Louisville Football: Previewing the Impact of the 2018 Recruiting Class

Rivals recruiting expert, Chris Person, provides his thoughts on the class of 2018 and their impact on the 2018-19 season for the Louisville football program.

This season is going to be fun, for several reasons. Not only are the Cards opening the season with Alabama, the defending National Champions, debuting a new look stadium, but they also have a bunch of new weapons on both sides of the ball.

We sat down with Rivals (Cardinalsports.com) recruiting analyst and writer, Chris Person, a guy who is in the know when it comes to Louisville football, specifically with recruiting. After years of hard work out on the recruiting trail, the Cards brought in a tremendous class in 2018, which features several players who could start from day one. Bobby Petrino and his staff used their Florida pipeline and keen eye for talent, to build what could be one of the deepest, most talented classes in the BP 2.0 era.

Last season we saw guys like Mekhi Becton, Cole Bentley, Dorian Etheridge, Russ Yeast, TreSean Smith and plenty of others get the opportunity to play large roles as freshman. Though they struggled at times, their impact on the field was huge in building confidence and getting them ready to be stars as sophomores.

With the help of Chris Person, we take a look at the class of 2018 to pinpoint who could be the next Louisville Cardinal stars.

BRL: Which 2018 recruit has the biggest impact in 2018-19?

Person: This is an incredibly tough question to answer because I think 3 players are all equally likely to be major contributors this year: Mike Boykin, Robert Hicks, and Tutu Atwell Jr. If I had to pick one, though, I would go a little against the grain and say Tutu Atwell Jr. may provide the biggest impact.

BRL: Is there anybody the Cards missed out on that you think they could have used for 18-19?

Person: Nik Bonitto is one that could be considered here, although I don’t think he would have been physically ready to play this year and is somewhat of a ‘tweener’. Tank Jenkins is another possibility given his 4-star ranking, although offensive line is not a position of need. The one player I think UofL will miss, at least to some extent, is JUCO TE Nigel Kilby. I really like Louisville’s talent at tight end with Averett, Crum, and Davis, but depth is a concern and I think Kilby would have been able to make at least some sort of impact in 2018.

BRL: Which recruit will be the most important?

Person: I think that without a doubt either Mike Boykin or Jared Goldwire are the most important recruits this year. A lot of the defenses success (and the team in general) will hinge on the play of the defensive line. Both Boykin and Goldwire were JUCO prospects so the Cardinals brought them in with the assumption that they should be able to be an immediate contributor.

BRL: Who benefits the most from the new redshirt rule?

Person: I think the new redshirt rule will benefit someone like Yasir Abdullah greatly. While Abdullah is an intriguing prospect due to his athleticism, he was likely going to sit this year to bulk up some, but with this new rule, Adbullah should be able to get some in-game experience.

BRL: Which “under the radar” recruit are you watching this season?

Person: While he may also redshirt the 2018 season, I’m really excited about the future of LB/DE Thurman Geathers. Rated as a 3-star out of high school, Geathers has a unique ability to both rush the passer as well as stop the run, similar to that of Jon Greenard’s. I think before his college career is said and done, Geathers will be one of the stars of the defense and a nightmare for offensive coordinators.

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Louisville put together a solid class in 2018 with a handful of players who should make an instant impact for Bobby Petrino, specifically on the defensive side of the ball. With the Cards losing so much talent and having to replace 8+ starters on the defensive side of the football, getting commitments from guys like Jared Goldwire and Mike Boykin, looks to be significant for 2018-19. On the offensive side of the ball there should be several new contributors from the 2018 recruiting class who provide instant impact, but none more so than Tutu Atwell Jr. His play making ability and size make him a perfect play maker in both the back field and spread out wide. While I believe Josh Johnson will start in the slot, don’t be surprised to see Tutu Atwell take over, and play a Traveon Samuel type role. His highlight film shows what he brings to the table; speed (Petrino has said this team is going to be FAST) and home run play ability.

Expect several of the guys Chris talked about to have big seasons, similar to that of Dorian Etheridge and Mekhi Becton from last season. Petrino has a bunch of new shiny toys to play with, and is another reason this team shouldn’t be doubted.

Next: Get to Know the Louisville Football Opponent: Indiana State

If you’re not already, make sure you’re following Chris on Twitter!

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