Highlights & Evaluation: Louisville OL Commit Ransom McDermott

Louisville Report breaks down 2024 Louisville football offensive line commit Ransom McDermott

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Louisville football program has landed their first offensive lineman in their 2024 class, as Ransom McDermott has committed to the Cardinals.

Here is Louisville Report's full evaluation:

Prospect: Ransom McDermott
Position: Offensive Tackle
Vitals: 6-foot-7, 300 pounds
School: Noblesville (Ind.) HS
Top Offers: Boston College, Cincinnati, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): 0.8600 (917th)

Ransom McDermott's Junior Year Highlights: HERE (Hudl)

Frame: McDermott has a very good base frame, one that college coaches love to see out of a lineman. He's got the height, has a great wingspan, and has already cracked 300 pounds despite appearing to have more room to add weight/strength.

Athleticism: McDermott is surprisingly mobile for an offensive lineman, especially a tackle. He gets off the line quickly, and pulls across it swiftly. It also helps that tape shows that he has the strength to overwhelm most defenders.

Instincts: Considering he comes from a Noblesville program that seems to run the ball a lot, McDermott's best work comes as a run blocker. He does a fantastic job of sealing the edge for outside run plays, quickly getting to the point of attack and driving defenders either away from the ball carrier or straight into the ground. When the play calls for it, he has no problem either getting to the second level or moving from defender-to-defender with ease. He also displays good technique with his hands.

Polish: While Noblesville seems to utilize a lot of double teams in their run scheme, McDermott has shown that he can hold his own in one-on-one battles thanks to his physical nature. As a pass blocker, he's not bad in this area per se, but he absolutely needs to work on his footwork. He still is able to keep edge rushers locked up on blocks thanks to his natural length, but also had trouble keeping them in front of him at times. Also will have to work on staying low in a two-point stance as both as run and pass blocker.

Bottom Line: Offensive line is an area that Louisville needs to build depth moving forward, and McDermott gives Jeff Brohm and the Cardinals a lot of long term potential. There will likely be an adjustment period to college, as he was used in mainly a three- or four-point stance in high school, but there could be a lot of upside thanks to his physical intangibles alone.

(Photo of Ransom McDermott via the Indy Star)

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