Louisville basketball was in the running for the 4-star forward Trevor Manhertz, but this afternoon the Cardinals fans officially learned the elite small forward committed to the Indiana Hoosiers. The Cardinals made a late push for the small forward as they extended an offer in December and quickly earned an official visit earlier this month, but the Hoosiers just beat them out this afternoon.
Manhertz was down to just three schools as Louisville was also in a battle with conference foe, the Duke Blue Devils. Louisville was the favorite to land Manhertz, as On3 Sports gave Pat Kelsey and the Cardinals a 37 percent chance of earning his commitment, but before he announced his decision timeline, they updated their projections and gave Indiana a dominant 92.3 percent chance of earning his commitment.
NEWS: 2027 Top-35 overall recruit Trevor Manhertz has committed to Indiana, he told @Rivals.
— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) January 28, 2026
The 6-7 small forward says he will reclassify to 2026. https://t.co/wNS6Bqah2j pic.twitter.com/OfhuI4OK7F
So, Louisville fans expected to miss out on Manhertz, but the Cardinals appear to have a few backup plans for the 2027 class, as Kelsey has been actively recruiting.
Louisville set to host No. 1 overall recruit in 2027 class
Manhertz was initially in the 2026 recruiting class, then changed to 2027, but now there are rumors he might make the jump back to 2026. If he does move back to the 2026 class, it would be a nice addition for the Cardinals, as they have yet to earn a commitment for that class.
The Cardinals haven’t had their luck with the 2026 class as they have struck out on big-time targets like Tyran Stokes, Taylen Kinner, and Colben Landrew. If he stayed in the 2027 class, he would have been a nice addition, as he ranks No. 52 in the nation and No. 15 among small forwards, but Kelsey has begun to amp up recruiting in the class, specifically the forward positions.
The Cardinals recently earned an unofficial visit from the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2027 class, CJ Rosser. The 6-foot-10, 195-pound power forward ranks as high as the top recruit in the nation and as a unanimous 5-star. Rosser is expected to visit Louisville this weekend for the Cardinals' showdown with SMU, making it a crucial weekend for the Cardinals on and off the court.
The 5-star recruit has had an impressive junior season so far, averaging 16.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, 1.3 steals, and 1.3 assists per game for Southeastern Prep. After he visits Louisville he is then expected to visit Kentucky shortly after. He has also already visited North Carolina, and Duke is beginning to show a lot of interest.
The Cardinals have already earned two commitments in the 2027 class in 4-star Ferlandes Wright and 3-star Isaac Ellis. Louisville hopes to have a good visit this weekend and to take a jump in the right direction with Rosser and his recruiting process.
For all the latest on Louisville basketball's 2025-26 season and recruiting, stay tuned.