Yes, Derion Kendrick is working at DB for Clemson. But how much, and for how long?
It is no secret that Clemson sophomore Derion Kendrick has been working at cornerback some this spring. What may be surprising to some is that the move appears to be more than just a short-term experiment.
Tigers coach Dabo Swinney said on Monday that the former five-star receiver was impressive on defense during a scrimmage earlier this month and added that Clemson is “continuing to rep (Kendrick) a little bit there. And we’ll cross train him probably the rest of the spring.”
However, sophomore cornerback Mario Goodrich added that Kendrick has “been repping all defense” for the past several practices and appears to be a natural at the position.
“He’s gonna help us for sure, if we need him. We probably will need him depending on what takes place. We never know,” Goodrich said. “Anything could happen, but he’ll definitely be able to help us in the secondary.”
Kendrick played in all 15 games last season, catching 15 passes for 210 yards in a reserve role. He was expected to be an even bigger part of Clemson’s offense in 2019 with Hunter Renfrow graduating.
Instead, Kendrick may end up making a big impact on defense as he competes for a starting spot opposite junior A.J. Terrell.
“Right now he’s playing off of straight up athleticism. He’s just straight ballin’. He’s just got to learn the playbook some more, get some more coaches’ trust and he’ll be straight,” Terrell said. “It doesn’t look like it’s his first time playing DB. He looks pretty good.”
Kendrick was originally moved to cornerback due to injuries as sophomores Kyler McMichael and Goodrich were banged up early on in the spring. But he has impressed enough that he may have found a new home on the defensive side of the ball.
Kendrick has a little bit of experience playing in the secondary as he spent some time at safety during his high school career. Still, he played primarily quarterback and receiver at South Pointe High in Rock Hill, and he is learning on the fly at cornerback.
It remains to be seen if Clemson starting receiver Amari Rodgers going down with an ACL injury could lead to Kendrick switching back to offense down the road.
“DK had experience in the slot position right before he went over to DB. I could see him coming back,” senior receiver Diondre Overton said. “He’s been working a lot of defense. He kind of went back and forth a little bit but now I think he’s kind of on the defensive side because our defense needs a little bit of help at DB.”
What: Clemson Spring Football Game
When: Saturday, April 6 at 2:30 p.m.
Where: Memorial Stadium in Clemson
Admission: Free
TV: ESPN2