Football | 7/13/2026 2:00:00 PM

GREENSBORO – North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University has one of Division I-FCS football's best returners in senior Elijah Kennedy.

STATS Perform, one of the leading media outlets for FCS football, agrees.

STATS released its 2026 FCS Preseason All-American team on Monday. Kennedy earned second-team recognition as a punt returner, and he is one of 11 players from the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Football Conference to make one of the three teams, including Bryant's Keylijah Williams, who made third team as a kickoff returner.

Kennedy had a marvelous 2025 season after missing the 2024 season because of a severe injury. His triumphant return earned him numerous acknowledgments following the 2025 campaign.

Boxtorow listed him as an HBCU All-American as a return specialist and then gave him an honorable mention All-American nod as a punt returner. The Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) head coaches voted him first-team all-conference as a punt returner and third-team all-conference as a kickoff returner.

Additionally, FCS Preform named him a second-team All-American as a punt returner.

Kennedy returned 18 punts for 294 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged 16.1 yards per return to lead the conference and rank second nationally. He also ranked second nationally and first in the CAA in punt returns for touchdowns (2). As a kickoff returner, Kennedy returned 36 kickoffs for 705 yards and a touchdown, averaging 19.58 yards per return to rank ninth in the league.

In addition, Kennedy led the nation in combined return yards (979). He is also one of A&T's top receivers, which helped him rank seventh in the conference in all-purpose yards per game (107.92).

On September 27 at Maine University, Kennedy returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown to help the Aggies' comeback efforts, which fell short 37-30 against the Black Bears. Four weeks later, the Aggies' comeback against the Campbell Fighting Camels succeeded thanks to Kennedy. He opened his historic fourth quarter with a 96-yard punt return for a touchdown that tied the game at 21-21.

His 96-yard return tied the program record for longest punt return for a touchdown. After Campbell kicked a field goal to reclaim the lead, he returned the ensuing kickoff 85 yards for the game-winning touchdown. For his efforts, he earned CAA Special Teams Player of the Week on October 27.

A&T opens the 2026 season at 6 p.m. Saturday, August 29, at home inside Truist Stadium against the Morgan State Bears.