Louisville football recruiting: Four-star linebacker PJ Blue commits

One way to make up for losing a four-star recruit at a position where you have a lot of young talent is to get a different four-star commitment at a position where you definitely need fresh talented bodies. Louisville did that Monday afternoon when Alabama linebacker P.J. Blue committed to Bobby Petrino and staff.

I'm excited to announce that I am offially committed to Louisville!!! #Ls#up#Cardsnation pic.twitter.com/8mdJS90Oiy

— P.J. BLUE... (@Ocho_Blu8) December 1, 2015

Blue (6'2, 210) is a composite four-star prospect at linebacker according to 247Sports. According to their rating system he is the #23 outside linebacker and the #7 player in the state of Alabama. Blue had previously been committed to South Carolina since the summer but decommitted in the wake of the coaching change in Columbia. He is Louisville's second highest rated commitment behind Jawon Pass. He listed offers from Kentucky, Auburn, Clemson, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Early in the recruiting process it looked like this could be a class that was headlined by offensive players. The last few weeks, however, have shown that it might finish up a class known for the defense. Louisville has recently added junior college star Ronald Walker (who enrolls in January) as well star Mississippi safeties Jaquelle Green and Lamarques Thomas. Combine them with likely cornerbacks Rodjay Burns and Baylen Buchanan, Blue and TJ Brunson at linebacker, and defensive lineman Caleb Tillman, Mike Boykin, Tabarius Peterson, and junior college nose tackle Chris Williams and it's clear the Louisville staff is meeting needs at every level of the defense with great athletes who all have offers from quality programs.

Blue's commitment puts Louisville at #29 in the 247Sports team recruiting class rankings.