SAN ANTONIO - In a yearly tradition, Saturday's All-American Bowl in San Antonio featured a number of major commitments, including three-star defensive back Vito Tisdale making his pledge to Kentucky official. The in-state prospect has long been a priority target for the Wildcats and despite some ups and downs and flirtations with out-of-state programs, Tisdale announced his pledge to the 'Cats live on NBC during the game. Rivals.com caught up with him to break down his commitment.
IN HIS WORDS
On his decision: "Kentucky has been on the top of my list for a while and there was no better place to make it public than on the national stage. Hopefully it's just the start of us getting that kind of recognition as a program."
Thoughts on the defense: "They have defensive-minded coaches there and that side of the ball is always going to be good. It kept them in a lot of games. I saw some stats that said they're right up there with the best passing defenses. They're great at forcing turnovers and they are up there with the best of the SEC."
Thoughts on the fit in the scheme: "They want me to play the star, move around and kind of be like Mike Edwards was there. I like that role, so I can use my aggressiveness and instincts to make plays."
Staying close to home: "It's good. Lexington is in-state but it's far enough away that I feel like I'm still going away to school and I can be away from the distractions. It's a good spot for me. Not a lot of chances to get in trouble. I can go there, keep my head on straight, get my degree and pursue my dreams and achieve my goals."
Kentucky fan base: "They love me. I love them, too. They treat me special and the fact that I'm from here means a lot to them."
Relationship with current Kentucky players: "I have a great relationship with a lot of the guys. It's all a family. The current recruits and the player. The guys on the team have taken me in like a younger brother and they recruited me just as hard as the coaches and that means a lot because those are going to be my brothers when I get there."
Academic progress: "Right now I'm going to take the ACT one more time. I have the score but I want to see if I can get it up. I'm just staying in the books and planning on graduating in May and going to school in June."
RIVALS REACTION
While Tisdale's ranking might not be as high as some others that made their announcements on Saturday, there's not doubt that his is just as important for Kentucky. The Wildcats are working hard to keep top talent in state and given his lengthy offer list making sure he doesn't leave the state is a win from a perception standpoint as well. Tisdale still has very high upside and if he can get to Kentucky and get to work, he could show why he was so highly coveted early in the process.
