Louisville’s recruiting momentum is rolling right into the Class of 2027, and one of the latest names on the Cardinals’ radar is a big one: Jabari Watkins, a dynamic wide receiver out of Thomas County Central in Thomasville, Georgia.
Watkins has locked in an official visit to Louisville for the weekend of May 29-31, joining a growing list of top-tier prospects eyeing the Cardinals. At 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds, he brings the kind of size, speed, and production that turns heads at the Power Five level-and he's already got plenty of programs doing just that.
A former Nebraska commit, Watkins is widely considered one of the premier wideouts in his class. According to 247Sports, he ranks as the No. 28 receiver nationally and sits just outside the top 200 overall prospects. In Georgia-a state that churns out elite talent year after year-he’s slotted at No. 23 overall, a testament to just how deep the Peach State is and how well Watkins has separated himself.
And the numbers back it up. As a sophomore, Watkins flashed his potential with 39 catches for 692 yards and five touchdowns.
But it was his junior year when he truly broke out. He racked up 55 receptions for 847 yards and 11 touchdowns, playing a key role in leading Thomas County Central to a Class 5A state title.
He wasn’t just a piece of the puzzle-he was a difference-maker on a championship roster.
Louisville extended an offer to Watkins last July, and since then, the list of suitors has only grown. He holds offers from a who's who of college football programs: Florida State, Georgia, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Arkansas, Kentucky, and many more. That kind of attention doesn’t come easy-it’s earned through consistent production, big-game performances, and the kind of upside coaches love to develop.
With his official visit to Louisville now on the calendar, the Cardinals are putting themselves in the mix for one of the most electric pass-catchers in the 2027 class. There’s still a long road ahead in the recruiting process, but landing a visit from a player of Watkins’ caliber is a strong signal that Louisville is serious about stacking talent for the future.