2018 Preview: Kentucky Wildcats
2 min read
Season outlook
Troy’s player to watch
Edwards has led SEC defensive backs in tackles for consecutive seasons. The senior safety likes to crowd the line of scrimmage and is a force in run support. He also has a knack for picking off opposing quarterbacks. Last season, Edwards had four interceptions. Look for the Cincinnati native to continue to fine tune his craft this season and make the jump to the NFL in the spring.
Game of the season
DraftNasty’s Prospect Watch
8 Derrick Baity 6’3 186 CB-Senior
Although Baity has been beaten down the field on occasion (see Hall, Missouri ’17), he exhibits good feet in off-man for a taller cornerback. In addition, he contains the necessary short memory to continue to battle after giving up plays. While capable of reading the action instinctively to tackle on plays in front of him, there is some body-block tackling in his game. The Wildcats have three pro prospects at the cornerback position (Chris Westry, Lonnie Johnson) entering 2018 and Baity is arguably the most fluid of the trio. For him to carve out early-round consideration, he has to clean up the occasional concentration lapses that show up week-to-week.
Prediction: 7-5
According to DraftNasty’s Troy Jefferson, Kentucky will fall to Florida and Tennessee on the road and Mississippi State, Georgia and South Carolina at home. The Wildcats will still win enough games to qualify for a third consecutive bowl game.
