Patience Pays For Buffs Safety Rakestraw
November 14, 2019 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — Patience pays. So does a refusal to give up on yourself.
Colorado Buffaloes junior safety Derrion Rakestraw is living proof.
Rakestraw arrived in Boulder in 2016 as a wide receiver out of Woodstock, Ga. He redshirted his first year, then after spending the ensuing spring at wideout, found himself being moved to cornerback in fall 2017. He played two games at the position that season, then in spring 2018, he was moved again, this time to safety.
Three years, three positions.
"It wasn't easy," he admitted. "Patience was huge. Just being able to stay focused, not let my mind wander and not get too down on myself. I had to just keep working, keep trusting my abilities."
Rakestraw finally found a fit at safety in 2018, playing in seven games on defense, including a pair of starts. He finished the season with 24 tackles, an interception and a forced fumble.
This year, he again started the year behind fellow junior Aaron Maddox on the depth chart at strong safety. But when Maddox went down with an injury against Air Force, Rakestraw stepped in — and even when Maddox returned three weeks later, Rakestraw kept his starting spot.
Now, he has started seven straight games and has 30 tackles and three interceptions, including a key pick against Stanford in last weekend's 16-13 win that helped set up a CU field goal just before halftime.
"I have to give that one to Mustafa (Johnson, CU defensive lineman)," Rakestraw said with a laugh. "If he wouldn't have gotten pressure on the quarterback, I wouldn't have gotten that pick. He was right on him and the quarterback just kind of threw it up. That's Mustafa's interception; I have to give that one to him."
Rakestraw's first interception of the year was also a big play in a Colorado win. Early in the fourth quarter at Arizona State in a 31-31 game, Rakestraw picked off a pass from Sun Devils quarterback Jayden Daniels at the Colorado 24-yard line. That ended an ASU scoring threat and two possessions later, Colorado drove for what proved to be the game-winning field goal.
"You just have to read the quarterback, and when you get some pressure, that makes a big difference," Rakestraw said of his penchant for interceptions. "When the quarterback is getting pressured, they take a chance and if you're in position, you can get there."
At 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, Rakestraw has good size for a college safety. The more he plays the position, the more at home he feels — and the better he becomes.
"He's done a really good job and been diligent and intentional about learning this game, learning more about the defense, where he fits, where his help is, knowing how to do his job and knowing why," CU head coach Mel Tucker said. "Because of that he's been able to play better, be more consistent. And he's able to make the plays he's supposed to make."
Rakestraw knows he still has plenty of room to improve. But now that he has found a home, he can concentrate on refining his game — and not worrying about another possible position switch.
"Every week I'm trying to focus on something new, whether it's my eyes, my technique, trying to read the quarterback, whatever I can do to get better," he said. "It's a matter of trying to get better every week."
With two games left, Rakestraw believes Colorado's defense can pick up where it left off against Stanford and put together another solid performance. CU has this weekend off, then returns to play its home finale Nov. 23 against Washington.
"We just have to keep working, keep improving, keep doing what the coaches tells us," Rakestraw said. "We saw what we can do against Stanford; we just have to improve and play even better against Washington."
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
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