Recently, the Louisville Cardinals lost one of their top commitments in the 2026 cycle after 4-star running back Evan Hampton flipped his commitment to the Vanderbilt Commodores. Hampton was ranked as high as the No. 171 recruit in the nation and the top recruit out of the state of Kentucky.
It will be hard to replace Hampton, but Jeff Brohm and Vince Marrow are doing their best as they look to steal a recruit from the Pittsburgh Panthers. 4-star running back Damon Ferguson announced on his social media yesterday that he officially earned an offer from Louisville football.
Feguson has been committed to the Panthers since June 6, but has kept his recruiting open and has even gone on visits to Virginia and Michigan State. The Cardinals look to rip an elite 4-star running back from their ACC opponents, as Ferguson is one of the top running backs in the 2026 cycle.
After a conversation with @CoachCBarclay I’ve been blessed🙏🏾 to receive an offer from @LouisvilleFB. @WearemilfordFB @Coach_bjones44 @ReggieWhite90 @Coach_Trog @Coach_jayjay @Coach_Coates32 @Coach_Hargis @Peeps_a_fool @rjackso10 @coachtae_7 @Coach_Hargis pic.twitter.com/xc0m61jWBI
— Damon “Nuddle” Ferguson (@roll5damon) July 17, 2025
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Louisville football offers elite 4-star RB Damon Ferguson
The 5-foot-11, 190-pound running back has earned over 42 offers from big-brand programs like Arkansas, Duke, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Ohio State, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, and others. He has taken unofficial visits to Rutgers and Virginia three times, Pitt twice, and West Virginia, Indiana, Syracuse, Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Ohio State, Michigan State, and many more once.
He has also taken official visits to Virginia, Pitt, Minnesota, and Indiana. Feguson ranks as high as the No. 238 recruit in the nation, the No. 19 running back in the 2026 cycle, and the sixth-best player out of Maryland.
He is an elite, speedy running back who is perfect to replace Hampton. Last season, he ran for 1,341 yards and 16 touchdowns on an average of 12.7 yards per carry. He had 105 rushing attempts for Milford Mill Academy in the previous season and is emerging as a star in the 2026 cycle.
Brohm and his Louisville staff are trying to make a big-time flip here as Ferguson would become the highest-rated commitment in Louisville's 2026 cycle. If Brohm can steal this elite 4-star running back, he would join 3-star running back Lekhy Thompkins in the running back room. Thompkins is the only other running back to commit to Louisville in the 2026 cycle, and he ranks No. 1021 in the cycle and No. 61 among running backs.
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For all the latest on Louisville football's offseason and recruiting, stay tuned.