The path to the NFL Draft takes many courses. Most make a linear progression, playing the same position their entire career in a route through high school, college football, and ultimately into the NFL. Clemson cornerback Derion Kendrick isn’t most NFL Draft prospects, and in 2020 he has the chance to shine with the spotlight firmly on him as the leader of a revamped Tigers secondary.
For the second straight year, Clemson saw a cornerback drafted within the first 50 selections of the NFL Draft. Trayvon Mullen was a second-round pick of the then Oakland Raiders in 2019 before A.J. Terrell landed on the Atlanta Falcons as a first-round selection earlier this year. With Mullen and Terrell gone, the focus is on Kendrick as the CB1 of the Tigers.
The curious case of Clemson cornerback Derion Kendrick
It’s an unusual turn of events that finds Kendrick as potentially the third consecutive Clemson cornerback to be selected in the NFL Draft in as many years.
Kendrick has spent most of his career on the offensive side of the ball. A four-time state champion at South Pointe High School, he spent his sophomore season as a wide receiver before taking control of the team with the ball in his hands.
Related | Quarterback Charting: Is Trevor Lawrence a “generational” prospect?
A true dual-threat quarterback, Kendrick amassed 5,308 passing yards with a 59:6 touchdown to interception ratio combined with 1,682 rushing yards and 25 rushing touchdowns over his final two years at South Pointe.
Kendrick was a talented and versatile high school athlete
Not content with dominating as a quarterback, Kendrick lined up all over the field, on both sides of the ball seeing snaps at running back, wide receiver, quarterback, safety, linebacker, and cornerback.
Showcasing such natural talent, Kendrick was voted the Gatorade Player of the Year in South Carolina, and the three main recruiting sites (ESPN, 247 Sports, and Rivals) all rated him as the best player in South Carolina for the 2018 recruiting class.
Related | Farabaugh’s 4-round 2021 NFL Mock Draft
Despite starring as a quarterback during his final years in high school, Clemson already had a certain Trevor Lawrence to take the reigns under center. With clear ball catching ability, Kendrick committed to the Tigers as a wide receiver. In the video below, you can see Kendrick showcasing his ball-catching ability against one of the top 2021 NFL Draft cornerback prospects in Patrick Surtain Jr.
Tight coverage from Patrick Surtain Jr. but #Clemson signee Derion Kendrick with the great grab. pic.twitter.com/p0h7cbvwa9
— Gabe Brooks (@gabrieldbrooks) January 2, 2018
With his athleticism, explosiveness, and the aforementioned catching ability, Kendrick quickly drew comparisons within the Clemson camp to a former Tigers legend: Sammy Watkins. With limited playing time and a deep well of talent in the wide receiver room, Kendrick wouldn’t live up to Watkins’ 1,000 yard freshman season but did average similar yards per catch and rushing yard per carry figures.
In the spring of 2019, Kendrick’s college career changed course
With an injury crisis in the Clemson secondary, Kendrick took snaps on defense during spring practices. From lining up alongside the likes of Justyn Ross and Tee Higgins, he went to facing off against them. But Kendrick wasn’t just going up against those talented receivers — he was succeeding against them.
Kendrick parlayed his success in the spring to a place in the All-ACC Second Team by the end of 2019.
He logged his first pass break up against Florida State before returning his first career interception to the house for a pick-six in the same game, as you can see in the video below.
Pick 6! Too easy for Derion Kendrick! #ALLIN #MustSeeACC | @ClemsonFB @_rayshawnnn_ pic.twitter.com/JudiO7bQEb
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) October 12, 2019
Kendrick added another interception against South Carolina, the same team that he’d logged a career-high four receptions and 51 receiving yards against just a year earlier. He also made plays in big games with a pass break up in the ACC Championship Game win over Virginia and two pass breakups in the College Football Playoff win over Ohio State.
Kendrick has proven that he can make plays in the spotlight
There’s no reason to imagine that he won’t be able to do the same now. He is the leader of the Clemson secondary. The real question is whether he can follow his predecessors as an early-round selection in the NFL Draft?
Former teammate, and now NFL linebacker, Tanner Muse certainly thinks so, as he told reporters before the Fiesta Bowl clash with Ohio State.
“One on one, there’s nobody better.”
From a statistical perspective, there isn’t much to choose between Kendrick, Terrell, and Mullen. Kendrick’s five pass breakups and two interceptions from his sophomore season are well within reach of Mullen’s Clemson career statistics. Terrell has substantially more pass breakups than Kendrick, but seven of his 13 came as a freshman, whereas Kendrick lost that first year of defensive production whilst playing on offense.
Kendrick has the traits to be a successful starting cornerback in the NFL
In addition to the athleticism, explosion, and ball skills that made him such an attractive proposition as a wide receiver, Kendrick has the fiercely competitive nature that separates good cornerbacks from great cornerbacks. He also has the football intelligence that comes with having played the quarterback position.
There are obviously areas in which he needs to work on, and the National Championship defeat to LSU highlighted that he is far from a complete prospect. That game, however, won’t define any player, as evidenced by Terrell being selected with the 16th overall pick just four months after a night to forget for the Clemson cornerback.
Kendrick may have had an unlikely transition from high school quarterback to NFL Draft cornerback prospect, but one man believes in the talent that he brings to the position. South Pointe High School head coach Strait Herron knows something about great cornerbacks as current NFL Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore played the position at South Pointe.
“Honestly, I think he would be one of the best safeties or corners that we’ve ever had.”
Herron never got to see Kendrick become one of the best corners at South Pointe. Hopefully, he will have the opportunity to watch him shine in the spotlight for Clemson in 2020, as Kendrick makes his case as a 2021 NFL Draft prospect.