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Kentucky football: Get to know freshman Ty Bryant

By Mat Mlodzinski

COLUMBIA, MO - NOVEMBER 05: A general view of a Kentucky Wildcats helmet during the first half against the Missouri Tigers at Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium on November 5, 2022 in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images)
COLUMBIA, MO - NOVEMBER 05: A general view of a Kentucky Wildcats helmet during the first half against the Missouri Tigers at Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium on November 5, 2022 in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images) /
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The 2023 Kentucky football season is creeping up on us, so we wanted to introduce you to some of the new faces you’ll see on the field.

Ty Bryant is a defensive back from Lexington, so playing for Kentucky football was likely always a dream for him. The hometown kid could be a name to watch throughout his UK career.

247Sports lists Bryant as a 3-star recruit, but one look at his resume and that might be underrating him just a bit.

Bryant won the 2022 Paul Hornung Award as the top prep player in the state of Kentucky. He earned the hardware after leading the Frederick Douglass Broncos to a 15-0 record, winning the Class 5A State Championship. Bryant’s best game of the season arguably came in the title game. He had an interception and made two tackles, while also rushing 9 times for 42 yards and another TD.

While Kentucky football recruited Ty Bryant as a defensive back, Mark Stoops could be creative with the way he uses the freshman.

Like many high school football players, Bryant played both sides of the ball. In 2022, he rushed 64 times for 498 yards and 12 touchdowns, proving his worth on offense.

On special teams, Bryant was equally effective, returning a trio of punts to the endzone.

But Wildcats fans should get used to seeing Bryant on defense. On the season, he totaled 22 tackles, 3 of them for losses, plus a pair of interceptions and a forced fumble. His 273 career tackles are the most in Frederick Douglass’s school history.

At 6-0 and 187 pounds, Bryant has the athleticism to make plays in the backfield, and the size to make hard hits and defend against bigger receivers and tight ends.

Ty also enrolled at UK in January 2023, so he’s already had some time to settle into the school and the program, which should be helpful in his first year.

Bryant also has some Kentucky football blood in his family. His dad, Cisco, played for the Wildcats from 1983-85, making 29 career receptions for 482 yards and 6 TDs.

Check out our profile of Kentucky football freshman Anthony Brown!

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