Kenny Irons facts for kids
Irons in the 2007 Cotton Bowl Classic
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| No. 30 | |
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| Position: | Running back |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | September 15, 1983 Camden, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Weight: | 201 lb (91 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College: | Auburn |
| NFL Draft: | 2007 / Round: 2 / Pick: 49 |
| Career history | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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Kenny Irons was an American football player. He was born on September 15, 1983. Kenny played as a running back in the National Football League (NFL). The Cincinnati Bengals picked him in the second round of the 2007 NFL draft. Before playing professionally, he played college football for the Auburn Tigers.
Kenny is also the brother of David Irons. David was a cornerback for the Atlanta Falcons.
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Early Life and High School Football
Kenny Irons grew up playing football. He went to Dacula High School in Dacula, Georgia. While there, he was an amazing player. He ran for 1,985 yards and scored 19 touchdowns. His brother, David, also played on the same team.
Kenny received many awards in high school. He was named an All-American by PrepStar. He was also one of the top 25 players by Sporting News. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution put him on their Top 11 list. He was even named Gwinnett County Back of the Year. Kenny also played in the Georgia-Florida High School All-Star Game. He first decided to play college football at the University of South Carolina. Kenny has other family members who played football too. His uncles are Gerald Irons and Leroy Jackson. His cousins are Grant Irons, Jarrett Irons, and Paul Irons.
College Football Journey
Playing for South Carolina
Kenny started his college career at the University of South Carolina. He played in nine games as a freshman. He even started one game. During that season, he ran for 201 yards. He also caught four passes for 63 yards. One of his catches was a 30-yard touchdown against Mississippi State.
Transferring to Auburn
After the 2003 season, Kenny moved to Auburn University. He wanted to play with his brother again. Because of NCAA rules, Kenny could not play in games during the 2004 season. This time allowed him to learn from other great players. He learned from Cadillac Williams and Ronnie Brown. Both of them later played in the NFL.
Success at Auburn
In 2005, Kenny started the season as a backup running back. But he became the main starter after another player got hurt. This happened during a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks. Kenny played so well that he was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Week twice.
He finished the 2005 season with 1,293 rushing yards. He also scored 13 touchdowns. This was the sixth-best rushing total in Auburn history. He was ranked among famous players like Bo Jackson and Cadillac Williams. At the end of the season, Kenny was chosen for the All-SEC First-team. This was decided by both coaches and the Associated Press.
In 2006, Kenny broke his index finger early in the season. Despite the injury, he still played well. He ran for 941 yards and scored 4 touchdowns that year.
Becoming a Pro Football Player
Getting Ready for the NFL
After his senior year at Auburn, Kenny worked hard. He wanted to get ready for the 2007 NFL draft. He and his brother David hired the same agent. They trained together. They also traveled to important events together. These included the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine. At the Combine, Kenny showed his speed. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.45 seconds. He also had a 38-inch vertical leap.
Playing for the Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals picked Kenny Irons in the second round of the 2007 NFL draft. He was the 49th player chosen overall.
Sadly, during his first preseason game, Kenny got hurt. It was against the Detroit Lions on August 9. He tore a ligament in his knee. This injury meant he could not play for his entire rookie season. Everyone hoped he would recover fully. He was expected to be ready for workouts the next spring. Kenny said he thought he would be ready for training camp in July 2008. However, the Bengals later decided to release him from the team.
