Louisville football: Five must-have defensive recruits in 2021
By Jacob Lane
Damarius McGhee- CB
6’1, 165-pounds – Pensacola, FL
National ranking: 376
Position ranking: 27
If the staff is shooting for the stars for a player with a lot of talent and a ton of length, it’s the multifaceted corner Damarius McGhee.
The rangy do-it-all athlete plays all over the field on both sides of the ball but projects as a corner at the next level.
McGhee has a who’s who of offers, including Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma, Tennessee, USC, Florida State, and many more.
Take a look at 247Sports’ write up on McGhee:
"A slender build with promising length. Essentially a utility man for his high school that does a little bit of everything lining up at cornerback, safety, wide receiver and even quarterback. Can score anytime he touches the ball and seems to always be making plays on special teams. Could probably catch passes at the FBS level, but highest ceiling appears to be on defense given coverage skills and verified testing numbers having clocked a 4.56 in the 40-yard dash and 4.25 in the short shuttle the spring before his junior season. Has shown the ability to not only flip his hips, but also jump routes. Will make a hit. Must get bigger and continue to develop as a defender, but one of the more intriguing defensive back prospects in the Sunshine State this cycle. Has the profile of someone that could eventually play on Sundays."
Having length and speed are two intangibles the Louisville staff want in a corner, and McGhee possesses both.
McGhee is a sunshine state kid, and some of the big offers are going to be tough to say no to. However, Louisville football can potentially offer playing time right away, and maybe lure McGhee as a guy who can play some punt return and special teams a la Jaire Alexander.
This may be the longest shot on the list, but the coaching staff lands all of these early commits in order to afford to swing for the fences to try and land a guy like McGhee.