Position: Tight End Name A. Derby Siblings Zach Derby Roster status: Injured Reserve Parents John Derby, Kelly Derby | High school: Iowa City (IA) Weight 116 kg Place of birth: Iowa City, Iowa Height 1.96 m | |
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Date of birth: (1991-09-20) September 20, 1991 (age 24) NFL draft: 2015 / Round: 6 / Pick: 202 Role American football tight end Current team New England Patriots (Tight end) College Arkansas Razorbacks football | ||
A. J. Derby (born September 20, 1991) is an American football tight end for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He played college football at Iowa (2010–11), Coffeyville Community College (2012) and Arkansas (2013–14).
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College
Derby started his collegiate career at Iowa, where, after redshirting his freshman year, he was a backup quarterback in 2011. He appeared in nine games and completed 3 passes for 30 yards.
Before his sophomore year, he transferred to Coffeyville Community College, where he finished the year throwing for 1,936 yards and 22 touchdowns, leading his team to Region IV semifinals.
Before his junior year, he transferred again, to play at Arkansas, where he was a backup quarterback again. He started one game during the year, finishing the year throwing for 178 yards and one touchdown. Before his senior year, he was converted to tight end. Derby would play in 11 games with 7 starts at tight end before missing the last two games due to a knee injury. He finished the year with 22 catches for 303 yards and three touchdowns.
New England Patriots
Derby was drafted by the New England Patriots in the sixth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. On August 5, 2015, he was placed on injured reserve after clearing waivers. Derby spent the 2016 training camp and preseason competing with fellow tight end Clay Harbor to be the team's third tight end; however, after a strong preseason from Derby, both he and Harbor made the Patriots' initial 53-man roster. Derby made his professional debut in the Patriots' Week 1 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.
Denver Broncos
On October 25, 2016, Derby was traded to the Denver Broncos for a 2017 fifth round draft pick.