Jeff Brohm and the Louisville Cardinals land their thirteenth commitment in 2026 as the Cards welcome Kentucky's own Bryten Close home. The Kentucky native officially announced on Tuesday afternoon that he is committed to the Louisville Cardinals.
The Cardinals have now earned six commitments from the state of Kentucky, as the 6-foot-6, 285-pound lineman joins an elite recruiting class. Louisville was one of nine programs that offered Close, and the Cardinals secured his commitment over programs such as East Carolina, Western Kentucky, and others.
The Cardinals have landed five of the top 11 players from the state of Kentucky, including Evan Hampton and Karsten Busch who rank No. 2 and No. 3.
The offensive linemen visited the Cardinals multiple times, including the SMU game last season. According to 247Sports, Brohm's 2026 class ranks No. 14, as Brohm has landed three 4-star recruits in the class of 2026.
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Related: 2025 Spring Transfer Portal Tracker for the Louisville Football Program
Louisville basketball transfer portal targets
The Cardinals are just a few players away from having their set 2025-26 roster. Louisville basketball is having one of the best offseasons so far, as Kelsey has not only been able to land three massive targets but also bring back many valuable players from last season.
Louisville's No. 1 target moving forward is the 5-star transfer Jamir Watkins. The Cardinals were rumored to be one of the three top landing spots for the Florida State transfer, but nothing has emerged recently. Behind Watkins, the Cardinals' nation-glaring No. 2 target is Baba Miller. Louisville has already reached out to the Florida Atlantic transfer, as 17 schools have contacted him.
The No. 3 target is a stretch, but it is the 4-star recruit in the class of 2025, Niko Bundalo. The 6-foot-10 power forward recently just decommitted from Washington and has reopened his recruiting process. The McDonald's All-American received an offer from Louisville almost a year ago, in May 2024.
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He is now one of the top targets available in both the class of 2025 and the transfer portal. Pat Kelsey would have to work overtime and pull off a miracle, but the Cardinals just missed out on 5-star Nate Ament, and Bundalo is now a perfect replacement.