The Louisville football program was able to survive the Transfer Portal last season without losing a major player. The Cardinals lost 24 players in the Transfer Portal previous season, but no big-time starters or someone people are losing sleep over.
That might not be the case after the 2025 season. The Cardinals have multiple players on the roster who might be eyeing the portal before Louisville even kicks off against Eastern Kentucky on August 30.
If these three players don't gain more playing time or real game-time experience, there is a solid chance they won't suit up in the Red and Black next season. So, here are three Louisville football players already on transfer watch before the 2025 season starts.
3. Deuce Adams
Deuce Adams currently has a tall challenge ahead of him as he tries to win the backup job over Brady Allen. Adams is a redshirt freshman after not logging any playing time last season, but as he battles Allen for the QB2 role, it appears Allen might earn that backup role yet again over Adams.
The 6-foot-1 170-pound quarterback will have to battle Allen at least one more year before he graduates, and Brian Brohm has praised true freshman Mason Mims a lot recently. Also, Louisville is getting a 4-star quarterback in Briggs Cherry from the 2026 recruiting class, which Adams will have to battle for the remainder of his career at Louisville.
And on top of that, Brohm has gone to the portal three straight seasons; who is to say he won't do it again? So, whether he is battling Allen, Mims, or Cherry, the glaring question of whether Brohm will go to the portal for a quarterback again will hang over his shoulder his entire career at Louisville.
Whether Adams wins that backup job or not, don't be surprised to see him enter the Transfer Portal after the 2025 season concludes. He might have a better chance to start in the Group of 5, and with Brohm's incoming freshman and portal history, Louisville might be a tough school to play for.
Related: Louisville QB2 race takes uncertain turn ahead of second fall scrimmage
2. Keyjuan Brown
The Cardinals' No. 3 running back, Keyjuan Brown, is a redshirt freshman who will have to play behind Isaac Brown and Duke Watson for at least another year. The two stars of this offense are Brown and Watson, leaving the redshirt freshman to get any action at all.
With both Brown and Watson as sophomores, they can't declare for the NFL Draft until after their junior season, and Watson might stay all four years to be Louisville's No. 1 running back his senior year. Which means Keyjuan Brown will be RB2 his junior season and RB1 not until his senior season.
A player with his skills rarely sticks around for that long and waits for his time. Last season, he played in 11 games and averaged 5.2 yards per carry. He finished third on the team in rushing yards with 243, proving he has the skills to be an elite player in this league.
With Isaac and Duke, the clear top two running backs for Louisville, Keyjuan can sometimes be forgotten. Don't be surprised if Keyjuan steps up and takes a big leap this season, but uses it as a resume builder and tests the Transfer Portal at the end of the season.
Related: 10 Louisville football players generating the most buzz in 2025 fall camp
1. TJ Capers
While TJ Capers is currently earning reps with the first team and is finally healthy, the former 5-star might be eyeing the Transfer Portal at the end of the season. After last year, Louisville was informed that Capers was hitting the Transfer Portal, but after reconsidering, the linebacker decided to stay for one more season.
Whether that was because he believes he will earn a bigger role, or so he can build up his resume and get more money after this season, Louisville fans don't know. What we do know is he was close to leaving after last season, which immediately has him on the Transfer Portal watch list after the 2025 season.
The Cardinals will lose TJ Quinn after this season and potentially Stanquan Clark to the NFL, which leaves the door open for Capers. However, he might lose patience and enter the portal on a sour note after having to play on the second lineup for the third straight season.
We hope this doesn't happen, of course, as he was a former 5-star recruit and ranked as high as No. 5 in the nation, but this has happened a lot. And if he puts up a solid season and hears from other schools, he might think of hitting the Transfer Portal for the second straight year.
Related: Louisville's former 5-star turning heads after earning first-team reps in fall camp
For all the latest on Louisville football's offseason, stay tuned.