georgia uga derion kendrick football

Former Clemson All-ACC cornerback Derion Kendrick is transferring to play for Georgia this season and is on campus, according to a source with direct knowledge

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Kendrick is expected to compete for playing time in the Bulldogs’ secondary in fall drills.

UGA opens the season at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 4 in Charlotte, N.C., against Clemson.

There’s a good chance Kendrick will be on the field against his former teammates. Georgia lost three starting cornerbacks to the NFL after the 2020 season.

Eric Stokes and Tyson Campbell were selected in the first and second rounds of the 2021 draft. DJ Daniel, a primary starter in 2019 before suffering an ankle injury last season, signed with Jacksonville.

Georgia added Alabama cornerback Brandon Turnage earlier this offseason.

The Bulldogs taking part in voluntary offseason conditioning drills are expected to meet on Tuesday and begin workouts on Thursday. UGA summer classes begin on June 11.

Kendrick said in a recent podcast that he is putting a priority on academics in his return to campus. He was dismissed from the Clemson football team in February after missing required team activities. Kendrick indicated he was tending to family issues but did not communicate that properly.

A misdemeanor charge for “unlawful carrying of a handgun” clouded matters for Kendrick in March after officers found him asleep in his car with a gun on his lap. A small amount of marijuana led to a citation, per the Rock Hill Herald.

Tigers coach Dabo Swinney vouched for Kendrick and gave his former player his blessings, but said “sometimes there just needs to be a change.”

Georgia coach Kirby Smart is obviously a believer Kendrick is ready to make the necessary changes in giving the former U.S. Army All-American from South Pointe High School in Rock Hill, S.C. his second chance.

Kendrick was a 5-star prospect coming out of high school, ranked the No. 26 player in the nation overall by the 247Sports composite.

Kendrick, however, was recruited as a receiver and played there his freshman season with the Tigers, catching 15 passes for 210 yards in 2018 before moving to cornerback as a sophomore.

The Tigers started Kendrick in eight of the nine games he played last season, and he led the team with six pass break-ups.

Kendrick played 13 games for Clemson in 2019 and had two interceptions, five pass break-ups and 30 of his 43 tackles were of the solo variety.