IQ as a key ingredient plus the normal transition to strength and power.

“He has seen what the weight room has done for him at this level,” said Wimberly. “At the next level, it will be a little more intense and he’s smart enough to respond positively to it. He’s a great learner.”

Kearney did note that one player, Westside High’s Jordan Hall, was one player that he had to bring his A-game to the field.

“Nobody really gave me fits, but “Big Baby”, Jordan Hall, a 6’-5” 300 pound defensive lineman for Westside High School was a tough guy against me,” said Kearney. “He has some offers from big schools so maybe I’ll see him again.”

According to 247 Sports.com, a national recruiting website, Hall has had offers from Alabama, Ohio State, Florida, Florida State and Georgia. Kearney has verbally committed to Florida State University.