As a native of Western New York, Derek has played football at every level locally. He graduated from Canisius high school in 2009. Following Canisius high school, he played for the University at Buffalo from 2009-2013 and graduated in 2014 with a B.S. in electrical engineering. Initially, he played receiver for his first 2 years in college. After playing cornerback for a year, he was a two year starter at the free safety position. He signed with the Buffalo Bills in 2014. After working for a few years as an engineer, he signed with the Green Bay Blizzards of the Indoor Football League in 2017. Currently, Derek is working as an electrical engineer in product development. However, he still has a passion for the game. He stays involved by offering training and knowledge of the game to all levels of competition. He will also serve as a defensive back coach at Canisius high school.