Kendall Langford
Encyclopedia
Kendall Arkel Langford is an American football
defensive end
for the Miami Dolphins
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Dolphins in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Hampton.
at Petersburg (Va.) High School
. He was earned First-Team All-District honors as a junior in 2002, as well as First-Team All-District, Second-Team All-Metro and Second-Team All-Region honors as a senior.
at Hampton University
, where he was a four-year letterman from 2004 to 2007. He was also recruited by Virginia
, Virginia Tech
, Morgan State
as well as other Division I-AA schools.
In 12 games (three starts) for the Pirates as a freshman in 2004, Langford earned Freshman all-America
n honors after recording 44 tackles (15 solo), 11.5 tackles for a loss, 4.5 sacks, seven quarterback pressures, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. In a game against South Carolina State, he recovered a fumble and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown
.
As a sophomore in 2005, Langford started all 12 games for the Pirates at left defensive end
. On the season he recorded 65 tackles (31 solo), 15.5 tackles for a loss, 4.5 sacks, 12 quarterback pressures, three forced fumbles, two blocked kicks and two passes defensed. For his efforts, Langford earned first-team All-MEAC
honors. He earned MEAC Defensive Player of the Week honors in a game against Delaware State after racking up nine tackles (four solo), five tackles for a loss and three sacks.
Lanford earned first-team All-MEAC honors for the second consecutive season as a junior in 2005. He started all 12 games for the Pirates at left defensive end, recording 55 tackles (32 solo), 16 tackles for a loss, 8.5 sacks, eight quarterback pressures, two forced fumbles, a blocked kick and a pass defensed. His tackle total led the Pirates' defensive lineman, while his sack total ranked third in the MEAC.
During his senior season at Hampton in 2007, Langford led the team with 72 tackles (32 solo) on his way to his third straight first-team All-MEAC selection. He also recorded 13.5 tackles for a loss, six sacks, 12 quarterback pressures, two forced fumbles, a blocked kick and a pass defensed. In a game against North Carolina A&T, Langford intercepted a Shelton Morgan pass and returned it 22 yards for his second career touchdown. Following his senior season, he appeared in the East-West Shrine Game
and 2008 Senior Bowl
.
After playing in 47 games for Hampton, Langford finished his collegiate career with 236 tackles (110 solo), 56.5 tackles for a loss, 23.5 sacks, 39 quarterback pressures, nine force fumbles, a fumble recovery, five pass deflections, an interception, five blocked kicks and two touchdowns.
, Miami Dolphins
, Minnesota Vikings
, Pittsburgh Steelers
and St. Louis Rams
.
Langford appears to have a knack for blocking kicks. He blocked four during his career at Hampton.
Combine Results: 40-yard dash 4.95; 20-yard shuttle 4.69; 20-yard dash 2.84; 3-cone 7.72; Bench Press 24 reps; Vertical Jump 27"
in the third round (66th overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft
. He was the second of three defensive lineman taken by the Dolphins in the draft, following Phillip Merling
and preceding Lionel Dotson
. He was projected as a defensive end
in the Dolphins' 3-4 defense. Negotiations between the Dolphins and Langford's agent took place in June and lasted until he was signed to a multi-year deal on July 11.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
for the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted by the Dolphins in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft
2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft; the NFL Network also broadcast the event, its third year doing so...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Hampton.
Early years
Langford attended and played high school footballHigh school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
at Petersburg (Va.) High School
Petersburg High School (Virginia)
Petersburg High School is located in Petersburg, Virginia.Petersburg High School is located on Johnson Road in Petersburg, Va. The new school combined the old Petersburg High School on Washington Street and the old Peabody High School on Wesley Street.Petersburg High School opened the current...
. He was earned First-Team All-District honors as a junior in 2002, as well as First-Team All-District, Second-Team All-Metro and Second-Team All-Region honors as a senior.
College career
Langford then attended and played college footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Hampton University
Hampton University
Hampton University is a historically black university located in Hampton, Virginia, United States. It was founded by black and white leaders of the American Missionary Association after the American Civil War to provide education to freedmen.-History:...
, where he was a four-year letterman from 2004 to 2007. He was also recruited by Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
, Virginia Tech
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, popularly known as Virginia Tech , is a public land-grant university with the main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia with other research and educational centers throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and internationally.Founded in...
