AJ Kirk | #21BuiltStrong
AJ KIRK
SAFETY | 6-1 | 190Columbus, Ohio | Archbishop Hoban HS
HIGH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL DATA: Rated a four-star prospect by ESPN.com . . . ranked one of the best safety prospects in Ohio by Rivals.com (No. 2), ESPN.com (No. 2) and 247Sports (No. 3) . . . listed among the top 25 safeties in the nation by ESPN.com (No. 21) . . . named a Sports Illustrated All-American candidate . . . helped lead Archbishop Hoban High School to a perfect 11-0 record and the Division II state championship in Ohio . . . also saw action as a running back, wide receiver and kick returner for Coach Tim Tyrrell at Archbishop Hoban . . . named to the 2020 OPSWA Division II All-Ohio Second Team as a defensive back . . . ranked among the best overall players in Ohio by ESPN.com (No. 10), 247Sports (No. 27) and Rivals.com (No. 29) . . . outstanding performance in the state title game victory over Washington Massillon with three tackles for loss for 15 yards, including a 7-yard sack, as part of five tackles overall and 40 kick return yards . . . before transferring to Archbishop Hoban for his senior year, played at Dublin Coffman High School . . . brother of Mike and Dianekia Doss . . . will enroll early at Michigan State for the 2021 spring semester . . . Mike was a three-time All-American safety at Ohio State (2000-02) and played for defensive backs coach Mel Tucker for two seasons during his Buckeye career . . . Doss helped lead Ohio State to the 2002 National Championship and was named the Fiesta Bowl MVP and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year; a second-round draft pick, he played six years in the NFL (Colts, 2003-06; Vikings, 2007; Bengals, 2008) and won a Super Bowl with the Colts.
KIRK ON MICHIGAN STATE:
“I wanted to continue the Big Ten tradition that my brother paved for me, while also creating my own legacy.”
COACH TUCKER ON KIRK:
"AJ is an extremely tough, fast, physical, aggressive tackler, and he’s a disruptive and effective blitzer off the edge. I love his instincts and awareness in the box, he plays with good vision and feel, and he has a quick burst to close. He is a physical, wrap-up tackler, but he also has the athletic ability to play press-man coverage in the slot, he’s just an eraser that loves to run and hit. I coached his older brother, Mike, at Ohio State, and they have a lot of similarities."
OH ➡️ MI, welcome to the family @AJKirkJr1 #21BuiltStrong | #GoGreen pic.twitter.com/MubZxAAGm1
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 16, 2020
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 16, 2020