Career

• Played in 46 career games with 39 consecutive starts
• Played right tackle on the “Big Blue Wall” and was an essential component for the O-Line unit, recognized for the Joe Moore Award, given to the nation’s top offensive line, four straight seasons, including finalists in 2021
• Earned consensus First-Team All-American status as a senior, UK’s first offensive lineman to hold that distinction since Sam Ball in 1965 … UK’s 12th Consensus All-American
• Awarded the 2021 Jacobs Blocking Trophy

2021 – Senior

• Consensus First-Team All-American, first offensive lineman to hold that distinction since Sam Ball in 1965 … UK’s 12th Consensus All-American
• First-Team All-America (AFCA, AP, FWAA, Walter Camp, CBS Sports, Phil Steele, Reese’s Senior Bowl)
• Second-Team All-American (The Sporting News, PFF, The Athletic, USA Today Sports)
• First-Team All-SEC (AP, PFF, Coaches, Phil Steele, USA Today Network)
• 2021 Jacobs Blocking Trophy
• 2021 Rotary Lombardi Award semifinalist
• Outland Trophy semifinalist
• Led the “Big Blue Wall” with 30 knockdown blocks
• Pro Football Focus evaluated him as one of only three Power Five tackles to grade at 85 or better as both a run and pass blocker
• Named SEC Co-Offensive Lineman of the Week after UK’s win over Vanderbilt
• Reese’s Senior Bowl invite

2020 – Junior

• Second-Team All-American (Sporting News, CBS/247sports)
• Third-Team All-American (AP)
• Fourth-Team All-American (Phil Steele)
• First-Team All-SEC (AP, Phil Steele, PFF)
• Second-Team All-SEC (Coaches)
• Has played in 33 career games with 26 consecutive starts at tackle
• Started in all 11 games in 2020
• Graded at 87.4 percent with 47 knockdowns and 142 blocks at the point of attack
• Outland Trophy Watch List
• Preseason Second-Team Offense All-American (Athlon Sports)
• Preseason Fourth-Team All-American (Phil Steele)
• Preseason First-Team All-SEC (Athlon Sports, Coaches, Phil Steele, Pick Six Previews)

2019 – Sophomore

• Second-team offensive tackle (PFF)
• Started in all 13 games at right tackle
• Had 32 knockdowns during the season
• Had only one penalty in 706 snaps
• Helped set single-season school records with 3,624 rushing yards, 36 rushing touchdowns, and 6.3 yards per carry
• Against UT Martin, graded at 93 percent in helping lead Kentucky to two single-game school records — 462 rushing yards and 10.3 yards per rushing attempt … Had 13 blocks at the point of attack, including four plays that were touchdown runs … Did not allow any quarterback sacks and did not have any penalties or missed assignments

2018 – Freshman

• Played in nine games, starting two of the last three at left tackle
• Helped lead a Kentucky offensive line that blocked for numerous season highs this season
• UK set season highs with 56 points, 601 yards total offense, 29 first downs and 340 rushing yards at Louisville … Graded at 84 percent … Had no penalties or missed assignments and did not allow any quarterback sacks … Credited with 16 blocks at the point of attack, including three long touchdown runs – Benny Snell’s 24-yard TD, A.J. Rose’s 75-yard untouched TD dash, and Kavosiey Smoke’s 37-yard TD

High School

• Rated the 101st best player in the country and No. 16 offensive tackle as a four-star recruit by 247Sports
• Rated a four-star by ESPN and a three-star by Rivals
• Rivals rated him the No. 21 recruit in prospect-laden Ohio
• 247Sports rated him one of the Top 20 offensive tackles in the country
• Played at the powerhouse St. Ignatius program in Cleveland, which has won 11 state championships and three national championships under the direction of legendary coach Chuck Kyle
• Massive player at 6-foot-5, 357 pounds
• Selected to play in the U.S. Army All-American game
• All-State honoree in Ohio
• Was the first offensive lineman to join Kentucky’s 2018 recruiting class
• Chose Kentucky over Penn State, UCLA and Tennessee

Community Cats

• Frequent visitor at Lexington VA Hospital (2019)

Personal

• Born in Youngstown, Ohio
• Son of Mandy Headrick
• Major is kinesiology

Darian Says

• His nickname is “D.K.”
• The best part of being a Kentucky Wildcat is the love and family bonds he has with the Big Blue Nation and his teammates
• Other than playing in the NFL, his dream job is to train athletes
• If he could eat only three foods for the rest of his life he would eat steak, chicken alfredo and kettle corn
• Most people don’t know that he is related to Dolly Parton