Louisville football adds salt to Kentucky's wound as Cardinals land former 4-star

The Louisville football program continues to improve its 2025 roster, and the Cardinals found out excellent news on Monday. Jeff Brohm and his Cardinals were able to improve their defense with a massive addition, and it comes with a glorious silver lining.

Louisville found out late Monday night that they received a commitment from their in-state rival, the Kentucky Wildcats, as Kendrick Gilbert announced he would transfer from Kentucky to Louisville.

This doesn't come as a big surprise, as Gilbert initially committed to Brohm when he coached at Purdue. However, once Brohm became the Cardinals' head coach, Gilbert decided to open his recruiting process. Once Brohm entered the portal, he quickly reached out to the 6-foot-5, 262-pound defensive tackle, and now Louisville's defensive line adds more depth—and it comes from their rival.

Former 4-star DL transfers from Kentucky to Louisville football

The new Cardinal was once a 4-star recruit out of high school and was ranked No. 2 player out of Indiana and the No. 12 defensive linemen in the class of 2023. Gilbert earned 86 tackles and 8.0 sacks during his time with at Cathedral High School.

He ended up choosing Kentucky over elite programs like LSU and Iowa and has over 22 offers. He wasn't used often at Kentucky, as he redshirted his freshman year, but last season, he was seen in eight of their 12 games.

He secured five total tackles, including two solos, and one tackle for a loss. The former 4-star recruit will be a great addition to the Cardinals' defense and should be a solid piece off the bench, providing some fresh legs.

Related: 2025 Spring Transfer Portal Tracker for the Louisville Football Program

Louisville has added eight players this offseason and has only lost six. While the transfer portal deadline passed, the Cardinals are still in hot pursuit of some glaring areas ahead of the 2025 season.

For all the latest on Louisville football's offseason, stay tuned.