Sam Darnold recently declared himself for the 2018 NFL draft. The University of Southern California quarterback is coming off a rough Cotton Bowl defeat at the hands of the Ohio State University. However, he's an incredibly talented player; many have suggested he's likely to go number one overall (to the Cleveland Browns).
Darnold's draft presence has many girls in Cleveland (and other NFL cities with top five picks) wondering about his relationship status. So, does Sam Darnold have a girlfriend? Or is the future NFL QB both draft-eligible and an eligible bachelor?
Meet Claire Kirksey
Sam Darnold does indeed have a girlfriend, and her name is Claire Kirksey. Kirksey is a student at California State University- Long Beach. She's also a member of the school's Alpha Phi sorority and an ex-softball player.
Kirksey and Darnold are currently in somewhat of a distance relationship; California State University is ironically about 25 miles south of the University of Southern California. As such, she had to travel about half an hour to cheer Darnold on at all of his home games she attended. That distance only figures to grow once Darnold joins an NFL team; the teams with top-five picks are Cleveland, New York (Giants), Indianapolis and Denver (Cleveland has two). While there's no official word yet on the subject, but indications are that Kirksey will finish school at Cal State while Darnold begins his football career.
The two love birds aren't shy about their relationship on social media. Back in August of 2017, Darnold and Kirksey attended a Sam Hunt concert in Los Angeles. After the two got to meet Hunt, Kirksey boldly stated on social media that it was the best night of her entire summer. Since November of 2016, when their relationship seemingly began, Darnold and Kirksey have frequently posted pictures together on their Instagram accounts.
@PreetBharara/X
@RepBrendanBoyle/X
@twesq/Bluesky
@christopherharris/Bluesky
@evangelinewarren/X
@FrankC164/X
AMC