SIGNING DAY PREVIEW: Defensive end Abule Abadi-Fitzgerald
Cats Illustrated isn't waiting until National Signing Day to get you ready for all the action. We're rolling out Signing Day content all week.
In our new Signing Day Preview series we'll profile every single one of Kentucky's 2017 early enrollees as well as those who won't be signing until Wednesday.
STATUS: Will sign on Wednesday and enroll in June.
RESUME: Abadi-Fitzgerald had 24 tackles, nine tackles for loss, two sacks and 13 quarterback hurries for a 10-2 Victory Christian team. He's also an accomplished basketball player and a double-double machine for VCA.
RECRUITING HISTORY: Abadi-Fitzgerald was largely an unknown for the vast majority of the recruiting process. At one point, even closer to Signing Day, Abadi-Fitzgerald had offers from UMass, South Florida, Florida Atlantic and Florida International. His breakthrough offers came from Kentucky and Florida. He officially visited UK on Saturday and then swung over to Florida for a Sunday official visit in Gainesville. UF head coach Jim McElwain had an in-home visit with Abadi-Fitzgerald. He ultimately picked Kentucky.
SCOUTING REPORT: Abadi-Fitzgerald, a Nigeria native, is a raw but promising pass-rushing prospect as a defensive end in either a 3-4 or 4-3 alignment. He must continue to make advances in the weight room as well as technically, but his natural size, length and athleticism can't be taught. His excellent success on the basketball court bodes well for him as a student-athlete in the SEC. He's a high-character kid with a good work ethic.
CATS ILLUSTRATED PROJECTION: Temper expectations for Abadi-Fitzgerald early. How good he will be is entirely within his own power and will depend on his strength development, the progression of his technique and how quickly he picks up football concepts. He has an incredibly high ceiling but it will take him a while to hit his stride.
| Size | Speed | Explosion | Pass Rush | Run Defense |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
7.5/10 |
7/10 |
6.5/10 |
7/10 |
6/10 |
