Kentucky's football family suffered a tragic loss on Dec. 31 when a future linebacker scheduled to sign with UK in February was killed in Tennessee.

Chris Mosby, a 17-year-old senior at Christian Brothers High School in Memphis, Tenn., was killed in a traffic accident in the early morning hours on Saturday.

"Chris touched the hearts of everyone everyday," Christian Brothers principal Chris Englert told the Memphis Commercial-Appeal. "His smile and sense of humor were infectious. He had the personality that made it a joy for students to come to school and for the faculty to come to work.

"Chris was the kind of person I had hoped would come back after college to work at CBHS," Englert said. "We will miss him terribly."

Mosby, an all-stater and Mr. Football finalist in Tennessee, helped lead his high school to the state championship game this fall. He committed to Kentucky on Dec. 8 following an in-home visit from assistant coach Kurt Roper.

"After my visit to Kentucky on Nov. 25, I thought about committing then," Mosby told The Cats' Pause in December. "I really had a great time there. I felt like I connected with the coaches and players. It just seemed like a great fit for me."

Mosby is survived by his parents, Richard and Moana; and three brothers, Stephen, Justin and Alex.

Mosby's funeral is 7 p.m. CST Tuesday at St. Louis Catholic Church. Visitation is 5 to 8 p.m. Monday. The family requests that any memorials be directed to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or to the Chris Mosby Scholarship Fund at Christian Brothers High School.