Louisville just made a key move to shore up its secondary, adding some much-needed experience with the addition of former Tennessee safety Kaleb Beasley through the transfer portal.
At 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, Beasley brings size, athleticism, and two years of eligibility to a Cardinals defense that’s been looking for a veteran presence on the back end. While his time at Tennessee didn’t feature a full-time starting role, he still managed to carve out a role in 26 games across two seasons, contributing primarily on special teams and as a rotational piece in the secondary.
In 2025, Beasley started to flash some of the playmaking ability that made him a coveted recruit out of high school. He tallied 24 tackles, two pass breakups, and returned a fumble for a touchdown-a glimpse of the instincts and ball skills that once made him one of the top defensive backs in the country.
A Nashville native and standout at Lipscomb Academy, Beasley was a consensus four-star prospect in the 2024 recruiting class. The 247Sports Composite ranked him as the No. 159 overall player in the nation and the fourth-best in Tennessee.
His high school résumé backs that up: 24 career interceptions, including a ridiculous nine picks as a junior, which earned him Defensive Player of the Year honors from The Tennessean. He capped off his prep career as a finalist for the 2023 Division II-3A Mr.
Football Award.
Beasley had his pick of Power 4 programs coming out of high school, with scholarship offers from across the country. Now, he’ll get a fresh start in Louisville, where the Cardinals are hoping his combination of experience, athleticism, and upside can help stabilize a secondary that needs a little more bite.
This isn’t just a depth move-it’s a calculated addition of a player who’s already shown flashes and still has room to grow. For Louisville, it’s another smart step in building a defense that can compete at the top of the ACC.