Louisville has put itself squarely in the chase for the nation’s top recruit again.
CJ Rosser, the consensus No. 1 power forward in the 2027 class and a consensus top-three overall prospect, has trimmed his list to seven schools, and the Cardinals are still in the mix. Louisville is joined by Kentucky, Duke, USC, Arkansas, North Carolina, Miami and North Carolina State as Rosser’s recruitment moves into a tighter stage.
The update keeps Pat Kelsey’s program in the middle of a high-end recruiting run. Louisville has already hosted multiple 5-stars on official visits this offseason, including King Gibson, DeMarcus Henry and Reese Alston, and Rosser adds another major name to that group. The Cardinals also landed on updated recruiting lists for those prospects and more.
Rosser’s connection to Louisville has been building for a while. Kelsey brought him to campus for a game against SMU last season, and Rosser’s trip also included a stop in Lexington and an unofficial visit to Kentucky. Now both in-state programs are still alive as the battle widens to include several national powers.
The visit schedule gives Louisville a clear place in the process. Rosser recently visited North Carolina and is set to visit NC State next. After that, his calendar continues with Miami on September 25, Arkansas on September 28, Kentucky on October 1, USC on October 4, and Louisville on October 22.
At 6-foot-10, Rosser is regarded as an elite two-way big. He’s also one of the most heavily pursued players in the country, with more than 26 offers from schools that included Kansas, Alabama, Auburn, BYU and Villanova among those that did not make the final seven.
His production matches the hype. Rosser averaged 16.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game on Nike’s 17U EYBL Circuit, then put up 16.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game for Southeastern Prep while shooting 46 percent from the field and 33 percent from 3-point range during his junior season.
There’s another layer to Louisville’s push, too. Rosser was teammates with Cardinals freshman Obinna Ekezie Jr., and Kelsey is trying to reunite the pair in Louisville.
This is the second straight year Louisville has been in the hunt for the nation’s No. 1 overall recruit. The Cardinals are hoping the outcome with Rosser turns out better than it did with Tyran Stokes.
In Other News...
Lamar Jackson Still Owns Louisvilles Modern Standard
Lamar Jacksons Louisville rsum still hangs over the program in the way truly rare careers do. During his time as the Cardinals quarterback from 2015 to 2017, he rewrote the record book with marks for rushing production that still serve as the programs modern measuring stick, and his rise from campus star to national name never really gave Louisville a chance to stop talking about him.
Even after he moved on as the 32nd overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Jacksons footprint kept growing. His Heisman season and the honor Louisville later gave him with a retired jersey only reinforced how singular his run was, and it is hard for anyone wearing red and black now to avoid being measured against the standard he set. [Read more 🡒]
Louisvilles Third Quarter Exposed Growth And Problems Fans Need To See
Louisvilles third quarter offered a little of everything fans have been waiting to see from this group: cleaner execution, clearer growth from individual players and a better sense of how the coaching staff wants the offense to function when things speed up. The games key snaps were spread across the board, from quarterback play to the work up front, and the film review points to a team still sorting itself out while also showing signs that the development is real.
Lincoln Kienholzs passing showed the kind of upside that can change how a game feels in a hurry, while Tre Richardson added to the mix with a scoring play that came after he slipped a tackle on a jet sweep. Those moments did not solve every issue, especially on the line and in the overall consistency department, but they did underline why this stretch mattered: Louisville got evidence of what it can be when the pieces start to connect, and also a reminder of how much sharper it still needs to become. [Read more 🡒]
Louisvilles CFP Hopes May Hinge On One Offensive Rebound
Jeff Brohm came away from Lincoln Kienholzs first career start against Ole Miss encouraged by the quarterbacks grit and determination, but the opener also showed how much Louisville still has to clean up if it wants to keep its College Football Playoff path on track. The Cardinals did not get the kind of smooth rhythm they need early in the game, and Brohm made clear there were things to refine as Kienholz settles into the job and the offense tries to find its footing.
The bigger concern may be getting Isaac Brown back to the version Louisville needs most. The star running back was limited on the ground against Ole Miss, a reminder of how much the Cardinals ceiling depends on a more productive rushing attack to take pressure off Kienholz. A more favorable matchup with Villanova is coming next, and for Louisville the question is whether Brown can rebound quickly enough to help turn one uneven offensive showing into something more stable. [Read more 🡒]