Furman looks to build upon their 6-5 season in 2021 and will aim to win their 1st SoCon championship since 2018. The Paladins have been active in the transfer portal; landing multiple graduate transfers over the past week. One of the biggest additions was former James Madison wide receiver Kyndel Dean.
Dean has spent the last five seasons at James Madison, where he has seen action in 36 games and has started over 20 games for the Dukes. In 2018 he earned a starting role and was named a HERO Sports Freshman All-American after totaling 47 receptions, 614 receiving yards, and 6 receiving touchdowns on the season. Dean was also named the VaSID Offensive Rookie of the Year and James Madison Rookie of the Year in 2018. Over the next two seasons Dean totaled 23 receptions, 308 receiving yards, and 1 receiving touchdown. He missed the fall 2021 season with an injury before announcing his transfer in March.
Furman returns 15 starters from the 2021 season, including SoCon All-American WR Joshua Harris and two-time SoCon All-American TE Ryan Miller. Miller and Harris accounted for over 50% of the receiving yards for the Paladins in the 2021 season. The Paladins added much needed experience and production in Dean as the wide receiving core was extremely young going into the 2022 season.
Dean is an excellent route runner, but can also utilize his speed to make plays in the open field and stretch the defense vertically. He was named the Central Piedmont Conference Sprinter of the Year as a senior in high school, which further exemplifies how explosive Dean is as an athlete. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound wide receiver also has the ability to win 1-on-1 matchups and does an excellent job high pointing the ball in those situations. Dean will have one year of eligibility left at Furman and should make an immediate impact during the 2022 season.
Furman will open their 2022 season against North Greenville on September 1st before traveling to face ACC powerhouse Clemson in Week 2.
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