6-foot-7 defensive lineman from Nigeria joins UK’s 2017 recruiting class
Abule Abadi-Fitzgerald — a late-blooming, 6-foot-7 defensive end out of Victory Christian (Fla.) — committed to the University of Kentucky on Monday night.
UK hosted Abadi-Fitzgerald for an official visit this past weekend, and the athletic, 250-pound prospect also took a recruiting visit to Florida before making his college decision.
Abadi-Fitzgerald was born in Nigeria and came to the United States as a middle-schooler. He didn’t play football until his freshman year of high school, then took a break from the sport — while still playing basketball — and got back on the field this past season, so he’s still fairly new to the game and has not come close to tapping into his full potential as a football player.
UK and Florida both extended scholarship offers last week. Before that, he had taken official visits to Florida Atlantic and Florida International.
Abadi-Fitzgerald is the Wildcats’ eighth 2017 commitment from the state of Florida and their 24th commitment overall with national signing day coming up Wednesday.
Rivals.com and 247Sports both rank him as a three-star prospect, and he has the frame and athleticism to possibly play outside linebacker down the road.
Kentucky will now have the No. 22 class nationally, with Rivals 100 recruits Jedrick Wills and Danny Davis still possibilities to join that group.
Wills, a five-star offensive lineman from Lafayette High School, is committed to Alabama but took an official visit to UK this past weekend.
Davis, a four-star wide receiver from Ohio, is expected to choose either UK, West Virginia or Wisconsin on Wednesday.
Ben Roberts: 859-231-3216, @BenRobertsHL
UK football commitments for the class of 2017
Player | Pos | Ht | Wt | Hometown | Rivals | Scout | ESPN | 247 |
Abule Abadi-Fitzgerald | DE | 6-7 | 250 | Lakeland, Fla. | *** | — | — | *** |
Tyrell Ajian | DB | 6-1 | 185 | Mansfield, Ohio | **** | *** | **** | **** |
Josh Ali | WR | 6-0 | 175 | Hollywood, Fla. | *** | *** | *** | *** |
Quinton Bohanna | DT | 6-4 | 300 | Cordova, Tenn. | *** | *** | *** | *** |
Lynn Bowden | ATH | 6-1 | 190 | Youngstown, Ohio | **** | **** | *** | **** |
Danny Clark | QB | 6-2 | 230 | Columbus, Ohio | *** | **** | **** | *** |
Yusuf Corker | CB | 6-0 | 185 | Stockbridge, Ga, | *** | **** | **** | *** |
Jamin Davis | LB | 6-4 | 210 | Ludwici, Ga. | *** | *** | *** | *** |
Sebastien Dolcine | OL | 6-4 | 285 | Hollywood, Fla. | ** | ** | *** | ** |
Cedrick Dort | CB | 5-11 | 170 | Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. | ** | *** | *** | *** |
Austin Dotson | OL | 6-6 | 290 | Belfry, Ky. | ** | ** | *** | *** |
Isaiah Epps | WR | 6-3 | 185 | Jenks, Okla. | *** | ** | *** | *** |
Phil Hoskins | DL | 6-5 | 275 | Toldeo, Ohio | *** | *** | *** | *** |
Alex King | LB | 6-3 | 225 | Mason, Ohio | *** | *** | *** | *** |
Lonnie Johnson | DB | 6-3 | 215 | Gary, Ind. | *** | *** | *** | *** |
Bryant Koback | RB | 6-0 | 200 | Holland, Ohio | *** | *** | *** | *** |
Michael Nesbitt | DB | 6-0 | 175 | Lauderdale Lakes, Fla. | *** | *** | *** | *** |
Joshua Paschal | DE | 6-4 | 255 | Olney, Md. | **** | **** | **** | **** |
Javonte Richardson | WR | 6-4 | 210 | Maple Heights, Ohio | **** | **** | **** | **** |
Clevan Thomas | WR | 5-11 | 190 | Miami, Fla. | *** | *** | *** | *** |
Naasir Watkins | OL | 6-5 | 300 | Olney, Md. | *** | ** | *** | *** |
Chris Whittaker | DE | 6-4 | 250 | Hollywood, Fla. | *** | *** | *** | *** |
Walker Wood | QB | 6-0 | 190 | Lexington, Ky. | *** | *** | *** | *** |
Jordan Wright | DE | 6-5 | 230 | Fort Lauderdale, Fla. | *** | *** | *** | *** |
This story was originally published January 30, 2017 at 8:05 PM with the headline "6-foot-7 defensive lineman from Nigeria joins UK’s 2017 recruiting class."