Photo: Terrance Bell, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons²

Kyle Dugger

Safety, Cincinnati Bengals · #29.

Player facts

Team: Cincinnati Bengals
Position: Safety
Number: 29
Born: Mar 22, 1996 (age 30)
Birthplace: Decatur, GA, USA
Height: 6' 1"
Weight: 216 lbs
College: Lenoir Rhyne
Experience: 7 seasons
Status: Active

Stats

2026 Defense

	TOT	SOLO	AST	SACK	FF	FR	YDS	INT	YDS	AVG	TD	LNG	PD	STF	STFYDS	KB
Regular Season	10	5	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	1	0.5	0	0
Career	493	323	170	4.5	3	2	59	11	263	23.9	3	73	30	28	42	0

Recent games

			Tackles				Fumbles		Interceptions
Date	Opponent	Result	TOT	SOLO	AST	SACK	FF	FR	INT	YDS	AVG	TD	LNG	PD	KB
Sun, Sep 27	@ PIT	L 30-27	8	4	4	0	0	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	1	0
Sun, Sep 20	@ HOU	W 20-6	2	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0
Sun, Sep 13	vs TB	W 33-27	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0

Last 3 games. Click a game for its box score.

About

Kyle Dugger (born March 22, 1996) is an American professional football safety for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Lenoir–Rhyne Bears and was selected by the New England Patriots in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft. Dugger also made history as the highest drafted Division II football player ever selected in the NFL Draft, going No. 37 overall in 2020.

From Wikipedia’s article on Kyle Dugger, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.¹

Background

Early life

Dugger primarily played basketball at Whitewater High School in Fayetteville, Georgia. Dugger did not start on the football team until his senior year. Lenoir–Rhyne, an NCAA Division II program in North Carolina, was one of three schools that offered Dugger, along with NCAA Division III member Berry College and NAIA member Reinhardt University.

College career

After redshirting his freshman year, Dugger became an immediate starter in the Bears secondary his redshirt freshman year. He played cornerback during his redshirt freshman season but switched to safety before his sophomore season, which he also redshirted due to a meniscus injury. He recorded three interceptions and three fumble recoveries during his junior season.

Dugger utilized his athleticism during his senior year, at one point returning two punts for touchdowns within a seven-minute span against Virginia–Wise. For his play in his senior season, Dugger was awarded the Cliff Harris Award in 2019, given to the best small-school defensive player. Dugger also participated in the 2020 Senior Bowl, where scouts praised his field instincts.

Scouts praised Dugger for his speed on the field, projecting him at either safety, cornerback or returner in the NFL.

From Wikipedia’s article on Kyle Dugger, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article.¹