Arlington native Griffin Kell is living out his American Dream as the starting placekicker of the TCU Horned Frogs football team. 

Kell is a 2019 alumnus of Arlington High. During his time on the Colts football team, Kell was a second-team 6A all-state selection as a senior by the Texas Sportswriters Association and also first-team All-Tarrant County by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Kell converted 25-of-31 field-goal attempts in his career, including 13-of-16 his senior year with a career-long 50-yard effort and 97-of-99 on PATs over his final three years. He handled punting duties and trained under TCU All-America place-kicker Jaden Oberkrom.

Kell was a preferred walk-on to the Horned Frogs but later earned a scholarship. He won the starting job as placekicker his sophomore season. 

During his senior season in 2022, he helped the Horned Frogs reach the Big 12 Conference Championship Game, become Fiesta Bowl champions and reach the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. His 40-yard field goal as time expired to beat Baylor, 29-28, was one of the nation's most memorable plays of the season. It was TCU’s first game-winning field goal on the final play of regulation since 2014, when Jaden Oberkrom nailed a 37-yard kick to beat West Virginia, 31-30. Kell closed his senior season with 46 career made field goals to rank sixth all-time at TCU. His 279 career points places him fourth all-time in program history.

Kell received his bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice in May 2023. He plans to return to the Horned Frogs as a graduate student, using his extra year of eligibility granted to student-athletes by the National Collegiate Athletic Association due to the coronavirus pandemic.

To see more American Dream stories, click here.