Los Angeles Rams Roster Overview: CB, Derion Kendrick

[www.turfshowtimes.com] Los Angeles Rams Roster Overview: CB, Derion Kendrick
College champion joins another star-studded defense

By Steven Ridings Jun 4, 2022, 11:00am CDT

Syndication: Detroit Free Press
Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK


Welcome to TurfShowTimes! This outlook dives into the Rams Roster Overview going into training camp; continuing with an inside look at Pick 212 from the 2022 NFL Draft - Derion Kendrick.

DERION KENDRICK

6’0” / 194 lbs / CB / Georgia

Arms: 31”

Hands: 9 ⅛”

40 yard Dash: 4.59

Bench Press: —

Vertical Jump: —

Broad Jump: —

3 Cone Drill: —

20 yard Shuttle: —

College Evaluation:

One of the most experienced cornerbacks from the 2022 draft pool.

He has played at the biggest stage up to this point in two national championships for Clemson and Georgia.

One glaring note on tape is that a lot of incompletions targeted Kendrick’s way were more because of poor ball placement by the quarterback, where the WR is forced to make an acrobatic catch.


Needs to be polished up in man coverage; being worked too often by fast twitched WRs. Seems to be a better fit in zone coverage, so he isn’t left completely isolated.

Fit with Los Angeles:

In Los Angeles, Kendrick gets something similar to his time in Georgia. He was surrounded by highly-touted prospects on the Bulldogs defense and now levels up with all-pros around him in Aaron Donald, Bobby Wagner, and Jalen Ramsey and established veterans including Leonard Floyd, Greg Gaines, Troy Hill, and Jordan Fuller.

It remains to be seen whether DK will stick on the outside or be moved inside for nickel purposes. His game does remind me a lot of Troy Hill who struggled early in his career with the Rams but settled in under McVay’s regime. To avoid how handsy he can be to start his NFL career; placing him in zone concepts to start sounds logical.

With Hill and Long Jr set for free agency after the 2022 season, DK and Rochell are prime candidates as the successors with another year of learning.

2022 Season Expectation & Prediction:

During Decobie Durant’s write up, I covered that Kendrick could have a leg up on the 5th CB spot based on his experience. I think he will see game action, but the timeline is blurry. As has been the case with a lot of McVay’s rookie classes, early playing time isn’t likely. By the midway point of the season, McVay usually starts to integrate his rookies more, if warranted.

6 Games Total

14 Tackles, 0 TFL, 0 INT, 1 PBU

Role: 3rd String (Reserve / CB #5)

Next up on the Rams Roster Overview: the spotlight turns to Daniel Hardy, the Los Angeles’s Rams 7th round edge rusher from Montana State. Be sure to follow TurfShowTimes on Facebook and Twitter for more content and coverage of the L.A. Rams!