PLANTATION — Somewhere between stopping for lunch and picking up a friend to go fishing, Kymani Morales unexpectedly made one of the biggest decisions of his life.
“My parents, they knew nothing. Nobody knew anything,” Morales said. “I’m in the car talking to (UCF linebackers coach Mark) D’Onofrio, and I was like, ‘I’m ready to do it, coach.’ As soon as I did it, the whole coaching staff texted me. I told my family, and they were happy for me. Then I told my homeboy (Aldarius Johnson Jr.), and he thought I was lying. Then he said, ‘Man, let’s do it.’
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“From that point, we were happy, and then we caught some yellowtails and some red snapper.”
Nearly three months have passed since his March 1 commitment to UCF, but Morales — a 6-foot-2, 205-pound rising senior linebacker at South Florida high school football powerhouse American Heritage — still has a hard time explaining how he felt in the moment. As of last week, though, he is the Knights‘ longest-tenured 2026 pledge.
According to 247Sports, Morales is the No. 88 linebacker in the country for the upcoming recruiting cycle and the No. 124 overall player in Florida.
Here are five things to know about the consensus three-star recruit.
1. Kymani Morales topped 100 tackles, won state championship
Morales produced a big junior year for the Patriots as they captured their sixth Florida High School Athletic Association championship. He finished as the team’s second-leading tackler — 126 in total, including 18 for loss — with three sacks and a forced fumble.
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American Heritage head coach Mike Smith calls Morales the “leader of the defense,” one entrusted to lead conditioning workouts prior to the start of spring ball as Smith underwent eye surgery.
“On the field, he’s an emotional kid. He plays with a hunger, and he plays with fire,” Smith said. “The kids feed off of that. He’s our leader, both on and off the field. Defensively, he sets the tone with the mentality he comes with.”
2. Kymani Morales is considered among Broward County’s best
Kymani Morales (5) helped Plantation American Heritage capture its sixth FHSAA state football championship in program history last December.
Following the season, both the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and the Miami Herald selected Morales to their respective All-Broward County first teams for Classes 1A through 4A.
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Morales joined defensive tackle Omarian Abraham (N.C. State signee), linebacker Dylan Bennett and safety Zae Thomas (Florida State signee) as first-team picks for both outlets.
As far as play style goes, Morales tries to mirror Pittsburgh Steelers second-year linebacker Payton Wilson and standout LSU junior Harold Perkins Jr.
“Payton Wilson, I ain’t as tall as him; he’s like 6-(foot)-4, but his closing speed is just crazy, and the way he can track down the ball is immaculate,” Morales said. “Harold Perkins is just very aggressive. I feel like we could be the same person.”
3. Kymani Morales led American Heritage in sacks in 2023
Athleticism and versatility stand out among Morales’ most appealing traits to UCF, Smith said. He switched positions between his sophomore and junior campaigns, moving into an off-ball role after excelling on the edge.
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Morales tallied a team-high 12 sacks for American Heritage during the 2023 season, four more than anyone else on the squad. He had three multi-sack performances, including one against star-studded, state-champion Chaminade-Madonna.
“He can play in the box and be aggressive, play the run, and you can also put him in the nickel. You can move him around, and he can cover guys,” Smith said. “He’ll be quick to challenge people in one-on-ones. … He’s a twitchy athlete, too. At that level, guys are looking for (athletes) who are twitched-up.”
4. Kymani Morales comes from athletic family with Daytona Beach connection
American Heritage linebacker Kymani Morales earned All-Broward first-team honors from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and the Miami Herald after his junior season.
Morales’ parents were accomplished athletes in their own right. His father, Terrence Butler, earned a scholarship to Bethune-Cookman and was an offensive lineman for the Wildcats through the 1999 season. His mother, Jennifer Laguerre, ran track and played flag football at McArthur High in Hollywood.
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In addition, Tray Walker — a close family friend whom Morales referred to as his “uncle” — made it to the NFL as a fourth-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens in 2015. He suited up for eight games as a rookie, but died on March 18, 2016, from injuries sustained in a dirt bike accident in Liberty City.
“I was young, but I was still close with him because I was always around him,” Morales said.
5. UCLA football recently offered Kymani Morales after practice
More than a dozen Division I programs have made verbal offers to Morales, including a bit of a recent surprise from the Big Ten.
UCLA offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tino Sunseri stopped by American Heritage’s May 7 practice and offered Morales on the spot. Brian Dohn, of 247Sports, reported that Morales would look into an official visit to Los Angeles.
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As of May 22, Morales said UCLA is not on his summer itinerary. He will first visit UCF from May 30-June 1, followed by South Florida, Georgia Tech and Wake Forest the next three weekends.
Though he intends to see what other schools have to offer, Morales made it clear he remains fully committed to the Knights.
“I know they’re going to try and outdo my home, but … I still won’t even consider,” Morales said. “I know where I’m at. It’s close enough to home but far enough away from home. I feel like it’s the just spot for me to be.”
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: UCF football recruiting: 5 things to know about Kymani Morales
