Louisville Football Class of 2026 Commitments

Our database for all the Cardinals' commitments in the 2026 recruiting cycle.
A football lies on the turf of L&N Stadium during Louisville's spring game.
A football lies on the turf of L&N Stadium during Louisville's spring game. / Jared Anderson - Louisville Report
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. - With two recruiting cycles in the books for the Louisville football program under head coach Jeff Brohm, the Cardinals are now heading into their first true full high school recruiting cycle with the Class of 2026.

This post will be consistently updated when players commit, and class ranks will also be updated periodically. Bookmark this page for future reference.

Class Rankings (Updated Jan. 18, 2025)

  • 247Sports Class Rank: 8th in the ACC, 39th nationally
  • Rivals Class Rank: 8th in the ACC, 40th nationally
  • On3 Class Rank: 8th in the ACC, 38th nationally

Committed Recruits (5):

Fort Thomas (Ky.) Highlands) offensive lineman Max Merz
Fort Thomas (Ky.) Highlands) offensive lineman Max Merz / via Instagram

Max Merz

Position: Offensive Lineman
Measurables: 6-foot-4, 310 pounds
School: Fort Thomas (Ky.) Highlands
Top Offers: Kent State, Marshall, Toledo, Troy
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): N/A
Highlights and Evaluation: Click Here
Commitment Date: September 5, 2024

Aurora (Ind.) South Dearborn linebacker Brady Ballart
Aurora (Ind.) South Dearborn linebacker Brady Ballart / via Prep RedZone

Brady Ballart

Position: Inside Linebacker/Running Back
Measurables: 6-foot-2, 213 pounds
School: Aurora (Ind.) South Dearborn
Top Offers: Ball State, Eastern Michigan, Miami (Oh.), Toledo
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): 0.8467 (674th)
Highlights and Evaluation: Click Here
Commitment Date: September 8, 2024

Chiefland (Fla.) HS edge rusher Jon Adams
Chiefland (Fla.) HS edge rusher Jon Adams / C.J. Gish via Main Street Daily News

Jon Adams

Position: Edge Rusher
Measurables: 6-foot-3, 200 pounds
School: Chiefland (Fla.) HS
Top Offers: Louisville
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): N/A
Highlights and Evaluation: Coming Soon
Commitment Date: November 27, 2024

Crestwood (Ky.) South Oldham defensive lineman Sam Dawson
Crestwood (Ky.) South Oldham defensive lineman Sam Dawson / University of Louisville Athletics

Sam Dawson

Position: Defensive Line
Measurables: 6-foot-4, 275 pounds
School: Crestwood (Ky.) South Oldham
Top Offers: Eastern Kentucky
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): N/A
Highlights and Evaluation: Click Here
Commitment Date: January 16, 2025

Oct 4, 2024; Galloway, Ohio, USA; Westland ATH Emoni Smith (1) rushes upfield past Westerville North DB Trey McDonald (7) dur
Oct 4, 2024; Galloway, Ohio, USA; Westland ATH Emoni Smith (1) rushes upfield past Westerville North DB Trey McDonald (7) during the first half of the OHSAA football game at Westland High School. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Emoni Smith

Position: Wide Receiver/Safety
Measurables: 6-foot-1, 175 pounds
School: Galloway (Oh.) Westland
Top Offers: Kentucky, Michigan State, Purdue, USF, West Virginia
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): 0.8363 (721st)
Highlights and Evaluation: Coming Soon
Commitment Date: January 18, 2025

(Photo via Jared Anderson - Louisville Report)

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Matthew McGavic
MATTHEW MCGAVIC

McGavic is a 2016 Sport Administration graduate of the University of Louisville, and a native of the Derby City. He has been covering the Cardinals in various capacities since 2017, with a brief stop in Atlanta, Ga. on the Georgia Tech beat. He is also a co-host of the 'From The Pink Seats' podcast on the State of Louisville network. Video gamer, bourbon drinker and dog lover. Find him on Twitter at @Matt_McGavic