Derion Kendrick owns up to his off the field problems at the NFL Combine
Derion Kendrick has immense ability as a defensive back. However, despite his impressive athleticism, the former Georgia defensive back had an uneven collegiate career.
Kendrick ended his time on top, a national champion with the Bulldogs. But his road to a championship was paved with hard times. Prior to joining Georgia via the transfer portal in 2021, Kendrick was dismissed from the Clemson Tigers by coach Dabo Swinney.
Swinney was always complementary of Kendrick, even stating “I love DK” when asked about his dismissal. However, it wasn’t working at Clemson for the star athlete.
A bevy of speculation ensued, but it was believed to be a communication issue that led to Kendrick leaving the Tigers. Nevertheless, it worked out for the defensive back in the end. At the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine, Kendrick owned up to his off-field problems that plagued his collegiate career.
“You know, teams are looking for the best,” stated Kendrick. “Off the field, mostly, so they don’t have to worry about you getting in trouble, and stuff like that. So yes sir, it has come up. And you know, I own up to my mistakes.”
Additionally, Kendrick stated he wants to show NFL teams that all his troubles are in the past, and he’s learned from everything that’s happened.
“Just to show them, you know, all that stuff is behind me,” stated Kendrick. “I made some bad decisions. Stuff like that. But just growing up as a person. Maturity wise. You know, communicating with my coaches over time. That’s some things I had to work on.”
As you can see, Derion Kendrick sounds like an athlete who’s matured through the process. It’ll be interesting to follow his journey at the NFL beckons for the former Clemson and Georgia star athlete.
More on Derion Kendrick, 2022 NFL Scouting Combine
Moreover, as part of the 2018 recruiting class, Derion Kendrick began his collegiate career in the ACC with Clemson. He played in 43 games for the Tigers, totaling 63 tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack, three interceptions, 11 passes defended, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble, and two touchdowns.
Kendrick was a highly-touted recruit in 2018. The star athlete was rated as a five-star prospect and a top 25 national recruit, in addition to being the third overall cornerback and top player out of South Carolina, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.
Last season, Kendrick played a major role in Georgia’s secondary. In 15 games, he totaled 41 tackles, two tackles for loss, four interceptions, and three passes defended. Two of his interceptions this season came in Georgia’s College Football Playoff semifinal victory over Michigan.
With Georgia’s national title this season and Clemson’s in 2018, Kendrick has been a part of two championship-winning programs in his collegiate career, which will give him great experience as he begins the next steps in his career.