Carlo Kemp (born January 1, 1998) is a former American football linebacker. He played professionally for the Pittsburgh Maulers of the United States Football League (USFL). He played college football at Michigan.
No. 2, 54 | |
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Position: | Linebacker |
Personal information | |
Born: | Boulder, Colorado, U.S. | January 1, 1998
Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
Weight: | 281 lb (127 kg) |
Career information | |
High school: | Fairview |
College: | Michigan |
Undrafted: | 2021 |
Career history | |
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |
Career NFL statistics | |
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR |
Kemp was a four-year letterman at Fairview High School. He was a second-team All-Conference selection as a freshman. As a sophomore, he was named to the All-State first-team. In his junior season, he recorded 66 tackles, 20 tackles-for-loss, eight sacks and 11 rushing touchdowns. Following the season he again received first-team All-Conference and first-team All-State honors. As a senior he settled into the outside linebacker position, recording 81 tackles, seven tackles-for-loss, four sacks and one blocked field goal. Following the season he again received first-team All-Conference and first-team All-State honors. He also received The Denver Post's Gold Helmet Award, as Colorado's top high school senior football player, for outstanding play, academics and citizenship.[1] He finished his career with 203 tackles, averaging 5.3 tackles per game, 14 career sacks, and one interception.[2]
Kemp was regarded as the best high school prospect out of the state of Colorado.[3] He received scholarship offers from Arizona State, Boise State, Colorado, Colorado State, Michigan, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Kansas State, Oregon, Stanford, UCLA, Washington, Washington State, Wisconsin and Wyoming.[4][5] After official visits to Colorado, Michigan and Notre Dame, he committed to play for the Michigan Wolverines on November 8, 2015.[6]
Kemp played college football for the Michigan Wolverines football team from 2016 to 2020. During his freshman season in 2016, he made his collegiate debut on September 17, 2016, in a game against Colorado.[7] During his sophomore season in 2017, he played in all 13 games. He began his career as a linebacker, then following the 2017 season, he became a defensive lineman.[8][9] During his junior season in 2018 he appeared in all 13 games, including 12 starts on the defensive line, and recorded 17 tackles.[10]
On August 21, 2019, he was named captain for the 2019 season.[11] During his senior season in 2019, he started 12 games and recorded 40 tackles, with 4.5 tackles-for-loss. Following the season he was named third-team All-Big Ten by the coaches.[12] During his fifth-year senior season in 2020 he appeared in all six games with five starts on the defensive line, and recorded 21 tackles, and three tackles-for-loss, in a season that was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[13] Following the season he was named All-Big Ten honorable mention.[14] Kemp participated in the 2021 Hula Bowl, where he was named Team Aina's Defensive MVP for the contest after he recorded four tackles in addition to a pick six.[15]
Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 ft 2+1⁄2 in (1.89 m) |
281 lb (127 kg) |
30+1⁄8 in (0.77 m) |
9+5⁄8 in (0.24 m) |
5.07 s | 1.72 s | 2.89 s | 4.57 s | 7.33 s | 28.5 in (0.72 m) |
8 ft 1 in (2.46 m) |
27 reps | |
All values from Pro Day[16] |
After going undrafted in the 2021 NFL Draft, he signed with the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent on May 2, 2021.[17][18][19] He was waived by the Packers on August 31, 2021.[20]
On December 31, 2021, Kemp was signed by the Denver Broncos to the practice squad.[21] He was released by the Broncos on January 3, 2022.[22]
On February 22, 2022, Kemp was drafted 10th overall by the Pittsburgh Maulers in the 2022 USFL draft. He led the Maulers with five sacks during the 2022 USFL season.[23][24]
On July 21, 2022, Kemp signed with the Los Angeles Chargers of the NFL.[25] He was waived on August 30, 2022, and signed to the practice squad the next day.[26][27] He signed a reserve/future contract on January 17, 2023.[28] He was waived on August 29, 2023.[29]
On December 22, 2023, Kemp signed with the Birmingham Stallions of the United States Football League (USFL).[30] He was waived by the team in March 2024.[31]
On March 13, 2024, Kemp was claimed off waivers by the Houston Roughnecks.[31] He retired on April 16, 2024.[32]
Kemp is the nephew of former Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano and Denver Broncos outside linebackers coach John Pagano.[2] He is the grandson of Sam Pagano, a Colorado Sports Hall of Fame inductee and former head coach at Boulder's Fairview High.[33]