, Morgan State
Morgan State University
Morgan State University, formerly Centenary Biblical Institute , Morgan College and Morgan State College , is a historically black college in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Morgan is Maryland's designated public urban university and the largest HBCU in the state of Maryland...
as well as other Division I-AA schools.
In 12 games (three starts) for the Pirates as a freshman in 2004, Langford earned Freshman all-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n honors after recording 44 tackles (15 solo), 11.5 tackles for a loss, 4.5 sacks, seven quarterback pressures, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. In a game against South Carolina State, he recovered a fumble and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
.
As a sophomore in 2005, Langford started all 12 games for the Pirates at left defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
. On the season he recorded 65 tackles (31 solo), 15.5 tackles for a loss, 4.5 sacks, 12 quarterback pressures, three forced fumbles, two blocked kicks and two passes defensed. For his efforts, Langford earned first-team All-MEAC
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference is a collegiate athletic conference of historically black colleges and universities in the Southeastern United States...
honors. He earned MEAC Defensive Player of the Week honors in a game against Delaware State after racking up nine tackles (four solo), five tackles for a loss and three sacks.
Lanford earned first-team All-MEAC honors for the second consecutive season as a junior in 2005. He started all 12 games for the Pirates at left defensive end, recording 55 tackles (32 solo), 16 tackles for a loss, 8.5 sacks, eight quarterback pressures, two forced fumbles, a blocked kick and a pass defensed. His tackle total led the Pirates' defensive lineman, while his sack total ranked third in the MEAC.
During his senior season at Hampton in 2007, Langford led the team with 72 tackles (32 solo) on his way to his third straight first-team All-MEAC selection. He also recorded 13.5 tackles for a loss, six sacks, 12 quarterback pressures, two forced fumbles, a blocked kick and a pass defensed. In a game against North Carolina A&T, Langford intercepted a Shelton Morgan pass and returned it 22 yards for his second career touchdown. Following his senior season, he appeared in the East-West Shrine Game
East-West Shrine Game
The East–West Shrine Game is an annual post-season college football all-star game played each January since 1925. The game is sponsored by the fraternal group Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and the net proceeds are earmarked to some of the Shrine's charitable works, most notably the Shriners...
and 2008 Senior Bowl
2008 Senior Bowl
The 2008 Under Armour Senior Bowl was a college football exhibition game featuring players from the 2007 college football season and prospects in the 2008 NFL Draft. It was played on January 26, 2008 at 3 p.m. EST at Ladd Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama...
.
After playing in 47 games for Hampton, Langford finished his collegiate career with 236 tackles (110 solo), 56.5 tackles for a loss, 23.5 sacks, 39 quarterback pressures, nine force fumbles, a fumble recovery, five pass deflections, an interception, five blocked kicks and two touchdowns.
Statistics
| Career Statistics | |||||||||||
| Tackles | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | G | Total | Solo | Ast | TFL | Sck | FF | FR | INT | PD | TD |
| 2004 | 12 | 44 | 15 | 29 | 11.5 | 4.5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2005 | 12 | 65 | 31 | 34 | 15.5 | 4.5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2006 | 12 | 55 | 32 | 23 | 16 | 8.5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2007 | 11 | 72 | 32 | 40 | 13.5 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 47 | 236 | 110 | 126 | 56.5 | 23.5 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2 |
Pre-draft
Following an invitation to the NFL Scouting Combine in February 2008, Langford scheduled private workouts with the Detroit LionsDetroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
, Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
, Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
and St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
.
Langford appears to have a knack for blocking kicks. He blocked four during his career at Hampton.
Combine Results: 40-yard dash 4.95; 20-yard shuttle 4.69; 20-yard dash 2.84; 3-cone 7.72; Bench Press 24 reps; Vertical Jump 27"
Miami Dolphins
Langford was drafted by the Miami DolphinsMiami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the third round (66th overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft
2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft; the NFL Network also broadcast the event, its third year doing so...
. He was the second of three defensive lineman taken by the Dolphins in the draft, following Phillip Merling
Phillip Merling
Phillip Blaine Merling is an American football defensive end for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dolphins in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Clemson.-Early years:Played tight end and defensive end at Fork Union...
and preceding Lionel Dotson
Lionel Dotson
Lionel Eugene Dotson, Jr. is an American football defensive end for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
. He was projected as a defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
in the Dolphins' 3-4 defense. Negotiations between the Dolphins and Langford's agent took place in June and lasted until he was signed to a multi-year deal on July 11.