Louisville’s receiver room is heading into 2026 with a different look, but the Cardinals aren’t short on options. The challenge is obvious: replace a huge chunk of production at wideout, then see whether a revamped tight end group can help pick up the slack.
The biggest departures are easy to spot. Chris Bell is gone after a huge 2025 and was drafted in the third to the Miami Dolphins.
Caullin Lacy moved on after signing an UDFA deal with the New York Jets. Dacari Collins graduated, Antonio Meeks transferred to Wake Forest, and tight end Nate Kurisky transferred to Duke.
Bell was the headliner last season, finishing with 72 catches for 917 yards and six touchdowns in 11 games. That effort earned him All-ACC First Team honors, making him the fourth Louisville wide receiver to land on the All-ACC first team since 2014, joining Jaylen Smith in 2017, Tutu Atwell in 2019, and Ja’Corey Brooks in 2024. He also ripped off a monster three-game run against Pittsburgh, Virginia, and #2 Miami, piling up 31 receptions for 441 yards and five touchdowns.
Lacy was productive in a quieter way, finishing with 60 receptions for 635 yards and two receiving scores. He added two punt return touchdowns and even threw a touchdown against Clemson.
By the end of his Louisville career, he had scored a touchdown five different ways: passing, rushing, receiving, kick return, and punt return. That season earned him an Honorable Mention All-ACC nod.
At tight end, Louisville split the work almost evenly between Jaleel Skinner and Kurisky. Skinner posted 21 catches for 204 yards and two touchdowns, while Kurisky finished with 20 receptions for 157 yards and two scores.
Now the Cardinals have to reload at receiver, and Jeff Brohm and wide receivers coach Deion Branch have done that before. The new names at the top of the list are Tre Richardson and Lawayne McCoy, both expected to be Week 1 starters and immediate factors in the offense.
Richardson arrives after leading Vanderbilt in receiving yards with 806 and touchdowns with seven. He averaged 17.5 yards per catch in an offense packed with weapons, and his speed jumps off the page.
Louisville wants to get him the ball in space, and Brohm has already talked about that approach this offseason. Expect Richardson to be used in the same kind of versatile role Lacy had last year, with jet sweeps, screens, and motion touches.
He can line up inside or outside, and he’ll also be part of the return game. If everything clicks, Louisville could have another 1,000-yard receiver on its hands.
McCoy comes over from Florida State after posting 396 receiving yards and three touchdowns last season. He finished strong, too, with six catches for 110 yards and a touchdown in the regular season finale against Florida. McCoy brings ball skills and a route tree that should make him a dependable target right away, while also giving Louisville a player with real upside.
TreyShun Hurry is back and should play a bigger role after finishing with 15 catches for 122 yards and a touchdown. At 6-foot-2, he gives the Cardinals a bigger target and closed last season with some solid outings.
Jackson Voth is another transfer who should get slot reps and could contribute on special teams. Terrence McWilliams and Elizjah Lewis are also in line for expanded roles as outside receivers behind McCoy and Hurry.
Projected starters at receiver are Tre Richardson, Lawayne McCoy, and TreyShun Hurry, with Jackson Voth, Terrence McWilliams, and Elizjah Lewis listed as key reserves.
At tight end, Louisville may be set up for a bigger year in Brohm’s fourth season with the program. Skinner is back, and his athletic profile gives the passing game a legitimate mismatch piece. He’s more of a receiving tight end, but he can also flex outside and create problems for defenses.
The real upside, though, may come from the newcomers. Brody Foley transfers in after a strong 2025 at Tulsa, where he led the team with 528 receiving yards and seven touchdowns and earned All-American Conference First Team honors.
At 6-foot-6 and 260 pounds, he brings size and smooth movement. He can produce in chunks, create separation against linebackers and safeties, and give new quarterback Lincoln Kienholz a steady option in the short and intermediate game.
Tulsa even used him at wildcat quarterback, and while that may not show up often at Louisville because of Kienholz’s mobility, it remains a short-yardage and goal-line possibility.
Justyn Reid is another addition, coming in from Tulane after 17 receptions for 200 yards and three touchdowns. He’s known as a solid blocker with better pass-catching ability than people might notice at first glance.
With Foley and Reid in the mix, Louisville should have the personnel to lean into more 12 and even 13 personnel, which could help the run game. Given the talent in the backfield, that could become a major piece of the offense.
And then there’s freshman Julius Miles, who looks like a future starter if things develop the right way. He’s another massive target at 6-foot-6 and has the athleticism to line up in-line or outside at X or Z. Brohm can use him in ways similar to Skinner, and if Miles grows into a reliable blocker, Louisville may have something special at the position.
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Louisvilles Defensive Line Could Decide How Far This Defense Goes
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For a defense trying to take the next step, the line is where the biggest questions still live. Louisville has bodies now and a mix of returning production and new faces, but the real test will be how quickly those pieces settle into defined roles and how much pressure the unit can create without overtaxing the edges. If the front holds up against run game and pass protection alike, the rest of the defense can play faster and freer. [Read more 🡒]