Three questions for Louisville football ahead of National Signing Day
Can the Cards land any JUCO or graduate transfer players?
This is where the conversation gets interesting for Louisville.
Satterfield hasn’t shown the propensity to like JUCO or graduate transfer players in the past, but perhaps his tune is changing a bit given the impact that some Cardinals were able to make in 2019.
Players like Monty Montgomery and Isaiah Hayes were able to make a real impact this season and look to continue on an upward trajectory next year. The Cards have Montgomery for two more years, so though it is tough to only have some transfers for a very limited time, Louisville’s electric inside linebacker spend the bulk of his college career in red and black.
Louisville once again went the JUCO route in the class of 2020 by landing four Junior College players. Offensive tackle Trevor Reid remains Louisville’s top-rated recruit, while Yaya Diaby, Marvin Dallas, and Braden Smith join the fold.
All of Louisville’s JUCO recruits fit the bill for what the staff should be searching for. They fit a specific need and have the ability to be instant-impact players.
If I was pressed to give a prediction right now, I believe Reid, Diaby, and Dallas are all day one starters. That is huge given how little Louisville loses from last year’s squad.
Similarly to the freshmen class, I really don’t believe at this time that Louisville will sign a JUCO or graduate transfer on Wednesday barring a late deep sleeper.
It seems like the staff is extremely comfortable with that they have now, and I don’t think that changes until they find exactly what they want.
Does that mean that Louisville is finished in the 2020 class? Absolutely not.
Consider that other names will surface prior to the summer. New freshmen elsewhere enroll and backpedal on their decisions, veterans at other schools don’t click with new coaching staffs, while others try to finish up their schooling in order to land elsewhere on the grad transfer market.
Consider Louisville’s Justin Ford. The defensive back out of North Carolina was able to find himself in a three for two situation where he has three years to play two seasons for the Cardinals.
Ford didn’t commit to Louisville until June of 2019.
That sort of thing happens often after players finish up their schooling and are able to freely consider their options after JUCO. Ford figures to make an impact again this season, yet Louisville had no idea they’d have a stab at him during last year’s signing period.
Things always happen, which is why it may be best for the staff to pocket a few scholarships to offer down the line.