Though Derion Kendrick was recruited to the Clemson football program as a wide receiver, he could make a living as a cornerback.
Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney made the decision to let Derion Kendrick try out cornerback during the spring as a result of several injuries at the position.
The Tigers were thin and were in need of a body to fill space. Little did they know that Kendrick would outperform expectations and potentially find a home at cornerback.
Following the last practice of the spring, Clemson football defensive coordinator Brent Venables told the media that Kendrick would be a starter at cornerback if the season started today. That’s high praise for a guy that just picked up the position a few weeks ago.
With the amount of pure athleticism that Kendrick possesses, there’s a good chance we see him stay at cornerback through the summer and into fall camp when the coaches reconvene with the players for practice.
The Tigers do have 5-star Andrew Booth arriving on campus in the summer, as well as Kyler McMichael and Mario Goodrich, who were both 4-stars in last year’s class. Top that off with AJ Terrell and freshman Sheridan Jones and you can see that the cornerback position is not lacking talent.
However, Kendrick continues to impress.
Kendrick could play any position and have success because he is a competitor and a play-maker. In my opinion, we’re going to see him play both sides of the ball, as well as punt returner in the fall.
The coaches want the ball to be in his hands because he can make plays, but they also clearly like what they saw from him on the defensive side of the ball.
Having another lockdown cornerback like Kendrick would be a big asset for the Tigers defensively. It would free up other guys in the secondary and allow that defense to be a bit stronger in the passing game as it tries to replace all that talent from last season.
One thing’s for sure: If Derion Kendrick moves back over to wide receiver, he’s going to be drafted. If Kendrick stays at cornerback, he will be drafted as well.