Travonte Valentine, a rising junior defensive tackle from Palm Bay (Fla.), became the first player in the class of 2014 to commit to Louisville when he did so on Wednesday morning.

Valentine, a 6-3, 283-pound man-child also had offers from Florida, Auburn, Miami, Michigan State and West Virginia, among others. Recruiting experts have raved about the raw strength and quickness of Valentine, who is currently a four-star recruit according to Rivals.com.

Valentine is No. 71

Obviously you have to take early commitments for what they're worth, but this is a pretty big deal.