Derrick Locke
Encyclopedia
Derrick Locke is an American football
running back
who is currently a free agent
. He was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles
as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football
at Kentucky
.
in his freshman and senior years and a quarterback
in his sophomore and junior years. During his senior year, he rushed for 3,250 yards and scored 51 touchdown
s. He was named Most Valuable Player of Oklahoma Class AAA and named all-state, all-district, and the Red River Valley Player of the Year.
Locke was also a track athlete, competing in the long jump
. He set a state record and had the longest jump in the nation his senior year, with a leap of 25 feet, 4.75 inches.
In 2009, he led the team and ranked sixth in the SEC in rushing with 907 yards. He was named second-team All-SEC by the Associated Press as an all-purpose player. Against the Louisville Cardinals
, he had 191 kickoff return yards, breaking the UK single-game record. He also became the first player in school history to have two 100-yard kickoff returns in a career.
Locke ranked 10th on the UK career rushing list heading into his senior season.
As a track-and-field athlete, he set the Kentucky school outdoor long jump record in 2008 at 25 feet, 3.25 inches.
as an undrafted free agent following the end of the NFL lockout on July 26, 2011, but failed his physical the following day due to a neck injury and was not signed.
on July 28, 2011, but was waived on August 26.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Kentucky
Kentucky Wildcats football
The Kentucky Wildcats football team is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the East Division of the Southeastern Conference.-History:Paul "Bear" Bryant Era...
.
Early years
Locke was a four-year starter on his high school football team in Hugo, Oklahoma- as a running backRunning back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
in his freshman and senior years and a quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
in his sophomore and junior years. During his senior year, he rushed for 3,250 yards and scored 51 touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s. He was named Most Valuable Player of Oklahoma Class AAA and named all-state, all-district, and the Red River Valley Player of the Year.
Locke was also a track athlete, competing in the long jump
Long jump
The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point...
. He set a state record and had the longest jump in the nation his senior year, with a leap of 25 feet, 4.75 inches.
College career
In 2007, Locke started on the University of Kentucky football team as a freshman and earned the team's Most Outstanding First-Year Player Award as picked by the coaches. He was the team's second-leading rusher with 521 yards and paced the team in rushing touchdowns (five).In 2009, he led the team and ranked sixth in the SEC in rushing with 907 yards. He was named second-team All-SEC by the Associated Press as an all-purpose player. Against the Louisville Cardinals
Louisville Cardinals
The Louisville Cardinals are the athletic teams representing the University of Louisville. A member of the Big East Conference since 2005, they are known nationally as traditional powers in men's basketball, women's volleyball, and dance team...
, he had 191 kickoff return yards, breaking the UK single-game record. He also became the first player in school history to have two 100-yard kickoff returns in a career.
Locke ranked 10th on the UK career rushing list heading into his senior season.
As a track-and-field athlete, he set the Kentucky school outdoor long jump record in 2008 at 25 feet, 3.25 inches.
Professional career
Locke agreed to terms with the Minnesota VikingsMinnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
as an undrafted free agent following the end of the NFL lockout on July 26, 2011, but failed his physical the following day due to a neck injury and was not signed.
Philadelphia Eagles
He signed as an undrafted free agent with the Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on July 28, 2011, but was waived on August 26.