Former Clemson football player Derion Kendrick arrested on gun, drug charge in Rock Hill

Former Clemson football star Derion Kendrick has been charged with gun and drug violations in his hometown of Rock Hill, according to officials and police records.

Derion Rayshawn Kendrick, 20, was arrested Friday morning for unlawful carrying of a handgun, said Lt. Michael Chavis of the Rock Hill Police Department.

Rock Hill patrol officers were on May Court around 3 a.m. Friday when Kendrick was found in a car, Chavis said. Kendrick was asleep in a car with a gun in his lap when found by police, court records show.

Kendrick was issued a citation for simple possession of marijuana after a small amount of the drug was found and seized, Chavis said.

Kendrick was the sole occupant of the vehicle, according to an arrest warrant obtained by The Herald.

“He was located asleep in his girlfriend’s vehicle with a black Glock 19 9mm semi-automatic pistol sitting in his lap,” the warrant states. Kendrick does not have a concealed weapons permit, according to the warrant.

The weapon charge is a misdemeanor charge that will be prosecuted in York County criminal court, records show. A conviction for unlawful carrying of a handgun can carry as much as one year in prison, South Carolina law shows.

Kendrick was arrested on the gun charge, taken to the Rock Hill jail and booked, according to Chavis and police records. His police mugshot was taken and he appeared in court Friday morning, records obtained by The Herald show. He was released later Friday after receiving a personal recognizance bond on the gun charge, records officials at the Rock Hill law center said.

Left Clemson football team in February

Kendrick, who played at South Pointe High School in York County, has been off Clemson’s team since late February. It was unclear if he remains a student at the school.

Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney in early March addressed Kendrick’s departure from the program.

“Really not much to say about that other than he’s not with us anymore, but also to say I love D.K.,” Swinney said. “Man, he’s a young man that I’ve always loved as a football player. He’s got a really good heart. He’s never been a disrespectful young man or anything like that. Just sometimes there just needs to be a change.”

Kendrick entered the transfer portal March 2 but has not committed to a new school.

He was a first-team All-ACC player last season after appearing in nine games, with eight starts. He signed with Clemson in the class of 2018 as a five-star recruit.

Kendrick missed time last season due to discipline multiple times, including sitting out the Nov. 28 win over Pitt. Swinney said after that game that Kendrick was in the “love shack.”

“Just a little team discipline with him. I love DK, actually, he’s one of my favorites. The Bible says the greatest form of discipline is love. So just put him in the love shack this weekend. Hopefully he’ll respond the right way.”

Earlier in the 2020 season, Kendrick did not start the season opener against Wake Forest for an undisclosed reason. He came off the bench the following week against The Citadel.

“He just didn’t start the game,” Swinney said of Kendrick then. “Obviously DK is as good a player as there is out there. I wouldn’t call it discipline. I would call it a little bit of love. Just loving him up. I think discipline is the greatest form of love and (cornerbacks coach) Mike (Reed) does a great job with those guys.”

Kendrick was projected by some to be a first round pick in this year’s NFL draft, despite struggling in the Sugar Bowl against Ohio State as Justin Fields and the Buckeyes passed for 385 yards against the Tigers. However, he opted to return for his senior season, a decision that surprised many.

Swinney said last year that Kendrick needed to do a better job from an accountability standpoint moving forward.

“DK’s a great kid, but we want him to be accountable in every area,” Swinney said. “Academics, tutors, study hall. You name it. All of it. It all matters. He got himself in a little bit of a hole this summer, but he’s dug himself out. He’s coming on, but we can’t have mistakes like that.”

Check back for updates on this developing story.