How fatherhood has changed South Carolina’s Javon Kinlaw

There always seems to be something about parenthood that sneaks up on first-timers. So much of the experience is apparent, yet when in the middle of it, it’s something different.

For South Carolina defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw, it was the diapers.

“I’ve changed a lot,” Kinlaw said, before going into some of the more colorful details most parents know well.

His daughter, Eden Amara, is four months old now. He went from a young man turning down a shot at the NFL draft to a dad and a college senior, balancing the responsibilities of a new parent and a college athlete.

But he’s doing it for her, for the most basic reasons along with the more nuanced ones.

“I’m more focused,” Kinlaw said. “I got a child to feed now. So I’m all in.”

Kinlaw committed to WIll Muschamp’s first South Carolina class, but had to spend a year in junior college, where he flirted with Alabama before eventually returning to his home state. He broke into the lineup his first year and led the Gamecocks in sacks last season, despite battling a hip injury much of the season.

But his journey this offseason has been something different.

“I feel I needed it at this point in my life right now,” Kinlaw said. “It kind of helped me mature more on and off the field.”

Not that it’s been easy.

His partner and child live in Johnsonville, South Carolina, around two hours away from Columbia.

During August camp, players often don’t leave the stadium until past 9 p.m. and have to be in by 6:30, so it hasn’t allowed him to get down there as much, save for weekends. But on that front, he has an understanding.

“My girl knows I’m working for something bigger than the both of us right now,” Kinlaw said. “I’m just trying be able to provide for my family. They understand that.”

He hasn’t brought Eden Amara around for a practice just yet. She’s a little young for it, but there’s one other reason.

“She only loves mama,” Kinlaw said, grinning. “That’s it”

His teammate, Jabari Ellis said he’s seen a different Kinlaw, a player more serious and businesslike.

He comes into his final season as the Gamecocks defender with arguably the highest expectations on the team. He made at least one preseason All-American list and several preseason All-SEC lists. His position coach, John Scott Jr., pointed out his long, 6-foot-6, 300-pound frame will likely be something NFL teams covet.

But he’s not trying to think too far ahead or reflect too much on how he got here. His coaches preach living in the moment, and he seems content to abide by that, hopeful for the future.

“I know my life is headed in the right direction,” Kinlaw said. “Got my whole life ahead of me.”

Eden Amara is a part of that, through diapers, drives to Johnsonville and everything else that will eventually surprise him as it has every other parent through history.

All that work he’ll do, it’ll be for her.

“She’s got to eat,” Kinlaw said. “She’s going to be a big girl.”

This story was originally published August 8, 2019 at 6:55 PM.