"I was playing real football in Ghana": Kentucky star LB reveals hilarious transition story from soccer to college football at SEC Media days

Kentucky Wildcats' Alex Afari's journey to playing football in the SEC has been at times complicated. Afari was born in Italy, and before moving to the United States, grew up in Ghana, where he played soccer, aka football, around the world.

Afari gave an interview during his appearance at SEC Media Days on Thursday, where he told the story of his first time playing "American Football."

"I was playing real football in Ghana. (Upon starting to play American Football) First day of practice, they put a helmet on me and some shoulder pads. I said, 'This is not what I signed up for," Afari said.

This experience, though, would forever change his life.

Afari has been playing for the Wildcats since 2022, having been recruited as a four-star prospect by the team.

During his time in Lexington, Afari has developed into one of the main defensive players on Mark Stoops's team. During the 2024 season, Afari made 62 tackles, the third highest amount in the Kentucky defense.

While this contribution is impressive and helped the defense at times, it was not enough to help the Wildcats record a winning season, with the team having a 4-8 (1-7 SEC) record in 2024.

Afari comes into the 2025 season with high expectations. As a senior, he is expected to raise his production from last season. His output will come a long way in helping the Wildcats succeed on the field this season.

What has Alex Afari done to help himself prepare for Kentucky's season?

Alex Afari also spoke during his interview at SEC Media Days about his preparations for the 2025 season.

"I got stronger in the weight room. I got way stronger, way more explosive. I feel it's going to translate on the field," 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."

Afari is doing what he can to transform himself into an NFL-caliber player.

With the season around the corner, he is not seen as a top defensive target for any franchise, but a strong season for him and the Wildcats could move the needle.

About the author

Ben Tredinnick is a journalist who covers college football and college basketball at Sportskeeda who is currently studying for a masters in Data Science. His degree in Psychology has helped him gain an in-depth understanding of the minds of coaches.

Ben has been involved in sports writing since 2022 and covered the NFL previously. His strengths include providing in-depth profiles of athletes and coaches, with a particular focus on development, and looking at which teams could be in the hunt for today's college stars.

Ben enjoys following college sports more than the NBA or NFL because there is more variation in terms of playstyles. The tournaments are often more competitive than the major leagues, and due to the constant turnover of players, there are rarely any "superteams" in college sports.

He prioritizes research, looks at multiple sources and publications to make sure he gets the full picture of the story before writing. He tries not to write from a one-sided perspective to allow the reader to be able to make their mind up on their own.

A Texas Longhorns fan, as well as a massive New York Giants fan, some of his favorite college players of all time are Arch Manning, Tim Tebow and Reggie Bush.

When he is not working, Ben enjoys watching films (especially Godzilla) and spending time with his cat.

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Edited by Gio Vergara