Louisville football received devastating news this morning as they learned that their 4-star commitment, Evan Hampton, had decommitted from the program and committed to Vanderbilt instead. This gut-wrenching punch came as a complete surprise to the fans and the program, as Louisville was confident the Kentucky native would wear red and black.
Hampton was one of the Cardinals' top commitments in the 2026 cycle as he ranked as the best Kentucky native by many recruiting sites, and was ranked as high as No. 171 in the 2026 class. Hampton is an elite running back, and this heartbreaking update crushes the Cardinals fans.
And the news might get worse. The Cardinals have lost eight commitments in the 2026 cycle, and six of them are 4-star. However, Louisville fans are worried that another 4-star commit, and one of their top recruit, Briggs Cherry, might now flip after the Hampton update.
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Louisville football's 4-star commit Briggs Cherry put on flip watch
Cherry is one of the Cardinals' top recruits, committed to the program, who has had a massive offseason. The 4-star quarterback was once a 3-star, but after his first Elite 11 camp, he skyrocketed his ranking from being unranked to No. 129 in the nation, the No. 6 recruit out of Tennessee, and the No. 14 quarterback in the class.
He then went to the Elite 11 Finals and won the Best Arm award, and continued to rise in the nation's rankings. He is emerging as an elite quarterback in the 2026 class, prompting many to put him on their radar and possibly the next Cardinal to flip.
.@AdamGorney spotlights five @RivalsCamp Five-Star standouts that are on flip watch heading into the fall: https://t.co/kYgm46cZ2P pic.twitter.com/rtwMMYvk8V
— Rivals High School (@Rivals_HS) June 27, 2025
Last month, Rivals put Cherry as one of their top candidates to flip, and the news of Hampton flipping to Vanderbilt only makes it seem more likely that Cherry flips. The Cardinals' 2026 commitment class takes a big hit with the loss of Hampton, and it wouldn't be the biggest surprise to see Cherry follow Hampton and commit elsewhere.
The 6-foot-4 215 215-pound quarterback earned over 16 offers, including from Syracuse, Pitt, Georgia Tech, and Ole Miss. Louisville and Brohm must do everything they can to keep Cherry as a Cardinal, as he is emerging as a potential future star in college football.
Related: Louisville football in full panic after 4-star QB crown jewel lands on flip watch
For all the latest on Louisville football's offseason and recruiting, stay tuned.