Javon Kinlaw


Javon Kinlaw is an American football defensive tackle for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He played college football at South Carolina, and was drafted by the 49ers in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Early years

He spent part of his childhood homeless in Washington, D.C. after immigrating from Trinidad and Tobago with his mother and two siblings. Kinlaw attended Goose Creek High School in Goose Creek, South Carolina.

College career

Kinlaw played one year at Jones County Junior College in 2016 prior to attending the University of South Carolina. In his first year at South Carolina in 2017, he played in all 13 games with 10 starts and had 20 tackles. In 2018, he started all 12 games and had 38 tackles and 4.5 sacks. Kinlaw returned to South Carolina for his senior season in 2019.

Professional career

Kinlaw was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft with the 14th overall pick. The 14th overall pick was acquired originally from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after the 49ers traded down with the first round pick they originally acquired in the DeForest Buckner trade. He signed his four-year rookie contract with the team on June 26, 2020.