2021 NFL Draft: 5 prospects to watch in Clemson-Wake Forest

Derion Kendrick

The Clemson Tigers have long been churning out wide receivers in the NFL Draft, and lately, it’s been the secondary. Just this past April, we saw two Tigers defensive backs (Isaiah Simmons and A.J. Terrell) go in the first round, with K’Von Wallace getting drafted on day three.

There’s a new name in town for the 2021 NFL Draft, and his name is Derion Kendrick. Kendrick initially came to Clemson as a wide receiver, but shifted to corner in his sophomore season. As a sophomore, he still played in 13 games despite Simmons, Wallace, and Terrell roaming the secondary. He registered 43 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, and a forced fumble. Now, in 2020, he has a chance to shine.

Kendrick has the receiver background to help him at corner. His ball skills and route recognition are strong points in his game. As he’s new to the position, Kendrick is prone to making mistakes. However, he’s proven to be coachable and will continue to learn the position as he goes along.

It would’ve been nice to see him go up against Sage Surratt in this game, but since Surratt opted out, he will have a chance to lock down underclassmen at the position and take advantage of a new quarterback taking over for Jamie Newman.