Football
Derrick Baity, Jr. - Football - University of Kentucky Athletics 8

DerrickBaity, Jr.

  • position Cornerback
  • height 6-3
  • Weight 188
  • class Senior
  • Hometown Tampa, Fla.
  • High school H.B. Plant

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

  • Spent time with MLK Youth Leadership participants at a local church (2016)
  • Stayed after practice to spend time with the Special Olympics (2015)


Derrick Says

  • His nickname is “D.B.”
  • His pregame routine consists of running one lap around the field
  • Other than playing in the NFL, his dream job is to be a child/family therapist
  • Best advice he’s ever received is “stay in your own lane”
  • One word to describe him on the field is “champ”
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