Howard’s Gallop not thinking about potential pro future

Through four years at Howard, defensive back Kenny Gallop Jr., has racked up a number of accolades, all leading to a big decision coming this offseason.

Will the former HBCU All-American and MEAC All-Conference nominee leave for the NFL?

At 6-1, 214, Gallop has good size for the next level. While he says that isn’t a thought yet, he acknowledges that it will be a decision he has to think about after this season.

“I thought about it at the beginning of the season,” Gallop said of his potential pro prospects. “Right now,  I’m trying to make that decision in the future. I want to go one week at a time, y main goal is to win a championship and win the Celebration Bowl. That’s the number one focus.”

After feeling like he was under-recruited coming out of Churchland High School in Portsmouth, Va., Gallop thinks the accolades he has earned have validated him, but as he still holds a grudge against other MEAC schools that didn’t recruit him.

One of those is Norfolk State, a school right in Gallop’s backyard, located within 30 minutes of his high school.

In a recent game against the Spartans, Gallop recorded 11 tackles, a tackle for loss, half a sack and am interception.

In his career, Gallop, who has played in 28 games so far, has 224 tickles, eight TFL and 1.5 sacks both of his career interceptions have come this season, along with a ford fumble and a fumble recovery.

Getting in the backfield is something Gallop has been able to add to his skill set in the few seasons, with two TFL in 2021 and 2022 and a career high four so far this season.

“In high school I was put  on the best receiver so I wasn’t blitzing as much,” he said. “Now, they have me moving around more at Hoard, blitzing and covering. I’m blitzing way more so it gave me the opportunity to get more sacks and TFL.”

At 4-4 and 2-0 in MEAC play with three conference foes left, the Celebration Bowl is still possible for Gallop and the Bison.

Gallop sys the key to him playing so well is his mindset, a mindset many NFL coaches would love to have on their team.

“I stay humble and watch film,” he said. “I put in the hard work and when the hard work pays off, it’s a good feeling. I don’t get into being the center of the defense because everyone has a job, we depend on everyone. It feels good to see the hard work pay off on Saturday, though.”

In the era of the portal, a lot of players who show potential at the FCS level find themselves moving up to FBS, but that isn’t for Gallop, who has stayed at Howard, due in part to a promise to his mom.

“I told my mom I was going to graduate and get a degree from Howard University,” he said. “It’s a 40-year decision, not a four year decision.”