Derrick McLendon Bio
Derrick McLendon II (born September 29, 2000) is an American professional football linebacker for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 feet 4 inches and listed at 250 pounds, he plays the position wearing jersey number 59. He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles and the Colorado Buffaloes before entering the professional ranks in 2024.
After going unselected in the 2024 NFL Draft, McLendon signed with the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent. He was later signed by the Miami Dolphins practice squad and has since been elevated to the active roster. As of 2025, he continues his professional career with the Dolphins organization, where he has begun to establish his presence at the linebacker position.
Early Life and Background
McLendon was born on September 29, 2000, and grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. He is one of five children, and his upbringing in the Atlanta area shaped his early introduction to athletics. His father, Derrick McLendon Sr., played college football for the Chattanooga Mocs, giving the younger McLendon a direct connection to the sport from an early age.
McLendon started playing basketball at age three and took up football at age four. He attended Tucker High School in DeKalb County, Georgia, where he played as a defensive end. As a senior, he recorded 35 tackles and 6 sacks, and across three seasons with the Tucker football program, he accumulated 85 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss, and 10.5 sacks. Rated as a three-star recruit, he committed to play college football for the Florida State Seminoles.
Path to American Football
McLendon’s competitive development began in youth basketball and football around the Atlanta area, where his size and athleticism quickly became apparent. At Tucker High School, he emerged as a productive edge defender, recording double-digit sacks across his high school career and earning three-star recruit status. His combination of length, frame, and production drew attention from college programs across the country.
His commitment to Florida State reflected both the school’s longstanding tradition of developing defensive linemen and the opportunity to play in the Atlantic Coast Conference. After a redshirt freshman year in Tallahassee, he worked his way into a rotational role and eventually into a starting position, posting 37 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks as a junior in 2022. Following that season, he entered the NCAA transfer portal and finished his college career at Colorado, where he appeared in 12 games during the 2023 season.
Derrick McLendon Career
Early Career (2019–2022)
McLendon’s college career began at Florida State, where he redshirted as a true freshman in 2019 and appeared in four games, posting 0.5 tackles for loss. Over the next two seasons, he grew into a regular contributor on the Seminoles’ defensive front, recording 7 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss in 2020 and 4.5 tackles for loss with 3.5 sacks in 2021.
His 2022 junior season represented his most productive year at Florida State, as he tallied 37 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks while starting 12 of 13 games. He finished his Seminoles tenure with 61 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, and 7 sacks across 38 games played. Following the 2022 season, he entered the transfer portal and moved on to Colorado for his final year of eligibility.
Colorado Buffaloes (2023)
McLendon transferred to the Colorado Buffaloes for the 2023 season, joining a program in the midst of a major roster and cultural transition. Playing primarily as a rotational edge defender, he recorded 14 tackles and 1.5 sacks across 12 appearances. The season provided a stage to demonstrate his skills in a Power Five conference environment, and his efforts helped solidify his decision to pursue a professional career.
Although his statistical output at Colorado was more modest than his 2022 production at Florida State, the experience allowed him to refine his technique against top-tier competition. After the season, McLendon declared for the 2024 NFL Draft and began preparing for the professional transition.
Carolina Panthers Era (2024)
After going unselected in the 2024 NFL Draft, McLendon signed with the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent. He joined a Panthers organization that was in the early stages of reshaping its defensive personnel. His signing represented an opportunity to compete for a depth role along the defensive front or at outside linebacker.
McLendon’s tenure with Carolina was brief. On August 27, 2024, as part of the league’s final roster cuts ahead of the regular season, he was waived. He did not appear in any regular-season games for the Panthers before being released, and shortly thereafter he received an opportunity to continue his career elsewhere.
Miami Dolphins Era (2024–Present)
On September 3, 2024, McLendon signed with the practice squad of the Miami Dolphins. He remained on the practice squad throughout the 2024 regular season, working closely with the team’s coaching staff and linebacker group. On January 7, 2025, he signed a reserve/future contract with the Dolphins, signaling the organization’s intent to retain him as part of its offseason plans.
He was waived on August 26, 2025, and re-signed to the practice squad the following day. McLendon was later elevated to the active roster ahead of the Dolphins’ Week 17 and Week 18 games against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New England Patriots, marking his first appearances on a regular-season game day. He signed a new reserve/future contract with Miami on January 6, 2026, continuing his tenure with the franchise.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the most significant early milestones in McLendon’s professional career came when he was elevated to the active roster for the final weeks of the 2025 regular season, appearing in his first NFL game action. His transition from practice squad member to game-day contributor reflected the trust the Dolphins’ coaching staff had developed in his preparation and reliability. Reaching an active roster in his second professional season underscored steady progress for a player who entered the league as an undrafted free agent.
Derrick McLendon Career Wins
As a linebacker who has spent the majority of his early professional tenure on a practice squad, Derrick McLendon II has not yet accumulated documented regular-season statistics such as tackles, sacks, or other counting categories at the NFL level. His career highlight to date centers on his elevation to the Dolphins’ active roster for the closing weeks of the 2025 season.
Derrick McLendon Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
McLendon was raised in Atlanta, Georgia, as one of five children. His father, Derrick McLendon Sr., played college football for the Chattanooga Mocs, providing a direct football lineage that influenced his son’s path into the sport. The family’s presence in the Atlanta area shaped his early years, and his father’s background in college athletics helped foster his interest in football from a young age.
2025 Season Performance
McLendon’s 2025 campaign was defined primarily by practice-squad contributions and a late-season elevation to the Dolphins’ active roster. He spent the early portion of the year continuing to develop within Miami’s linebacker room, working on technique, conditioning, and special teams responsibilities. The Dolphins waived him on August 26, 2025, and re-signed him to the practice squad the next day, indicating a continued investment in his developmental trajectory.
His elevation to the active roster ahead of the Dolphins’ Week 17 matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Week 18 game against the New England Patriots provided his first regular-season exposure at the NFL level. The late-season opportunity allowed him to contribute on special teams and within defensive packages, and it represented meaningful progress in his transition from undrafted free agent to active contributor.
Following the conclusion of the 2025 regular season, McLendon signed a reserve/future contract with Miami on January 6, 2026, securing his place with the organization heading into the next league year. The agreement positioned him to compete for a depth role on the Dolphins’ linebacker depth chart and to continue his professional development in 2026 and beyond.