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ROAD LESS TRAVELED: Kingwood Brown's rise to national recruit has been a journey
From moving across states to overcoming a major injury, Kingwood offensive lineman Kennedy Brown’s road to becoming one of the top players in the country has been anything but smooth. Yet, his perseverance and love for the game have turned every obstacle into motivation.
Brown’s football journey didn’t start like most top recruits. In fact, his first introduction to the game was purely by accident.
“So basically, when I was younger, I knew about football but hadn’t played yet,” Brown said with a laugh. “I had a friend come up to me and ask if I wanted to join his fantasy football team, and I thought it was actual football. So I went out and bought pads and everything!”
He eventually found his way onto the field in junior high while living in Indiana. But it wasn’t until his family moved back to Texas that his passion for football really took off.
“I really started playing in seventh grade in Indiana,” Brown said. “But when I moved back here for eighth grade, I just fell in love with the game. And as we all know, football is king in Texas. To be able to come back here and play was exciting.”
Brown’s potential was clear from an early age. Heading into his freshman year, he was already establishing himself as a force. But just as things were starting to take off, he hit his biggest hurdle—an ACL tear that sidelined him and almost ended his football dreams.
“I tore my ACL my freshman year, and that injury really set me back,” he said. “I was thinking a lot and got down on myself because I had all these standards and goals I wanted to accomplish, and suddenly it was out of my control. I didn’t even know if I wanted to play football anymore.”
But every setback has a comeback. For Brown, his sophomore season was exactly that.
He helped lead Kingwood to its first-ever regional final appearance, anchoring the offensive line and dominating opponents in the trenches. His standout play earned him national recognition as one of the top 10 offensive linemen in the country. Before long, scholarship offers started rolling in from powerhouse programs like Michigan, Notre Dame, Texas, Texas A&M, and USC.
For Brown, that first offer was a surreal moment.
“I just remember getting pulled into the coach’s office during athletic period, hopping on the phone, and getting the first offer,” Brown recalled. “I started jumping up and down, screaming and celebrating with my teammates. It’s a moment I’ve wanted since I first started playing.”
Humble ISD has produced its share of elite offensive linemen—Travis Swanson, Sam Cosmi, Kenyon Green, Kam Dewberry, and Kelvin Banks Jr., to name a few. Being mentioned alongside them is an honor Brown doesn’t take lightly, but he’s setting his sights even higher.
“It means the most to me to be brought up with those guys,” Brown said. “But my goal isn’t just to play college football or make it to the NFL. I want to be more than that—I want to be in the Hall of Fame. I’m not trying to be one of the guys who just makes it to the pros and does the bare minimum.”
As he gears up for his junior season, Brown is locked in on perfecting his craft. But when he’s not on the field or in the weight room, you’ll likely find him tending to his four fish tanks and three geckos.
“Whenever I was in Indiana, for my tenth birthday, I got a fish tank and some fish, and ever since then, I’ve just had a passion for taking care of them,” Brown said. “Now I have four pretty extensive tanks and three geckos. I think marine biology is something I might want to study in college—or maybe interior design.”
Regardless of which path he chooses off the field, there’s no question Kennedy Brown is making a name for himself on it.
HOT 100: VYPE'S Top 100 H-Town Prospects In The Class 2026
After breaking down film, attending 7 on 7 events, talking with coaches and evaluating previous performances, VYPE Media breaks down the city of Houston's Top 100 prospects for the Class of 2026.
From Galveston to Katy and North Shore to Willis, here are the Who's Who of seniors-to-be as they enter Spring football. The rankings will fluctuate over the summer and fall, but here is the LIST!
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VYPE'S HOT 100 HOUSTON RECRUITS
No. 1 - Keisean Henderson, Legacy SS, Quarterback, Houston-Commit
No. 2 - Jermaine Bishop Jr., Willis, Athlete
No. 3 - Paris Melvin Jr., Cy Springs, Athlete
No. 4 - Chace Calicut, North Shore, Defensive Back
No. 5 - Chris Stewart, Shadow Creek, Wide Receiver, Texas-Commit
No. 6 - Cardae Mack, Atascocita, Running Back
No. 7 - Jimmy-Phrisco Alo-Suliafu, Katy Jordan, Defensive End
No. 8 - Jayden Warren, Iowa Colony, Wide Receiver
No. 9 - Xavier Harmon, Conroe, Defensive Back
No. 10 - Kosi Okpala, Mayde Creek, Linebacker
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No. 11 - Avery Morcho, Ridge Point, Offensive Lineman
