Kelvin Lucky is anything but lucky.
He’s talented, he’s hard working, he’s smart and he’s blessed. That goes a lot farther than luck, as evident in just the past few months of Lucky’s life.
Lucky (6’6”, 212 lbs., Edgewood Academy) came to the Unites States from Nigeria, and although sports have quickly propelled his life, the reason for moving was simple.
“I came to the states to get a better education and to live a better life,” he said.
He’s been in the United States for about a year and a half, spending that time accumulating, learning more English and perfecting his craft. It just so happened that his craft recently changed.
Pegged as a basketball star, Lucky has recently made the transition to football, as in, like, super recently.
“Last year, I didn’t play because the game was really new to me and I was scared,” explains Lucky.
“This year I was like, man, I need to play this game. This game is fun.”
In the four months that Lucky has been on the gridiron, he’s picked up the game quickly.
A sharp mind and determined attitude have resulted in Kelvin Lucky understanding schemes and nuances quicker than some around him that have played all their lives. He’s parlayed that with his natural athletic ability, history playing soccer and basketball, and made a quick impression as both a tight end and defensive end. Most schools, including the Florida Gators, have been looking at his 6’6” frame as a tight end, especially with a wingspan that stretches 83 inches. Due to that length, Lucky has the luxury of learning the game as he goes.
When he is ready to make that transition, it’ll happily be to whatever position coaches, such as Florida’s Greg Nord, see as his best fit.
“Coach Nord, he likes me on both positions,” says Lucky.
“He likes me at defensive end and at tight end so it was like, I’m going to play both positions. But to me, I’m an athlete, you know? I’m gonna play whatever position you put me on. I’m gonna play.”
Kelvin Lucky’s humble and willing attitude is what has made the past year and a half so dreamlike, and, you know, the fact that he’s only been playing this game less time than that.
“Well actually I started football I think in June, June last year,” recalls Lucky.
“That was when I started football, going to camps, different coaches came out to watch me and they were like ‘Wow, who is that boy.’ To me I was like ‘I’m nobody.’ But I’ve just seen the power of God in me, it’s just shining all around me, that’s all I’ve got to say.”
Back home in Nigeria, “everyone wanted to play basketball and soccer,” but once Lucky really got into football this season, he knew he’d found what he was supposed to do.
“To me, when the season actually started that was when I knew football was my calling. Football is what God had for me to pick,” proclaims Lucky.
He’ll still play basketball this season (and according to him, hopefully put back on about 20 pounds that he dropped after last season) and then it’ll be time to make a decision regarding football.
Right now he pinpoints Texas, Vanderbilt and Georgia as schools high on his list. He’s still waiting on that Florida offer, but was assured that it’s coming soon.
“I just talked to the head coach [Saturday] and he was like ‘We are close to offering’, because actually waiting on some of my documents to start the process.”
When that offer comes, things could change thanks to a day that gave Lucky some hope for a possible future as a Florida Gator.
“To me, I can see right now the interest is really big. I can see Florida they really want me…it’s a very nice place. I love the family. I love the coaches…it makes me happy.”
For a boy very, very far away from home, the feeling he got after meeting coaches in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium was immeasurable. Many came to introduce themselves personally to Kelvin Lucky, a fact that he appreciated greatly.
“Normally, I have been talking to them on Twitter, so like seeing them in person, it’s pretty good. I just love all the coaches; they all try to make a prospect feel happy, like this is home.”
Visiting the Swamp is another step in the journey that Kelvin Lucky has paved to achieve the life he’s always known God has for him, and becoming a target for the University of Florida was a major benchmark.
“The only thing I have to say, it’s just all to God. To become a prospect today, I didn’t dream I’d be a prospect. Florida is good, and I was really happy today. I can’t lie to you, I was really happy today.