Louisville Shifts Focus to No. 1 Recruit CJ Rosser After Missing on Trevor Manhertz
Louisville basketball took a hit on the recruiting trail this week as highly touted forward Trevor Manhertz chose Indiana over the Cardinals and Duke. Manhertz, a consensus four-star prospect who had previously been ranked in the top 100 of the 2027 class before reclassifying to 2026, had included Louisville in his final three after visiting campus in December. But in the end, it was the Hoosiers who landed his commitment, leaving Louisville to recalibrate its recruiting efforts.
The Cardinals aren’t starting from scratch, though. They’ve already secured two early pledges in the 2027 class-four-star guard Ferlandes Wright and three-star prospect Isaac Ellis-giving them a solid foundation. But with Manhertz off the board, all eyes now turn to the next big name on Louisville’s radar: CJ Rosser.
And make no mistake, Rosser isn’t just any target-he’s the target.
The 6-foot-9, 195-pound power forward is the top-ranked player in the 2027 class, and he’s already drawing attention from just about every blue-blood program in the country. North Carolina, Michigan, Kentucky, NC State, Arkansas, and Duke are all in the mix, and Louisville is right there with them, pushing hard to make a strong impression early in the process.
Rosser is set to make an unofficial visit to Louisville this weekend, timing it with the Cardinals' matchup against SMU at the KFC Yum! Center on Saturday, Jan.
- This visit is a big one-not just because of who Rosser is, but because of how selective he’s been with his travel schedule.
So far, he’s only taken unofficials to North Carolina and Wake Forest. Kentucky is slated to host him next, with a visit scheduled for Feb. 4 when the Wildcats take on Oklahoma.
This is a pivotal opportunity for head coach Pat Kelsey and his staff. Getting Rosser on campus this early gives Louisville a chance to make a lasting impression before the recruiting battle really heats up. And make no mistake: this is going to be a battle.
Rosser’s numbers back up the hype. Through 34 games in his junior season, he’s averaging 16.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, 1.3 assists, and 1.1 steals per game.
He’s a two-way force with size, athleticism, and a polished skill set that’s already drawing comparisons to some of the best big men in recent recruiting cycles. On3 Sports and 247Sports both rank him as the No. 1 power forward and the No. 1 overall player in the 2027 class.
Programs like Arkansas and Duke are also in heavy pursuit-John Calipari and Jon Scheyer have both shown strong interest-but Louisville is doing what it can to stay in the race. Hosting Rosser for an unofficial visit this weekend is a step in the right direction, and while North Carolina may be considered the early favorite, the Cardinals are clearly not backing down.
For Louisville, the message is simple: they’re swinging big in 2027, and CJ Rosser is at the top of the board. The next few weeks will be telling, but for now, all eyes are on Saturday-and what kind of impression the Cardinals can make on the nation’s top prospect.