Wake Forest football commit Antonio Robinson appears to be heading to Northern Kentucky

Antonio Robinson Jr., a football commit to Wake Forest University and the No. 34-ranked cornerback in the nation, appears to be moving to Northern Kentucky from Miami, Florida.

The recruiting website, 247sports, lists him as playing for Highlands High School this year and as the No. 1 cornerback recruit in the state of Kentucky. Rivals.com also lists his high school as Highlands.

Robinson told the Enquirer Tuesday that he couldn’t comment on his status until Friday. While he is listed as being a player for Highlands on multiple recruiting websites, neither his official Hudl page nor Twitter account currently list that school.

The Kentucky High School Athletic Association must declare Robinson eligible to play under its bylaws for transfers before being allowed to participate in football activities.

Florida Christian School head football coach George Gulla Wednesday confirmed the Robinsons' move to Kentucky but did not know where he has enrolled. Father Antonio Robinson Sr., a former NFL player, was part of the FCS coaching staff before the move. He played for the Green Bay Packers in the 2010 and 2011 seasons and was on the roster of the team that won Super Bowl 45.

Robinson Jr. rushed for 452 yards and nine touchdowns while playing quarterback and receiver for Class 3A Florida Christian and caught 16 passes with three touchdowns. On defense, he had 54 tackles and two interceptions.

He also ran track and played baseball at the school.

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Highlands head coach Bob Sphire has not responded to requests for comment. He is entering his second season at Highlands. 

Highlands principal John Darnell said the school could not immediately verify his enrollment status due to the main office currently being lightly staffed for the summer. 

Jordan Nevels, a friend of the Robinsons, said last week that Antonio has not made a decision on where to enroll. Nevels is a 2005 Highlands graduate who was a standout football player for the Bluebirds and went on to play for the University of Kentucky. 

Robinson committed to Wake Forest as a cornerback, where he is ranked first in the state in the Class of 2023 and 34th in the nation by 247Sports.com in their composite rankings. The recruiting service has Robinson ranked 342nd overall among all players entering their senior season.

“Antonio was my starting cornerback,” said Gulla, who was defensive coordinator at Florida Christian last season and is now the head coach. “He has exceptional athletic ability combined with great coverage ability. He had speed that allowed him to break on the ball once the QB released it and either break up a pass or caused QBs not to throw in his direction.”

Wake Forest, a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, went 11-3 last season, tying a program record for wins in a season and winning the Gator Bowl over Rutgers.

If he plays for Highlands, he becomes the highest-ranked recruit in Northern Kentucky football this season. While his best position is defense, he could make an impact on offense, joining a group of talented playmakers for the Bluebirds.

Gulla said Robinson primarily played wide receiver on offense last season, possessing great quickness off the line and running clean routes. Robinson also took significant snaps as a Wildcat quarterback.

“Off the field, he is a well-mannered young man, always respectful and polite,” Gulla said. “Mostly was a quiet student and stayed with his close friends. We were sorry to see him relocate to another state and he will be an asset to any program.”

Highlands went 5-6 last season, losing to Covington Catholic in the first round of the KHSAA Class 5A playoffs.

The Enquirer will update this story