Manny Diaz praises 2021 safety signee Kamren Kinchens for high football IQ

Kamren Kinchens with five-star safety James Williams adds to the deepest position in the Miami football program as part of the 2021 signing class for Miami. Kinchens is one of nine early enrollees for Miami in 2021. Head coach Manny Diaz praised Kinchens as a team player Miami needs for the future.

Kinchens is the 330th ranked player, 23rd ranked safety and 52nd ranked player in the Class of 2021. Kinchens is the 12th ranked signee for Miami in 2021. The four star-safety is the sixth-ranked defensive player to sign with Miami in 2021.

Kinchens will join a safety group that includes Bubba Bolden, potentially Amari Carter, Gurvan Hall and 2020 signees, Brian Balom, Jalen Harrell, Keshaun Washington and Avantae Williams who sat out last season with a medical issue.

With nine scholarship safeties on the roster, Miami could move one of them to linebacker or far more likely, striker. Miami has only six scholarship cornerbacks on the roster. If one of the Hurricanes CBs is hurt a move there could occur. Kinchens will likely be a contributor on special teams in 2021.

Kinchens could be considered for a redshirt season this fall. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald quoted head coach Manny Diaz about Kinchens and the other Miami early enrollees. Enrolling early, Kinchens gives himself a chance to work with new defensive backs coach Travaris Robinson and learn the Miami defense.

"“An outstanding talent at safety, great instincts, and a heartbeat guy. One of those guys who knows everybody’s job on defense. Off-the-charts football IQ, very similar to some of the players we’ve had great success with from Dade County here in the past.Certain guys just understand how to play the top of the building up there at safety and Kamren has always had a great ability to do that.”"

Kinchens previously had a relationship with Robinson when he was the defensive coordinator at South Carolina before being released following the 2020 season. Robinson will coach safeties and oversee the entire secondary with Demarcus VanDyke coaching CBs. Kinchens will have a lot of competition at safety in the future.

Kinchens is one of six safeties Miami has signed in the last two classes. Manny Diaz described Kinchens as a big hitter who is instinctive in coverage. At 5’11 203 pounds, Kinchens has the bulk to be ready to play as a freshman. How much time Kinchens is able to earn will depend on how he competes this spring and in training camp.