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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.
Ridge Point's Avery Morcho is that guy
THE TOTAL PACKAGE: Ridge Point's Morcho is built different
Avery Morcho is the total package.
The Ridge Point offensive lineman stands an imposing 6-foot-6 and weighs in at 290 pounds. He’s crushing it in the classroom, and his athleticism has made him one of the most coveted prospects in H-Town.
But it all started with a different game.
“Basketball was my first love,” Morcho laughed. “I played until I was a sophomore but had to quit because I was losing too much weight running up and down the court. But having played since I was a kid, it gave me great footwork that I use now as an offensive lineman.”
Coach Rick LaFavers wasted no time putting Morcho to work when he started walking the halls of Fort Bend ISD’s powerhouse program.
“I’ve always been the biggest guy, and they moved me up to varsity as a freshman,” he said. “This might sound crazy, but on my very first play, I had a pancake block. I wasn’t fully developed yet… hadn’t really grown into my body. I was kind of thrown into the fire back then, but it made me who I am today.”
And who he is today? A four-star recruit with dozens of college offers.
“My first offer was from Texas Tech after my sophomore year… that gave me so much confidence,” Morcho said. “As I’ve gotten deeper in the recruiting process, I’m really looking for a great offensive line coach—someone who can get the most out of me. I’m pretty smart and would like to possibly pursue engineering as a career after football.”
For now, though, it’s all about Ridge Point football.
“This senior class is special,” he said. “I grew up going to Ridge Point games when I was in elementary school. I saw how those coaches developed great offensive and defensive linemen who went on to play in college. I knew if I just listened and put in the work, I could do it too.”
Now, it’s his turn to leave a legacy.
“Our time is almost over,” Morcho reflected. “I know the seniors are excited to go play in college, but we’re going to cherish every moment next year. It’s going to be a great season because of the brotherhood we’ve built over the years. We have great chemistry, and I love being one of the vocal leaders.”
Morcho has an official visit locked in with SMU, with more sure to fill up his calendar soon.
But before he got back to grinding, we ran him through the VYPE Combine 411 Feature. Here’s the lowdown:
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VYPE 411 with Avery Morcho
VYPE: When you’re watching football, who do you like to study?
MORCHO: Of course, the Texans. But at my position, I lock in on Trent Williams and Lane Johnson. They’re nasty and great run blockers.
VYPE: What’s your all-time favorite movie?
MORCHO: It has to be Creed.
VYPE: Favorite place to eat?
MORCHO: Wing Stop.
VYPE: Dream car?
MORCHO: A Durango 392.
VYPE: What are you streaming right now?
MORCHO:Stranger Things.
VYPE: Celebrity you’d want to take on a date?
MORCHO: Ruby Rose.
VYPE: Outside of football, what do you love to do?
MORCHO: I like playing pick-up basketball and fishing. I like being outside.