Kendall Milton Bio
Kendall Daniel Milton (born February 10, 2002) is an American professional football running back for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs, where he was part of two College Football Playoff national championship teams. Milton grew up in Clovis, California, where he attended Buchanan High School before launching a college career that led to a professional opportunity as an undrafted free agent.
Standing 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighing around 229 pounds, Milton combines a powerful frame with the speed expected of a feature back. Since entering the league in 2024, he has worked to carve out a role on a Bengals roster known for offensive depth. His early professional journey has included stints on practice squads and brief appearances on active rosters, reflecting the patience required for young rushers adjusting to the pace of professional football.
Early Life and Background
Kendall Daniel Milton was born on February 10, 2002, in Clovis, California, and raised in the same Central Valley community. He attended Buchanan High School, where he became one of the most productive running backs in the region. During his senior season, Milton totaled 1,514 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns, performances that established him as one of the most sought-after high school running backs in the country.
Milton’s recruiting profile attracted national attention. 247Sports initially listed him as a five-star recruit before adjusting his rating to four stars after his commitment to Georgia, while Rivals kept him as a five-star prospect and the 29th overall player nationally. He was ranked as the top running back and seventh-best overall player from California. After weighing several elite programs, Milton selected the Georgia Bulldogs over Alabama, Ohio State, and Texas, signaling his belief in the Bulldogs’ developmental track for running backs.
Family connections also shaped his football path. Milton is the nephew of former NFL linebacker Kevin Hardy, giving him an early understanding of the demands and discipline required to play at the highest level. That family background helped reinforce a competitive mindset that fueled his high school production.
Path to Professional Football
Upon arriving at the University of Georgia, Milton earned significant playing time early in games even as a true freshman. He finished his first collegiate season with 193 rushing yards on 35 carries despite missing time after suffering an injury against rival Florida. His strong freshman finish in the Peach Bowl, paired with that production, was enough to earn All-American Freshman honors.
Milton’s role grew steadily during his Georgia career. The following season, he ran for 264 yards and a touchdown on 56 carries, and in 2022 he added 592 rushing yards and eight touchdowns before a groin injury cut his season short. He returned in 2023 with his most productive college campaign, finishing with 790 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns while helping Georgia capture another College Football Playoff national championship.
On January 1, 2024, Milton declared for the 2024 NFL Draft, closing a Georgia tenure defined by championship-level team success and individual growth as a runner. Although he went undrafted, his combination of size, vision, and championship experience kept him on professional radars heading into rookie minicamps.
Kendall Milton Career
Early Career (2024)
Milton signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent on May 3, 2024, beginning his professional career in a backfield crowded with established veterans. He spent the spring and early summer with the organization before being waived on August 27 as part of roster trimming. The brief Eagles stint provided Milton with his first exposure to a professional training camp and preseason routine.
Just two days after his release, on August 29, 2024, Milton was signed to the Cincinnati Bengals’ practice squad, offering a fresh opportunity to develop within a new offensive system. The transition from Philadelphia to Cincinnati marked the start of his ongoing professional relationship with the Bengals and gave him a stable platform to continue refining his pass protection and route-running skills.
Cincinnati Bengals Breakthrough (2024–Present)
Milton earned his first promotion to the Bengals’ active roster on November 2, 2024, signaling growing trust from the coaching staff. He was waived on November 15 before being re-signed to the practice squad on November 19, a sequence that illustrated the daily evaluation process young running backs face in the NFL. On January 2, 2025, Cincinnati signed Milton back to the active roster, giving him a runway to contribute during the closing stretch of the season and into the offseason program.
His most recent roster movement came on August 26, 2025, when the Bengals waived him as part of final roster cuts. The team re-signed him to the practice squad the following day, keeping him within the organization as a developmental option. Throughout these moves, Milton has continued to build familiarity with the Bengals’ offensive scheme while competing for a larger special teams and rotational role.
Driving Style and Strengths
Milton is a physical, downhill runner with the frame to absorb contact between the tackles and the foot quickness to press the line of scrimmage before cutting. His college tape at Georgia showcased effective use of leverage, decisive burst through small creases, and the kind of finishing power that wears down defensive fronts. As he continues to refine his pass-catching and protection responsibilities, his blend of size and acceleration gives him the profile of a short-yardage and complementary back at the professional level.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the defining moments of Milton’s career is his MVP performance in the 2023 Orange Bowl, where he rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns on only nine carries in a 63–3 rout of Florida State. That game represented the largest margin of victory in any FBS bowl game and capped Georgia’s second consecutive national championship run. Earlier, against Georgia Tech in 2023, Milton posted a career-high 156 rushing yards and two touchdowns, reinforcing his ability to deliver in rivalry settings.
Kendall Milton Career Highlights
Across his college and early professional career, Kendall Milton has built a résumé that includes two College Football Playoff national championships with Georgia and a steady climb from undrafted free agent to practice squad contributor in the NFL. While his professional statistical totals remain limited, his championship pedigree and physical tools position him as a player to watch within the Bengals’ backfield pipeline.
College Highlights
Milton finished his Georgia career with a 2023 season that featured 790 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns, including his career-best 156-yard outing against Georgia Tech and his Orange Bowl MVP performance against Florida State. He added All-American Freshman honors in 2020, even while missing significant time due to injury. Across his four college seasons, he contributed as both a power runner in short-yardage situations and a complementary piece in Georgia’s prolific rushing attack.
Professional Performances
Milton’s professional body of work is still developing, but his movement between the Eagles and Bengals organizations in 2024 demonstrated the resilience required to stay active in the NFL. He has consistently been re-signed by Cincinnati when roster spots have opened, an indication that the team values his upside as a young back.
Kendall Milton Family
Family Background and Football Lineage
Kendall Milton comes from a family with direct ties to professional football. He is the nephew of former NFL linebacker Kevin Hardy, a fact that connects him to a lineage of high-level defensive players. Growing up around that perspective gave Milton an early understanding of the work ethic and preparation required to compete at football’s highest level.
Personal Life
Milton continues to focus on his developing professional career and his connection to his hometown community in Clovis, California. His public profile centers on football, and his ongoing presence in Cincinnati reflects his commitment to earning a sustained role with the Bengals organization.
2025 Season Performance
Kendall Milton’s 2025 season has been defined by roster movement and the pursuit of stability within the Cincinnati Bengals organization. After being waived as part of the team’s final cuts on August 26, 2025, he was re-signed to the practice squad the following day, keeping him within the program as a developmental back. The decision reflects the Bengals’ continued interest in retaining his physical tools and special teams potential on the practice squad while monitoring opportunities to promote him.
As the regular season progresses, Milton’s role is expected to revolve around practice squad development and short-term call-ups when injuries open spots on the active roster. The Bengals’ running back room includes established veteran presences, making every practice rep an opportunity for Milton to demonstrate improved pass protection, route reliability, and special teams value. Each promotion offers a chance to translate offseason growth into in-game production.
Looking ahead through the remainder of 2025, Milton’s outlook centers on consistency, health, and readiness. His combination of championship experience at Georgia and his physical profile give him a foundation to build on, and his continued presence in Cincinnati suggests the organization views him as a long-term developmental project. Whether his next opportunity comes through a midseason elevation or a future training camp push, Milton remains positioned to compete for a larger role as his professional career matures.