DerrickBaity, Jr.

BIO

Career

Never missed a game in his four-year career, playing in all 51 career games with 41 starts
Totaled 148 tackles, 25 PBUs, 6.0 TFL, six interceptions, two forced fumbles, and two quarterback hurries in his career
Helped the senior class win 29 games over the last four seasons, the second-most of any senior class since freshmen became eligible in 1972, trailing on the 2009 class with 30 wins

2018 – Senior

Played in the East-West Shrine Game, totaling four tackles, the fifth-highest on the team
Started in 12 of 13 games
Totaled 38 tackles and a team-high seven PBUs
Helped lead UK to its first 10-win season in 41 years
Charted a season-high six tackles vs. Georgia along with 0.5 TFL and a QBH
Had five tackles, 1.0 TFL, one forced fumble and a PBU at Texas A&M … His forced fumble in the fourth quarter was recovered and return for a TD by Darius West, forcing OT
Had three tackles and a PBU in the win at Missouri
Recorded three tackles and an interception in the win over South Carolina
Also had three tackles and PBU in the win over Mississippi State
Had two pass breakups in the win at Florida
Third-Team Preseason All-SEC (Lindy’s)

2017 – Junior

Started in 12 of 13 games
Had 49 tackles, sixth on the team
Two interceptions (South Carolina and Vandy) and a team-high nine PBUs
Had six tackles and a career-high three pass breakups vs. Missouri
Responsible for three defensive takeaways in the second half of Kentucky’s 23-13 win at South Carolina, including a pair of tackles on 4th-and-1 and a pass interception
Name SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week for his play at USC
Led the Wildcats with eight tackles at USC
Had eight tackles and one fumble recovery vs. EKU … The fumble recovery was Baity’s first of his career

2016 – Sophomore

Started in all 13 games
Tied for the team lead with three interceptions (UF, NMSU and UT)
Second on the team with seven PBUs
Totaled 42 tackles, ninth on the team
Had four tackles in the win over Mississippi State, adding a tackle for loss and a pass breakup
Had a career-high seven tackles in the win over Vanderbilt, topping his previous best of five, which he most recently did against South Carolina
Registered his first career INT at Florida
Recorded five tackles vs. South Carolina, adding two pass breakups and one quarterback hurry

2015 – Freshman

Played in all 12 games, starting the final four
Finished with 19 tackles, including a tackle for a loss, breaking up two passes
Had four tackles at Mississippi State and Tennessee, including a tackle for a loss at MSU
Broke up two passes vs. Louisville, adding two tackles

High School

First-team all-state as a senior
Three-star prospect by ESPN, which ranked him as one of the top 200 players in the talent-rich state of Florida and 83rd-best cornerback in the nation
Florida High School Athletic Association 8A All-State First-Team Defense
Had 66 tackles his senior season with three tackles for loss, six interceptions (three returned for touchdowns) and three fumbles recovered
Had three interceptions, returning one for a TD, as a junior with one fumble recovery and 40 tackles
All-around athlete that also played wide receiver and had success his senior season with 33 receptions for 730 yards and 12 touchdowns, including a season-best 77-yard reception.
Three-year letterman and two-year starter
Member of the school’s Student Advisory Council and English Honor Society and served in the school’s mentor program
Chose Kentucky after offers from Indiana, Iowa State, Louisville, Minnesota, South Florida, Syracuse, UCF and Wisconsin

Personal

Name pronounced same as “Batey”
Born in Tampa
Son of Tasha Moore and Derrick Baity Sr.
Has a son, Derrick Baity III or “Champ” and a daughter, Trinity
A cousin of former Kentucky quarterback Shane Boyd and former UK receiver Aaron Boyd
Major is community and leadership development

Community Cats

Derrick Says