The recruiting season for the 2025 cycle is beginning to come to an end. However, teams are desperately looking for last-second additions to their classes before the Early Signing Period beginning on December 4th, and Middle Tennessee is in that boat. They have been eyeing multiple defensive backs, but one that stands out is safety Locke Kennedy out of Battle Ground Academy in nearby Franklin.

Kennedy, who stands at 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds, has blown up due to his breakout senior campaign. He has racked up 836 all-purpose yards and 10 touchdowns, along with 48 total tackles and two interceptions, for one of the top teams in Tennessee.

The projected safety recently took an official visit to MTSU and was extremely impressed with the coaching staff and the way the program is trending under Derek Mason.

“I think what Coach Mason is doing is much different than it has been. The record may not show it, but from seeing behind the scenes and straight from him, I know the program is changing,” Kennedy said. “New facilities are being built, they’re recruiting hard in Middle Tennessee and most of the people on my official visit were from my area, so I already knew them. That really helps when trying to build a strongly bonded team.”

The Blue Raiders offered the defensive back on September 10th, but his recruitment process with Middle has heated up recently. He visited for the Duke game less than two weeks following his offer but hadn’t made it back to campus until this past weekend when he and a plethora of high-priority recruits took their official visits.

While in Murfreesboro, he was paired up with defensive coordinator Brian Stewart and secondary coach Bryce Lewis, who were with him and his family most of the weekend. Kennedy liked what he saw from the two coaches and said they kept his family comfortable and made sure they were learning about the program as well.

On the football side, both offer over 35 years of coaching, while Stewart has sent multiple defensive backs to the NFL, which caught the attention of the BGA senior.

“I love them both. They have experience coaching all over the place, and Coach Stewart has sent several DBs to the league, so I know I’d be in great hands when it comes to coaching, but also being cared for,” says Kennedy. “It means a ton for me [coaches caring about their players]; that’s a big thing I observe on visits, and I told Coach Mason that I like a staff that communicates and engages with you because that's not always a given.”

Even though the in-state recruit would only be a freshman next season, Mason told him there is an opportunity to see the field early and not have to redshirt. This stood out to the downhill safety, who said he likes to hear about getting an opportunity to play early from a head coach.

Although Kennedy has not set a commitment date, he tells GoMiddle that MTSU and Old Dominion are the top teams on his list but still has Power Four interest coming around.

The safety has a lot going for him right now, but he is still focused on his high school team, which is making a deep run in the TSSAA playoffs. They will play Franklin Road Academy (11-1) this Friday for a chance at the Division II-AA state championship in Chattanooga, which would be the team’s first appearance since 2018.