Strengths and Weaknesses in Derion Kendrick's Game
Georgia Football fixed one of its biggest issues a couple of weeks ago when it signed cornerback Derion Kendrick from the transfer portal.
Kendrick was a two-year starter at cornerback for Clemson, earning All-ACC honors in 2019 and 2020. He brings a heap of big-game experience to a position Georgia had zero experienced starters at. Here's a quick rundown of Kendrick's strengths and weaknesses as a cornerback.
Strengths
Sticks to receivers like glue
When it comes to pass coverage, Kendrick is one of the best players in the nation. Receivers can't just escape him downfield. Kendrick stays on top of every route and remains stuck to receivers when they break away from their routes.
Aggressive blitzer
Kendrick shows no fear when blitzing quarterbacks. He will pop any blocker to get inside the pocket, and he relentlessly pursues quarterbacks. Which makes his weakness kind of confusing...
Weaknesses
Timid against the run
Kendrick has one noticeable weakness: his aggression as a blitzer doesn't translate to the running game. He doesn't seem ready to stop a running back one-on-one in the open field, as a result, he puts himself out of position very often.
Clemson's opponents certainly noticed that and made running towards Kendrick part of the game plan. Georgia will make developing Kendrick's run defense a priority this fall.
For a more detailed breakdown of Kendrick's game, check out Brooks Austin's full review of Kendrick on YouTube.
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