- Nationality
- United States
- Position
- ILB, ST
- Height
- 6'1"
- Weight
- 246
- Birthday
- 5/10/1983
- Hometown
- Strongsville, OH
- High School
- St. Ignatius
- Current Team
- Ohio State
- Seasons
- 2004, 2005, 2006
Post-OSU Update: John Kerr was not selected in the 2007 NFL Draft, but he did spend some time in camp with the Minnesota Vikings. After football, Kerr has worked in sales. (updated: Mar. 2023)
Major: Consumer Affairs (2006), Exploring (2004-05)
Weight: 233 (2006), 246 (2004-05)
2006 Media Guide: The probable starter at mike linebacker, replacing graduated Anthony Schlegel … did not see any action with the Buckeyes in 2004 and only limited playing time in 2005 behind Ohio State’s trio of outstanding linebackers – Schlegel, All-American A.J. Hawk and Bobby Carpenter … played a total of 31 minutes last year with most of the time coming with the special teams … finished the 2005 season with 14 tackles … is an aggressive, tough football player, who has been anxiously awaiting his turn to step into the starting lineup at Ohio State … that turn should come this year … counting Indiana and Ohio State, he has played 24 games with 12 starts and has 128 tackles to his credit … played well in the spring and gave signs of being a leader on an otherwise young linebacker corps.
2005: Played in all 12 games … longest stint by far was 10 minutes against Miami in the season opener … had three games with three tackles – Miami, Indiana and Northwestern.
2005 Media Guide: Did not play last year so hopes to get back into the swing of things this year after a two-year layoff … heads into the fall as a backup to All-American A.J. Hawk on the outside … is a good athlete and will factor in with the special teams … not permitted to receive an athletic scholarship at Ohio State since he transferred in from another Big Ten school, so he is paying his own way … is an aggressive, hard-nosed football player … there was some talk of moving him to fullback, but that dialogue seems to have run its course.
2004: Was a member of the special teams but did not see any game action.
2004 Media Guide: John Kerr began his career at Indiana where he starred as a freshman in 2002 … transferred to Ohio State following his rookie campaign in Bloomington … sat out the 2003 season while serving a year-in-residence requirement under NCAA transfer rules … Big Ten rules prohibit Ohio State from granting him a scholarship so he is paying his own way to play for the Buckeyes … enters the fall vying for time at the middle linebacker spot … aggressive, nose-to-the-ball type player … will have three years of eligibility at Ohio State.
2003: Did not play while satisfying NCAA transfer rules while in Columbus … worked out and practiced with the Buckeyes.
2002: Led Indiana in tackles with 114 (75 solo, 39 assisted) … the only Hoosier freshman to start all 12 games (first two at outside linebacker and last 10 at middle linebacker) … led all Big Ten freshmen in tackles overall and in league games … was the team’s leading tackler in four games, including Ohio State when he recorded 10 … followed that effort with a career-high 13-tackle performance in a come-from-behind 32-29 triumph over eventual Alamo Bowl champion Wisconsin … matched his career-high 13 tackles against Penn State and also recorded his first career interception in that game … other double digit tackle efforts included 12 each at Illinois, at Purdue and at Utah … made nine tackles against Iowa and had eight stops each at Kentucky, against Central Michigan and against Michigan State.
High School: Recorded 230 tackles and 17 sacks helping St. Ignatius to the state title … two-time all-state selection, Cuyahoga County Player-of-the-Year … member of the North/South All-Star squad … Sports Illustrated Honorable Mention All-American … All-Midwest Region by Prep Star … Ohio Defensive Player-of-the-Year.
Personal: Is the son of Bill and Susan Kerr … has four siblings, Bill, Luke (played football at Bowling Green), Josh and Katie … biggest risk he has taken to date was leaving Indiana for Ohio State … if he were not playing football, might be found playing baseball for the Buckeyes … hopes to travel to Cancun someday … favorite president is Ronald Reagan.
Defense
Season | Team | G | GS | Tkl | Solo | Asst | TFL | TFL Yds | Sacks | Sack Yds | FF | FR | Int | Int Yds | PBU | Blk | Def TD |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2005 | Ohio State | 12 | 0 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2006 | Ohio State | 11 | NA | 26 | 7 | 19 | 1.5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Total | - | 23 | NA | 40 | 14 | 26 | 1.5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |