Los Angeles Rams select Georgia cornerback Derion Kendrick in 2022 NFL Draft
The Los Angeles Rams are banking on Georgia product Derion Kendrick to come in and bolster their secondary. After playing a pivotal role throughout his time in Athens — and with the Clemson Tigers prior to that — the former Bulldogs cornerback will be expected to do the same in his NFL career. That’s why the rams took him off the board in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft on Thursday night, picking him No. 212 overall.
Kendrick‘s college career was unique, beginning at Clemson in 2018, where he played for three seasons before joining the Bulldogs. Still, the defensive back was essential to the Georgia secondary. Last season, Kendrick won his second national championship but helped realize the dream of millions by bringing a championship to Georgia, helping to end a drought that spanned over 40 years as the Bulldogs defeated Alabama in the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship Game. Additionally, Kendrick helped Georgia keep star Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young at bay, holding Alabama to just 18 points in the showdown.
Most importantly to the Rams, Kendrick showed the ability to adapt quickly at Georgia. 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.
While character concerns plagued Kendrick in the past, the enticing defensive back prospect wanted NFL teams to know it was all behind him at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine.
“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.”
A former five-star recruit in the class of 2018, Kendrick was the No. 3 cornerback in the nation per the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average. The former Georgia star played his high school football at South Pointe in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Additionally, Kendrick was the No. 1 ranked recruit in South Carolina coming out of high school, and the No. 20 overall recruit in the nation, according to On3’s 2018 Consensus Top Football Recruits.
What NFL draft analysts are saying about Derion Kendrick
Furthermore, Lance Zierlein of NFL.com broke down what Derion Kendrick can bring to the NFL in his recent scout of the cornerback’s draft profile. The analyst believes there’s potential with the former Georgia defensive back, comparing Kendrick to Darius Phillips. Phillips, the No. 170 overall selection of the 2018 NFL Draft out of Western Michigan by the Cincinnati Bengals, has accumulated 73 total tackles and five interceptions over the course of his NFL career. In March, he signed a one-year deal with the Las Vegas Raiders.
“Cornerback with four years of playoff experience and two national titles under his belt,” wrote Zierlein. “Kendrick has played against some of the best wideouts in the game but has a history of struggling in some of those matchups. He lacks speed and strength to stay outside but his quickness and route recognition should help him move inside as a nickel. He’s athletic and capable underneath with excellent ball skills but can be exploited by long speed and needs safety help in those matchups. He’s unreliable as a tackler, but concerns over character and maturity appear to be a bigger issue for him.
“Talent and those concerns need to be weighed, but Kendrick has CB3/CB4 potential in the right scheme.”