Clemson football CB Derion Kendrick has an opportunity to be an NFL-caliber defensive back before his career as a Tiger is said and done.
The Clemson football coaching staff made a move this spring that changed the course of the Tiger defense for the next couple of seasons.
With injuries in the defensive backfield, the Tigers moved Derion Kendrick from wide receiver to cornerback just to help with depth purposes. Kendrick wasn’t expected to remain in the secondary, but just to be a body for Clemson football to run through drills and such as they went through spring practice.
To the surprise of many, he emerged as one of the top cornerbacks on the team in very little time. Kendrick didn’t just perform well, he was consistently one of the best at the position, earning a starting position.
Even after he missed the majority of fall camp with an injury, Kendrick was still listed as the starter at cornerback opposite side of AJ Terrell. That’s how much the coaching staff fell in love with him at the position.
During the Georgia Tech game, we didn’t get to see that much of Kendrick.
The Yellow Jackets didn’t attempt to pass the ball all that often and Kendrick wasn’t tested at the position. He’s going to be tested as the season goes along, but it’s clear that the sophomore is ready for the challenge.
Derion Kendrick has the athleticism to keep up with any wide receiver that is positioned in front of him. He is taller than a lot of cornerbacks in the nation and that gives him a little bit of an upper hand compared to many other defensive backs across the nation.
Kendrick still has to prove that he can be physical, but all the attributes are there for him not only to be a serviceable cornerback for Clemson football during the 2019 season, but for him to develop into a future NFL Draft pick at the position.
The potential is there. The talent is there. Now, it’s just about working out the kinks and becoming the best defensive back that he can be.