Kentucky football signee Ty Bryant ready to carry on family legacy

Ty Bryant is officially a Wildcat.

Or, he will be on Wednesday, Dec. 21. Bryant signed his national letter of intent with the University of Kentucky in front of friends and family at Frederick Douglass High School on Thursday afternoon. Although UK won’t be able to accept his NLI until the signing period opens on Wednesday, a ceremony was held to celebrate Bryant’s achievement with Christmas break beginning next week.

Sitting next to his father, Cisco Bryant, Ty took the next step in carrying on his dad’s legacy by signing with Kentucky. Cisco played wide receiver for the Wildcats back in the mid-80s but has since taken on a different role with football — coaching and guiding his son into a high-caliber player and person. Cisco’s eyes began to swell up as he spoke into the microphone at the Frederick Douglass auditorium.

His reality as a parent was setting in.

“It becomes real when he’s about to sign and you look in your closet and look at all the orange and green you have. And as you’re folding those up to make room for the blue and white, tears come to your eyes,” Cisco Bryant said during Ty’s signing ceremony on Thursday.

Ty Bryant was the first member from the class of 2023 to commit to Kentucky, which he did all the way back in Aug. 2021. Considered a three-star prospect by the On3 Consensus, Bryant is a versatile defensive back who won the 2022 Paul Hornung Award, which honors the state of Kentucky’s top football player. He chose the ‘Cats over the likes of Cincinnati, West Virginia, Tennessee, Maryland, and Kansas.

When it came down to making a decision last summer, the choice was easy. Ty has multiple former high school teammates already playing at Kentucky (Dane Key, Jager Burton, and Dekel Crowdus), but more importantly, he owed it to his father.

“That’s been my rock, honestly,” Ty said of his dad after signing with UK. “He’s worked me out when I didn’t want to, he’s pushed me, he told me everything I need to know. He’s made the game of football special. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for him, for sure.”

To be clear, Cisco would have been fine with his son choosing any school, and he was strategic in not convincing him one way or the other, but it sure does taste sweeter knowing that Ty’s staying home.

Now the real work begins.

Ty will enroll early at UK, joining the program in early January as he’ll have a leg up on the other freshman from the ’23 class who won’t arrive until the summer. His final day of high school at Frederick Douglass is Friday. Not even two weeks ago, Bryant helped lead the Broncos to the school’s first 5A state championship after many failed attempts in the past.

Bryant shared his signing announcement with longtime teammate and friend, TJ Horton, a three-star recruit who signed with Ball State and will play running back with the Cardinals. Funny enough, those two will have a chance to face each other when Ball State comes to Lexington for UK’s first game of the 2023 season.

Time is moving fast. It’s been a busy stretch for the 18-year-old Ty, but one he wouldn’t trade for anything.

“I feel like December so far has been one of the best months of my life.”

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