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Clemson Tigers

Several SEC programs interested in dismissed Clemson defensive back Derion Kendrick

Michael Wayne Bratton

By Michael Wayne Bratton

Published:

Defensive back Derion Kendrick no longer has a home at Clemson but there’s a chance the former elite prospect could end up facing the Tigers in 2021.

Kendrick was named to the First-Team All-ACC team last season after starting eight of the nine games he played for Clemson but in late February, Dabo Swinney announced Kendrick was no longer a member of the team.

This was an unexpected move, as Kendrick passed on an opportunity to leave school for the 2021 NFL Draft. Kendrick was a five-star prospect in high school, the No. 26 player in the country, the No. 4 wide receiver and the top prospect from South Carolina in the 2018 recruiting cycle.

Now that he’s in the NCAA transfer portal, Kendrick is considered one of the top prospects in the database.

According to Chris Hummer of 247Sports, Alabama, Georgia and Florida are SEC teams that are interested in Kendrick. Texas and TCU are two other programs that are interested in the former Clemson standout.

Georgia is one team that would make sense for Kendrick, as the Bulldogs lack many experienced defensive backs. But Kirby Smart recently noted he prefers to build his roster primarily through recruiting and development.

“It’s not what we want to build our program based around. It’s a need-based deal,” Smart said recently when asked about Georgia potentially adding to its roster via the transfer portal. “We have needs, defensive back is a spot that we’re thin at. We think that we have very capable, good young players in the position, but we don’t have a lot of experience.”

Having said that, if the right prospect comes along, Georgia will certainly consider adding them via the transfer portal.

“If you get an opportunity to gain experience, which you know we did the first year we were here – we got Maurice Smith (from Alabama as a graduate transfer), and all of a sudden, you have a player that makes your team better almost immediately,” Smart added. “We would not decline the ability to look at the option there.”

Who knows, when Clemson takes the field for the opening weekend of the 2021 season, they may do so playing against a familiar face.

Michael Wayne Bratton

A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com

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