Alex Afari got Lost in Translation and Found Football

Kentucky LB Alex Afari, via Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Alex Afari was recruited to play cornerback at Kentucky. Upon his arrival, he was moved to safety, then primarily played nickel before transitioning to linebacker ahead of the 2024 season. Moving around and trying new things is nothing new for this Kentucky Wildcat.

“I was born in Italy, lived there for four years. Then moved to Ghana. That’s where my parents are originally from, so I lived with my Grandma and Auntie. Then I came to the United States,” he shared with KSR at SEC Media Days.

Afari’s family settled in Greater Cincinnati when he was eight, but he never strayed too far from his roots. He speaks Twi fluently, an Akan language dialect spoken in South and Central Ghana. Still, he missed playing football.

His next-door neighbor was going out for the team. Afari asked his best friend’s Grandpa to sign him up for the football team.

“First day of practice, put a helmet on me and shoulder pads. This is not what I signed up for,” Afari recalled with a laugh.

Initially, Afari preferred the soccer version of football. He wasn’t used to getting pushed around, and he wasn’t very good at it, but his friend wouldn’t let him quit. That friend is Kaleb Johnson, the First Team All-American Iowa running back who was picked in the third round of this year’s NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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“After that, I wanted to quit, but he didn’t let me quit. He made me stick through it and I thank him for that. Me and Kaleb would just practice in the backyard every day, and now I’m here,” said Afari.

Alex Afari might not have played football without the persistence of his childhood friend. Ironically, what once nearly made him quit the sport is the best asset of his game.

“Being physical, I live for the hard hits,” Afari said. “That’s what I feed off.”

If he eats enough hard hits this fall, Afari can join his old friend in the NFL ranks. It’s safe to say this soccer-football mix-up worked out well.

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