Georgia All-Region DE Tab Butler Commits To Fordham

Recruiting is different for each prospect, and it can sometimes take a while for it to get going.

For Norcross (GA) Wesleyan School class of 2026 defensive end Tab Butler, he had been communicating with Fordham for a long while, communicating and building a relationship with wide receivers coach Jake Petrarca.

On April 24, that patience paid off for Butler after he received an offer from the Rams.

“That call from Coach Petrarca was definitely a great conversation and one that was long-awaited. We had been in contact for almost a year before the offer actually rolled around after one of my last days of school. We were both aware that I wasn’t really ready to pull the trigger on any of my other offers, and time wasn’t exactly on either one of our sides, so I think there was definitely some mutual relief,” Butler said.

The relationship he built with Petrarca and everything he knows about the Rams program was enough for him to announce his commitment to them on May 29.

“I’ve always wanted to use football as a tool to get myself into an amazing school that will set me up well professionally when football is over. Fordham ultimately won me over in the recruiting process as a perfect combination of a first-class Division I program that doesn’t get enough credit and also gives me unrivaled access to finance within New York, where I hope to land post-graduation. The culture of the team and coaching staff at Fordham is hard to overlook, and I’m excited to be a Ram.”

His Official Visit to Fordham

Butler was in the Bronx on Thursday for his official visit with the Rams, and loved everything he saw while he was there. Especially, spending time with Petrarca, who hosted him.

“My visit to Fordham was nothing short of amazing. The facilities and hospitality were top-tier and made me excited about what's ahead,” Butler said.

“It was great to be able to sit down and talk some football and continue to get acclimated before the start of summer camp. Coach Petrarca and I have a great relationship that I look forward to building on this summer and next fall. I first met him in the spring of my junior year when we stopped by the school to watch one of my off-season lifts. We had a great conversation about recruiting and about the next steps that ultimately led to this.”

Butler played at defensive end and linebacker at Wesleyan, and it is possible he could do the same with the Rams.

“One of the things I told Coach Petrarca from the start is that I don’t want to be limited to any one position from their perspective and that I would play wherever they see fit. I think that, given a combination of my size and the team’s positional needs, I’ll spend most of my time at linebacker.”

100% Locked In ‼️‼️🐏🐏

I’m so blessed to announce my commitment to @FORDHAMFOOTBALL and continue my athletic and academic career at such an impressive university‼️ None of this would be possible without the support of my family and coaches, and most importantly my Lord and… pic.twitter.com/pz2lG8Dh2Z
— Tab Butler (@TabButler_08) May 29, 2026

The Wolves finished 8-4 last season, advancing to the second round of the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) Private State Football Championship. Butler was named a Second-Team All-Region selection after finishing with 33 tackles, 21 quarterback pressures, and seven tackles for loss.

“Last season was something to be proud of. The team was hot going into the playoffs, winning four of our five last regular-season games before we were knocked off in the second round by an elite opponent in Prince Avenue. Our senior class really stepped up, where a lot of people predicted a fall off from our success the year before. I’m proud of the way I played my last season as a team leader in tackles and TFLs.

"I hadn’t gotten the playing time I was looking forward to in previous seasons, and I had something to prove, which I feel like I did. My position group at the defensive end specifically has produced some elite recruits in recent years who pushed me to chase that success and continue the streak of highly-touted edge players at Wesleyan.”

Butler has been putting in the hard work during this offseason, as he has been training at the Adapt Performance in Atlanta.

“This offseason has been one of the more significant ones for sure, and I’m devoted to showing up in NYC better than ever. I want to give a lot of credit to my trainer, JT Alphabet, from Adapt Performance.

"He’s very highly regarded by a lot of elite players, and we’re working diligently together every week to get me into the best shape possible for summer camp. Some of the Wesleyan underclassmen are getting their work in with me as well, and I’m excited to see the success that the younger guys have next year in their season.”

Six Star Football has Butler rated as a two-star recruit and ranked as the No. 196 defensive end and No. 142 player in Georgia. He committed to Fordham over offers from Penn, Cornell, and multiple Division III programs.

COACHES‼️: End of Season Stats/Film
- 2nd Team ALL-REGION ✅
- Starter at DE/Rotational TE ✅
- 33 tackles, 7 TFLs, 21 QBP✅
- T2 on team in TFLs, T1 in QBP ✅
- 17 🅾️ffers, uncommitted @WesleyanFB97 @MCDSeigler @CoachWild15 @jtalphabet_ @sixstarfootball @DontonioKeshon…
— Tab Butler (@TabButler_08) December 9, 2025

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