Former Clemson Tigers Star Suffers Brutal Injury with Los Angeles Rams

A former Clemson Tigers and current Los Angeles Rams player Derion Kendrick has suffered a brutal injury.

Nov 26, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Rams cornerback Derion Kendrick (1) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Clemson Tigers have turned quite a few former players into NFL talents. Each and every year, they send a new batch to the league and many of them have turned into stars or key role players.

One of the most recent Clemson standouts to make the leap into the NFL is Los Angeles Rams defensive back Derion Kendrick.

While he was expected to have a key role for the Rams' defense this season, his year has ended before it began.

According to head coach Sean McVay, via ESPN, Kendrick has suffered a torn ACL early on in training camp.

"Unfortunately, Derion Kendrick did get his ACL yesterday. I'm really proud of the way that he's worked. He's continued to really mature in a lot of different ways, and if there's one thing you know about this guy, he can handle setbacks. He'll have a lot of support from his teammates and coaches, and he'll attack the rehab."

Kendrick, a 23-year-old cornerback, has worked his way up to being a key part of the Los Angeles defense. He has played a big role in each of his first two NFL seasons.

During the 2023 campaign, Kendrick ended up playing in all 17 games for the Rams. He racked up 49 total tackles to go along with an interception and 10 defended passes.

Standing in at 6-foot-0 and 190 pounds, Kendrick has showcased the potential of being an elite coverage cornerback. Suffering such a serious injury is a massive setback in what has been a career shown to be full of potential.

His time at Clemson showcased that talent as well. He played three years for the Tigers before ending his career playing one season with the Georgia Bulldogs.

In his four college football seasons, Kendrick totaled seven interceptions, a defensive touchdown, and 14 defended passes to go along with 104 tackles.

Hopefully, Kendrick is able to bounce back strong from this setback. His talent and ability have been very clearly on display with the Rams. Assuming he can make a full recovery, he has the talent to become a star at the cornerback position.

Expect to see him attack his rehab process with the same intensity that has helped him develop into being such a talente defensive back. His future is still very bright, even if he will be forced to miss the entire 2024 season.