Why Florida Must Key on Kentucky LB Alex Afari Jr.

Alex Afari Jr. leads Kentucky with 49 tackles.

Kentucky linebacker Alex Afari Jr. headlines the Wildcats' defense. | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

The Florida Gators head up to Kentucky to face a Wildcats team that brings the fight to their opponent. One of the brightest spots of the team is senior linebacker Alex Afari Jr. Normally, you would not expect a player from a 3-5 to command attention.

However, Afari gives the Wildcats their aggression, their heart, and their metaphorical teeth. Kentucky does not align with the Gators in terms of talent. However, the talented Afari makes everyone around him better. UF needs to account for Afari with every snap.

Force Multiplier

Afari wants to make the tackle, but on his own terms. He strikes the ball carrier with violence, throwing all of his weight behind the play, as he should. Nevertheless, when you add an explosive first step, you have an inside linebacker who loves to strike anything with a pulse.

The film shows a style that can veer into reckless behavior, but will still impact the ball. On plays in the hole, Afari maintains good form, keeping his pads behind him, attempting to wrap up. However, in space, he truly wants to deliver punishment.

Game BREAKER 😤#GoBigBlue | @AlexAfari8 pic.twitter.com/2qETPyrdIB

— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) September 1, 2025

While his strategy does work most of the time, Afari will overpursue and run himself out of the play. Florida, with the use of misdirection and cutbacks, could exacerbate the problem for Kentucky. To this point in the season, Afari has missed nine tackles, according to Pro Football Focus.

Deep Water

Afari excels downhill towards the line of scrimmage. While he can cover short zones, he cannot be relied upon to maintain that consistency. Jadan Baugh has excellent hands. Making Afari trail him takes him away from the line of scrimmage and into a one-on-one with a back possessing excellent speed and agility. While not aesthetically pleasing, dumpoffs, swings, or flare passes keep Kentucky from dominating the middle, especially on the blitz.

Blitz Pickup

Despite only boasting 2.5 sacks, Afari's blitzing is more of a catalyst than a solution. Meaning, speed draws attention, allowing the ends to gain a step. Kentucky will blitz from every direction, whether on a twist or straight up. If the Gators don't keep helping their quarterback off the ground, they need to see what Kentucky is showing pre-snap and prepare to see something else afterward.

Overview

If left untouched, Afari will wreck Florida's game plan. Ask Auburn how not paying attention worked for them against Kentucky. The running back needs to be aware of his position, because the senior will attempt to tackle him. The Gators have the type of offensive line experience and talent that can accomplish this.

Yet, it must be an everyday occurrence. One blown assignment could be a catastrophe. If Florida bottles up Afari, how much easier will the game be for them?