No. 12 - James Scott, Oak Ridge, Wide Receiver
No. 13 - Calvin Thomas, Cy Ranch, Linebacker
No. 14 - Isaiah Williams, Fort Bend Marshall, Defensive Back
No. 15 - Jack Daulton, The Woodlands, Quarterback, TCU-Commit
No. 16 - Michael Brown, Legacy SS, Wide Receiver
No. 17. - Noriel Dominguez, Randle, Linebacker
No. 17 - Joseph Credit, Pearland, Linebacker
No. 18 - Hugh Smith, Ridge Point, Offensive Lineman
No. 20 - Romin Seymour, Ridge Point, Quarterback
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No. 21 - Day’jon Moore, Willis, Offensive Lineman
No. 22 - Daryl Campbell, Paetow, Defensive Lineman
No. 23 - Nicolas Robertson, Klein, Offensive Lineman
No. 24 - Grant Smith, Grand Oaks, Quarterback
No. 25 - Jermaine Santanna-Diaz, Ridge Point, Athlete
No. 26 - Jaden Vaughn, Cy Fair, Defensive Back
No. 27 - Jaylen Stewart, Pearland, Defensive Lineman, Oklahoma State-Commit
No. 28 - Carter Stewart, Shadow Creek, Defensive Back
No. 29 - Reilarean Phillips, Alief Elsik, Linebacker
No. 30 - Damian Horace, Conroe, Defensive Back
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No. 31 - Devan Robison, Pasadena Memorial, Offensive Lineman
No. 32 - Calvin Carter, Dekaney, Athlete
No. 33 - Cullen Thompson, Grand Oaks, Defensive End
No. 34 - Tanner West, Katy Jordan, Athlete
No. 35 - John Hebert, Strake Jesuit, Running Back
No. 36 - Samaritan Cunningham, Dekaney, Running back
No. 37 - Davis Kinney, FB Travis, Wide Receiver
No. 38 - David Brewer, FB Travis, Wide Receiver
No. 39 - Jeremy Garner, Iowa Colony, Defensive Back
No. 40 - Dionne Sims, CE King, Running Back
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No. 41 - Amonte Harris, Summer Creek, Defensive End
No. 42 - Preston Pitts, Clear Falls, Linebacker
No. 43 - Kaleb Maryland, North Shore, Quarterback
No. 44 - Jordan Burnett, Ridge Point, Offensive Lineman
No. 45 - Isaiah McMillian, Katy, Defensive Back
No. 46 - William Mayes, Tompkins, Tight End
No. 47 - Foard Polley, Stratford, Offensive Lineman
No. 48 - Mason Mixon, Randle, Tight End
No. 49 - Kyden Barker, Galveston Ball, Quarterback
No. 50 - Nicholas Tramble, Aldine Davis, Athlete
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No. 51 - Robert Haynes Jr., Ridge Point, Wide Receiver
No. 52 - Zachary Taylor, Katy Jordan, Defensive Back
No. 53 - Josiah Evans, Galveston Ball, Offensive Lineman
No. 54 - Griffin Tillis, Grand Oaks, Defensive Back
No. 55 - Romaire Smith, Ridge Point, Defensive End
No. 56 - Jarvis Spears, Cy Springs, Defensive Lineman
No. 57 - Isaiah Broughton, Cy Ridge, Defensive Lineman
No. 58 - Eddie Lartigue Jr., Klein Collins, Offensive Lineman
No. 59 - Javion Garrett, Katy Taylor, Running Back
No. 60 - Benny Okwura, Katy Jordan, Tight End
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No. 61 - Obinna Umeh, St. Thomas, Defensive End
No. 62 - Jeremiah Smith, Katy, Linebacker
No. 63 - Rodney Thomas II, Episcopal, Defensive Back
No. 64 - Malachi Augustus, Nimitz, Wide Receiver
No. 65 - Zach Johnson, Klein Cain, Quarterback
No. 66 - Ayden Combs, Cy Ranch, Linebacker
No. 67 - Devyn Phillip, Hightower, Linebacker
No. 68 - Xavier Waters, North Shore, Defensive Lineman
No. 69 - Ethan Washington, Ridge Point, Defensive Back
No. 70 - Ty Sexton, Bridgeland, Wide Receiver
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No. 71 - Derek Stevenson, St. Thomas, Wide Receiver
No. 72 - William Blaylock II, Cy Ranch, Athlete
No. 73 - Kaeden Johnson, FB Marshall, Quarterback
No. 74 - Parker Stewart, The Woodlands, Athlete
No. 75 - Jarone Bell, Shadow Creek, Defensive Back
No. 76 - Kah’ni Watts, Iowa Colony, Defensive Back
No. 77 - Marco Beltran, College Park, Defensive Back
No. 78 - Jordyn Crites, Friendswood, Defensive End
No. 79 - Mudassir Abdullah, West Columbia, Defensive Back
No. 80 - Travis Johnson, Episcopal, Linebacker
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No. 81 - Ian Hill, Iowa Colony, Wide Receiver
No. 82 - Jaeden Spelmon, Paetow, Defensive Back
No. 83 - Dazjhon Taylor, FB Marshall, Athlete
No. 84 - Aja Bradford, Lutheran South Academy, Defensive Back
No. 85 - Bryan Brooks, Cy Springs, Offensive Lineman
No. 86 - Preston Hall, Ridge Point, Linbacker
No. 87 - Malcolm Graham, FB Travis, Linebacker
No. 88 - Jaxyn Faldyn, Tomball, Quarterback
No. 89 - Dorian Barnes, North Shore, Wide Receiver
No. 90 - Jayden Johnson, Texas City, Wide Receiver
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No. 91 - Hunter McKinney, Lake Creek, Offensive Lineman
No. 92 - Preston Cloud, Grand Oaks, Wide Receiver
No. 93 - David Nwanodu, FB Hightower, Linebacker
No. 94 - Juwaan Woodbury, Galveston Ball, Wide Receiver
No. 95 - Chaz Oliver, Fort Bend Marshall, Offensive Lineman
No. 96 - Canon Toon, Second Baptist, Quarterback
No. 97 - Tremayne Hill, Katy, Running Back
No. 98 - Samuel Wright III, Paetow, Linebacker
No. 99 - Adam Vessel, Ridge Point, Defensive Back
No. 100 - Hayden Drinkard, George Ranch, Running Back