Surprise! Louisville football lands stud commitment at running back

Louisville football lands 4-star running back.

The Louisville football staff has been doing exactly what was needed on the recruiting trail after year one under Scott Satterfield. After the cupboard was left bare in some areas by the previous regime, the staff managed to fill in gaps in year one and adds some much-needed depth in year two.

Year three, the 2021 recruiting class, is all about stocking up on players that not only add depth in needed areas but are great fits in Louisville’s system.

So far, the staff has really placed an emphasis on getting early commits from defensive players. However, there is still going to be turnover at the offensive skill positions in 2020 and 2021.

That’s why the Cards’ latest commitment is a huge get for Satterfield and the Louisville staff.

Four-Star running back Trevion Cooley committed to the Cards on Monday, which comes as a major surprise to most familiar with his recruitment.

The North Carolina product has seen his recruitment take a major surge in 2020. After being considered a heavy Duke lean after a visit early in the spring, Cooley received an offer from Florida, and many experts thought that Blue Devils and Gators were the front-runners.

Also read: What Jaraye “J-Will” Williams brings to the table for Louisville 

However, on Friday, Louisville wide receivers coach Gunter Brewer tweeted that the Cards had just landed another commitment from a “freak.” It wasn’t until Monday that we saw any confirmation of a commit.

Louisville commits hinted at a “surprise” commitment that led to a considerable social media buzz. But most did not see Cooley committing to the Cards after his Florida offer.

https://twitter.com/BrownVictoine/status/1270024111239188480

The North Carolina connections at Louisville ultimately led to Cooley’s commitment, and it may be the biggest offensive commitment since (trigger alert) Chubba Purdy in the 2020 class.

Cooley brings a lot of versatility to the table and will come to Louisville as the complete package. He is 5’11,” 205-pounds as a junior, and has the physicality and big-play ability that translates to the Power Five level and beyond.

Here’s what Charles Power of 247Sports had to say about Cooley in April:

"“Has a sturdy, compact build with a developed lower half. Turned in a productive junior season, rushing for nearly 2,000 yards and 21 touchdowns. Uses his burst and long speed to get upfield quickly and pull away from defenders in the open field. Has a long stride once he opens up his gait at the second level. Runs with pace and gets to the edge with ease on outside runs. Shows the ability to run through arm tackles at the second level. Is able to make cuts and lateral moves in tight spaces. Runs a bit upright and could stand to improve on his pad level, which would help in exposure to contact. Has the talent to develop into a Power Five starter and NFL pick.”"

Most analysts are high on Cooley, who should see his stock rise quite a bit between now and signing day for the 2021 class.

Cooley possesses excellent vision and balance and breaks tackles with ease. He finishes most plays falling forward and is not afraid to absorb contact. Maybe his only downfall is his speed, but that is mitigated a bit by his lateral quickness and overall ability to hit holes and take the right angle. When he gets going downhill, he is tough to tackle regardless of if there’s a defender running in stride with him or not.

The coaching staff could potentially see Cooley as its next Jalin Moore. During Moore’s time at Appalachian State under Satterfield, he was part of one of the most dynamic one-two-punches in the country and became the sixth-leading rusher in school history.

Moore was a bruising back with the ability to change things up for the coaching staff and finish off runs, similarly to Cooley.

The Louisville football program just added a game-changing player to a class that very well may wind up being the highest-rated in school history.