Alex Afari Jr.’s path to SEC stardom is anything but conventional. His story, shared candidly at SEC Media Days, is a testament to perseverance, adaptability, and the importance of community. Unlike many football stars in the Southeastern Conference, Afari didn’t grow up idolizing quarterbacks or spending weekends on the gridiron. In fact, he didn’t even grow up watching American football. Born in Italy and raised for part of his childhood in Ghana, Afari’s first love was what the world beyond the U.S. calls “football” — or soccer.
Afari playfully referred to it as “real football” during his SEC Media Days appearance. That was the sport he learned and loved in Ghana, where physicality and hand-use were not part of the game. But everything changed when he moved to the United States, where a chance encounter would steer his life in an entirely new direction.
That moment came thanks to his neighbor, Kaleb Johnson, who now plays in the NFL as a running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Johnson’s grandfather played a crucial role in Afari’s introduction to American football, signing him up for youth football soon after he arrived in the U.S. Afari recalled with a smile that his first practice left him shocked — he was expecting soccer and was instead handed a helmet and shoulder pads. “I said, this is not what I signed up for,” he laughed. But Johnson’s grandfather insisted he stick with it. And he did.
Starting at just eight years old, Afari’s adaptation to American football was not seamless. He rejected the notion that he was a natural at the sport. Instead, he acknowledged that he had to learn the game piece by piece, often informally and improvisationally, by playing in the backyard with Kaleb. His real development, he said, began in seventh grade. That’s when things began to click, and he started to truly understand the game and hone his skills.
That commitment and slow grind paid off. He blossomed into a highly-rated high school player at Lakota West High School in Ohio. By 2022, he was a four-star recruit, eventually committing to the University of Kentucky on May 7, 2021. For many athletes, getting to a Power Five program is the pinnacle, but for Afari, it was only the beginning of a longer, winding journey.
During his freshman season with the Wildcats, Afari appeared in all 13 games and started three of them. He recorded 21 tackles and began carving out a niche for himself on the team. But then came another twist in the road: a series of position changes. Originally recruited as a cornerback, Afari outgrew that role physically and was moved to safety. From there, he transitioned into a hybrid role, and most recently, inside linebacker.
Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops praised Afari’s adaptability and character, emphasizing how rare it is for a player to not only embrace multiple position changes but to excel in them. “He just picked it up in a big way,” Stoops said. “He’s a great leader and person for us.”
Indeed, Afari proved his value in the 2024 season. Despite Kentucky’s struggles, finishing with a disappointing 4-8 record, Afari remained a bright spot. He played in all 12 games, starting half of them, and ended the year with 62 total tackles — the third-highest on the team. He trailed only Jamon “Pop” Dumas-Johnson, who later signed with the Green Bay Packers, and Jordan Lovett, another veteran returning to the squad.
Afari’s physical transformation also played a key role in his rise. He credited the team’s strength and conditioning program for helping him elevate his game. “I got way stronger, way more explosive,” he said. “I feel like the strength coach has done a great job with all our players, changing our bodies, making us stronger and more explosive and faster.”
With the 2025 season on the horizon, Afari is no longer the new kid trying to figure out American football. He’s now one of Kentucky’s defensive leaders, someone the coaching staff and younger players look to for stability and guidance. He acknowledged the team’s shortcomings in the previous year but made it clear that the Wildcats are motivated to change the narrative.
“We know what happened last year. We addressed it. We’re going to grow from it,” Afari stated firmly. “We’re going to play with a chip on our shoulder. Makes us more hungry this year to prove everybody wrong, seeing everybody putting us last in the SEC.”
The former “real football” kid from Ghana now embodies the spirit of a gritty, hard-nosed SEC linebacker — a transformation few would have predicted a decade ago. His growth has mirrored that of someone navigating an entirely foreign world, learning not just the rules but the rhythm of a complex sport, and ultimately finding a place in it.
Afari’s story also underscores the importance of mentorship and support systems. Without the intervention of Kaleb Johnson’s grandfather, he might never have given football a second glance. Without backyard practice sessions and constant encouragement, he might never have gained the confidence to pursue the game seriously. And without his own resilience and willingness to adapt, his journey might have ended long before reaching this point.
Even with NFL aspirations possibly on the horizon, Afari remains grounded. He appreciates where he came from and hasn’t forgotten his roots. One thing he still misses dearly? His mom’s jollof rice — a dish he claims no Kentucky restaurant has managed to match. That cultural thread continues to tie him to his past, even as he barrels forward into a future that could see him playing professionally like his childhood neighbor.
In many ways, Afari’s story is the embodiment of the American dream through sport: an international kid navigating culture shock, sporting confusion, and identity formation in the most unexpected of arenas. He began with a misunderstanding — signing up for soccer and getting football instead — but turned that detour into a defining moment.
Now, as he enters his senior season, Alex Afari Jr. is not just a standout player but a role model for how perseverance, support, and self-belief can turn a mistaken signup sheet into a path to greatness.
