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Rams Waive Two-Time CFP Champion

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Lorenzo J. Reyna | Last updated Jun 13, 2025 6:51 PM ET

The Los Angeles Rams cleared room inside their roster Friday. But waived a two-time college football national champion.

Cornerback Derion Kendrick got waived, with ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter revealing the news.

Kendrick cracked the starting lineup not long ago for L.A. He started in 18 total games since his arrival in 2022. But he brought two championship rings in tow.

The CB played for the 2018 Clemson Tigers team that knocked off Alabama in the final seconds. Kendrick originally arrived to the Atlantic Coast Conference school as a wide receiver. He was also the Gatorade Player of the Year in South Carolina, as he also starred at quarterback for South Pointe High. However, he got dismissed from Clemson in Feb. 2021 for repeated violations of team rules.

He then transferred to Georgia -- where he won the 2021 College Football Playoffs National Championship in helping blow out Alabama 33-18. Kendrick produced two 40-tackle seasons at the collegiate level. He picked off four passes for the Bulldogs.

The defender made his way to the Rams as a sixth round draft find. Kendrick entered the league with collegiate championship experience. Yet struggled against some of the nation's top wideouts. He earned an average backup or special teamer prediction by Lance Zierlein of the NFL Network during his pre-draft process.

Kendrick became a valuable contributor in his second NFL season. He delivered a career-best 10 pass breakups while piling three tackles behind the line of scrimmage. He also collected 49 tackles with 41 solo stops. But he missed 2024 with a torn ACL.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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