ANNAPOLIS, Md.--Navy senior quarterback Keenan Reynolds was selected in the sixth round of the NFL draft on Saturday by the Baltimore Ravens. It is the second-consecutive year that Navy has had a player drafted. Last year, long snapper Joe Cardona was drafted in the fifth round by the New England Patriots. Reynolds is just the 16th Naval Academy player to be drafted and just the fifth to go in the top seven rounds.
“This is a great day for Keenan, his family and the Navy Football Brotherhood,” said Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo. “Keenan is one of the greatest players in Navy Football history and we are all thrilled he’s going to one of the best organizations in the NFL in the Baltimore Ravens.”
“Keenan Reynolds has been the best player in college football over the last four years and I’m thrilled that he is getting the opportunity that he deserves,” said Navy offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Ivin Jasper. “He is one of the smartest football players I’ve ever been around and I expect him to do very well.”
Reynolds finished his Navy career with a 32-13 record, which are the most wins in school history by a quarterback. He finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting this year and was named a Third-Team All-American by the Associated Press. He was named the winner of the Sullivan Award, which is given to the nation’s top amateur athlete.
Reynolds led Navy to a school record 11 wins against just two losses in 2015, which included wins over Air Force and Army to win the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy and a victory over Pitt to win the Military Bowl. The Mids also won the Lambert Trophy, which signifies the best team in the East, for the first time since 1963 and finished the year ranked 18th in the country in both the Associated Press and Coaches poll
Reynolds was 7-1 in Service Academy games, including a 4-0 mark against Army. He is the only quarterback in the history of the Army-Navy game to win four games. His seven career touchdowns scored are the most in the history of the Army-Navy game.
Reynolds scored 88 touchdowns in his career, which are the most rushing touchdowns in Division I history and the most total touchdowns in FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) history. Ironically, the man that is second to Reynolds with 87 career touchdowns is Louisiana Tech’s Kenneth Dixon, who was also drafted by the Ravens.
Reynolds scored three or more touchdowns in a game 17 times in his career, the most in FBS history. He is the first player in FBS history to score 23 or more rushing touchdowns in a season three different times. His 530 career points scored are the most in FBS history.
His 4,559 career rushing yards are the most in FBS history by a quarterback and the most in school history by any player. He is just the sixth player in FBS history to rush and pass for 4,000 yards in a career. His 22 career 100-yard rushing games are the most in school history.
Reynolds also set the school record for passing touchdowns with 31, while throwing just eight interceptions in 462 career attempts giving him the lowest interception percentage in school history.
On Feb. 28 he became just the fourth player in school history and the first as a current midshipman to have his number retired (#19).
Reynolds' teammate, senior fullback Chris Swain, has agreed to terms with the San Diego Chargers as a free agent.
"I am very excited about the opportunity that the Chargers are giving me and I fully intend to take advantage of it,” said Swain. “San Diego is a great organization located in a Navy team in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I can’t think of a better place to be.”
"What a great day for the Navy Football program and the Brotherhood to have Keenan drafted and for Chris to sign as a free agent,” said Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo.