Kyle Bailey

Position:
LB
Height:
6-0
Weight:
215
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Carrollton, Ga.

2020 Conference USA Honorable Mention
2019 Conference USA Honorable Mention
Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 28, 2019)
PFF College C-USA Team of the Week (Sept. 28, 2019)

2019 (Jr.) | 13/12: Bailey started all-but-one game for the Hilltoppers, playing in every contest on the season. He put up 109 tackles (52 solo, 57 assisted) – including six for loss – with three interceptions and five pass breakups. He recorded four double-digit tackle games – including a career-high 13 (three solo, 10 assisted) on Sept. 7 at FIU – ending the 2019 campaign with three-straight performances of at least 10 tackles. He had a quarterback hurry in seven different games and at least 0.5 tackles for loss in six contests. His 109 tackles tied for fourth in Conference USA and 32nd in the nation, while he was only 1-of-7 FBS defenders with at at least 100 tackles and three interceptions. He recorded seven tackles (four solo, three assisted) – including 1.5 for loss – and two interceptions on Sept. 28 vs. UAB, and was subsequently voted C-USA Defensive Player of the Week. He was the first WKU C-USA Defensive Player of the Week since Joe Brown on Sept. 25, 2017 vs. Ball State, and the first Hilltopper to record two interceptions in a game since Nick Holt on Nov. 27, 2015 vs. Marshall.

2018 (So.) | 12/1: Bailey recorded 29 tackles (14 solo, 15 assisted), playing in all 12 games as a sophomore. His most notable performance came on Nov. 11 at Florida Atlantic, when he recorded 5 tackles in a key conference game. He had four other games in which he made four stops, while also adding one pass breakup on Sept. 8 vs. Maine. He converted from defensive back to linebacker in the spring of 2019.

2017 (Fr.) | 11/0: Bailey recorded 18 tackles in 11 games as a true freshman. His most notable performance came under the lights on Oct. 20 at Old Dominion, recording seven tackles and an interception while seeing the majority of the snaps at the safety position in place of an injured Devon Key and Marcus Ward. For the game, he was awarded as the “Towel Raiser,” the lone freshman to earn the honor over the course of the season. He tallied multiple tackles on three other occasions during the campaign.

HS/Misc.: Bailey came to The Hill following an outstanding prep career at Bremen High School for coach Davis Russell. A two-way player for the Blue Devils, he was a standout linebacker and running back and rushed for more than 1,700 yards, including a school-record 289 yards against Adairville, as a senior to earn Offensive Player of the Year for region 6-AAA from the Atlanta Journal Constitution while the Georgia Sports Writers Association named him to the Class 3-A All-State Second Team as a running back. He registered 88 tackles including 14 tackles for loss from his linebacker position as a senior and is a three-star prospect in the 247Sports composite rankings.