When Etienne Sabino moved from New York to Florida five years he knew only one thing about football.

“All I knew was that in football you hit,” Sabino said.

These days, he is being recruited for just that.

The Lightning’s 6-foot-3, 228 lb. linebacker has been gaining much attention this off-season after a stellar junior campaign of 131 tackles and eight sacks.

“Honestly it just flies by. I really don’t remember every tackle,” Sabino said.

Maybe his college offers can help refresh his memory. The Lightning’s star has received offers from some of the most prestigious schools around the country including North Carolina, Florida, Miami, Southern Cal, Ohio State, Notre Dame and LSU, but that doesn’t top the day it all started.

In late March, Sabino received offers from Notre Dame, Florida, Southern California and Tennessee all within hours of each other.

“I was in school and I got taken out early because I had to take my mom to the airport and on the way there I was just talking to all these coaches and my mom almost busting out in tears,” Sabino said. “It was shocking, very shocking.”

Sabino, who is ranked the No. 8 linebacker in the country according to Scout.com, hasn’t made a decision on a school, but is really impressed with North Carolina.

“I really like UNC. Coach John Blake gives you a real home feeling and Butch Davis, you would forget he is a head coach with the way he talks to you,” Sabino said. “I like Davis’ vision and they are building something good over there.”

Sabino should be ahead of most of the other recruits in his class. He intends to graduate early and be on a college campus in January.

“If I go to college in January, I will be a semester ahead of the incoming freshman so I will be ahead academically,” Sabino said. “Also I learn the defensive playbook so I am ahead of them in the classroom and on the field.”

Although his knowledge has grown, Sabino’s love for tackling is the same as it was five years ago.

“It’s just good to hit people. I love hitting.”