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Louisville added a handful of new members to the football program on the second signing day for the 2022 recruiting class. The staff needed to address some of the spots left open in the secondary due to transfer as well as adding to the overall depth to the position. They were able to do so with a mix of high school prospects as well as transfers. The staff signed two high school players and three transfers will join the team, though they don’t actually sign with the program as high school players do.
Below is a quick snapshot of the four players that Louisville added today. All made their commitment to the program in recent days.
HIGH SCHOOL
Louisville got a late steal in the class when Caldwell decided to take an official visit this past weekend. Eron Hodges has been credited with being a huge factor here and he helped close the deal with a player UofL hadn’t been in on for very long. Caldwell could play either safety or cornerback and I think he has a chance to see the field early.
Wesley McGriff joined the staff a few weeks ago and he targeted three defensive backs shortly thereafter. Watts was one of those players and McGriff’s ties to Georgia lead me to believe that he got a tip that Watts was worth taking a look at. Watts is a safety prospect with good size and playmaking ability. While I’m not sure we see him early on, I do think that Watts is a viable prospect who should develop into a contributor.
TRANSFERS
Williams is a transfer from USC who spent this past year as the second man up on the depth chart. Williams didn’t put up many numbers in his three years at USC but he did play in over 20 games. He has experience at the power five level and should add depth to the cornerback room.
Louisville added Alexander as a veteran player who could play either corner or safety. During his time at Duke, Alexander played different positions and seemed to be a mainstay in a nickelback role. Though he had offers from a large number of top programs in high school he decided to go with Duke and he has played in 29 games in three seasons with 75 tackles, 2 interceptions, and 7 pass breakups. UofL needs experience and depth and Alexander brings that to the team.
The staff made improving the secondary a priority and I’m not sure they could have done much better than adding two players with power five experience, two players who started at their previous schools, and three high school players who will add needed depth.
Louisville’s class as a whole features Popeye Williams who is the 13th highest rated player in the history of the program using the 247 composite. Selah Brown is one of the highest-rated local prospects UofL has signed since Brian Brohm. 5 of the 15 high school signees are rated as a four-star by one of the four major recruiting services. 247 ranks the transfer portion of the class as the second-best in the ACC. Overall, there is a lot to like about the recruiting class.