Louisville football has been on an absolute tear this offseason, and the latest development just added another exclamation point. Head coach Jeff Brohm and ace recruiter Vince Marrow have already stacked up 26 commitments and managed to limit portal losses to 28 players-a strong showing in today’s college football carousel. But amid all the movement, the Cardinals just locked in one of their biggest gets yet: Vanderbilt transfer wide receiver Tre Richardson.
Richardson committed to Louisville on January 9, and despite a whirlwind of rumors and recruiting pressure from other programs, he’s made one thing crystal clear-he’s not going anywhere. The buzz started to build that he might be reconsidering, with fans from rival schools, particularly Kentucky, trying to stir the pot. But Richardson shut it down fast and in true modern fashion: with a social media post that included the hashtags “#Notflipping” and “#Committed,” along with a black and red heart, leaving no doubt where his loyalties lie.
And if there were still any lingering questions, they were erased the next day when Richardson made it official by signing his paperwork. The Cardinals now have their top transfer portal target locked in, and it’s a big one.
Richardson isn’t just another name in the portal-he’s coming off one of the most impressive seasons in the SEC. After making the leap from Division II to the toughest conference in college football, he didn’t just survive-he thrived.
Last season, he led Vanderbilt with 806 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 46 catches. That kind of production, especially in the SEC, doesn’t go unnoticed.
He finished ranked No. 53 overall in the transfer portal and No. 12 among wide receivers, making him a marquee addition to Louisville’s offense.
He’s expected to step in as Lincoln Kienholz’s go-to target in 2026, likely slotting in as WR1. That’s a major boost for a Cardinals offense that’s looking to reload and elevate after a strong campaign.
The timing of Richardson’s commitment-and his public reaffirmation-also couldn’t be better for Louisville fans, who recently watched another wide receiver transfer, Hardley Gilmore IV, flip to Baylor just days after initially pledging to the Cards. That move stung, especially with Gilmore’s decision coming so soon after Baylor landed five-star quarterback DJ Lagway.
So when Richardson not only stayed firm but also engaged directly with rival fans-he even clapped back at a Kentucky fan by reminding them, “I scored 3 TDs on y’all lol”-it wasn’t just a win on the recruiting front. It was a statement.
Louisville’s offseason momentum is real, and Richardson’s commitment is a centerpiece of that. With a proven SEC playmaker now in the fold, the Cardinals are setting themselves up to be a serious problem in 2026.