'I wasn’t tapped in all the way last year': Rams star Derion Kendrick looking to fill Jalen Ramsey's boots

Derion Kendrick knows what’s at stake.

He’s known for some time now.

All offseason, the second-year cornerback has practiced and prepared like someone who knew he had a big role ahead of him entering 2023 with the Los Angeles Rams.

“I understand what’s in front of me,” Kendrick told Sportskeeda.

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He started six of 15 games last season, recording 36 tackles and four pass break-ups.

“All offseason, I put in that work, took care of my body, worked on my conditioning. My goal has always been to play physical, to play fast and to become a starter in the NFL.”

Kendrick, currently pencilled in as a starter on the Rams depth chart, has been preparing to become a starter in the National Football League for quite some time.

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Derion Kendrick's journey to the NFL

As a senior at South Pointe High School in Rock Hill, South Carolina, Kendrick was the South Carolina Gatorade Football Player of the Year, accounting for 3,877 yards from scrimmage and 50 touchdowns as a senior which led to a full athletic scholarship offer from ACC powerhouse Clemson.

Kendrick attended Clemson from 2018-2020 and was part of head coach Dabo Sweeney’s 2018 Tigers national championship team which defeated Alabama 44-16.

Three years later, after transferring from Clemson to the University of Georgia, Kendrick was a member of the Bulldogs’ national championship team – a 33-18 win over Alabama.

Two collegiate national championship rings in his possession have Kendrick on the hunt for an even bigger prize – a Super Bowl ring – but the 22-year-old corner has more pressing business to attend to with the start of his second NFL regular season less than one month away.

“I’m trying to elevate my game,” Kendrick said. “I wasn’t tapped in all the way at times last year. I’m ready to go.”

Urgency is a word that could be used not only to describe Kendrick but the entire Rams football team.

After slumping to a 5-12 third-place finish last season, several NFL experts who closely follow the league don’t have much faith that Rams head coach Sean McVay will be able to recreate his offensive wizardry to return the Rams into the offensive machine that powered the club to the world championship of professional football with their 23-20 win over Cincinnati in Super Bowl LVI.

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Rams, Derion Kendrick out to defy expectations in 2023

Kendrick and his teammates disagree with the experts.

“Coach Morris (Raheem) talks all the time about being ready at all times,” Kendrick said. “That’s what everyone on this team needs to do. We need to focus and be ready. If we do that, I think we will be all right.”

Kendrick was one of four defensive backs drafted by Rams general manager Les Snead on Day 3 of the 2022 NFL Draft, joining South Carolina State cornerback Decobie Durant (fourth round), UCLA safety Quentin Lake (sixth round) and Kansas State safety Russ Yeast (seventh round).

Snead’s intention was to rebuild the Rams secondary with young, fast and athletic defensive backs who were clearly short on NFL experience but big on swag, confidence and guys whose football DNA – their individual collegiate game tapes – clearly demonstrated their ability at a high level when the white-hot lights of competitive college football burned brightest.

They say you can’t really learn by sitting and watching, but Kendrick has an altogether different view of his rookie season based on who was playing in front of him.

“Last year, I was playing behind 5", Kendrick said about former Rams star cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who is now a member of the Miami Dolphins.

“He prepared me for the spot I now find myself in. He showed me how to prepare to play in this League, how to watch tape, and he showed me what to look for as far as the tendencies of certain receivers. I’m still in touch with him. I text him all the time to check on how he is doing."

What Kendrick is doing these days is preparing himself to one day soon become one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL.

“What I want to see from Derion Kendrick is exactly what he's given me," Morris told Rams media in late May.

"Urgency. He's given me complete and absolute hustle. He's given me some playmaking ability on the ball and off the ball. He provides great energy and juice just with his enthusiasm and his personality.

"I'm looking forward to seeing him grow to his highest level, whatever that is. I don't want to set a ceiling for him. I don't want to set a bar for him. I think we don't know yet. I'm looking forward to seeing it."