When new commitment Colin Wilson signs with Louisville in February, he will be among the highest-rated high school recruits in Louisville history. Wilson is the No. 11 running back in the nation and No. 170 overall recruit.
Louisville has been one of the more successful college football programs in the nation in the Rivals.com era, but it hasn't typically landed the four- and five-star recruits.
Instead, Louisville's success has been built on taking talented high schoolers, developing them and pairing them with junior college prospects and transfers to build teams that have gone to a dozen recent bowls including wins in the Orange and Sugar Bowls.
Wilson, the four-star running back out of Green Cove Springs, Fla., is a Rivals 250 recruit, determined by Rivals.com to be the best of the best in the high school ranks. Looking back on previous recruiting classes, Louisville doesn't have very many Rivals 250 recruits.
The database goes back to 2002. In that recruiting year, Louisville signed a pair of four-stars, but neither were Rivals250 recruits.
In 2003, Louisville signed Michael Bush, a four-star running back ranked No. 28 nationally and the No. 2 running back in the nation.
In 2004, Louisville signed Brian Brohm, a four-star quarterback ranked No. 78 nationally and the No. 5 quarterback in the country.
Louisville signed four four-star recruits in 2005, but three were junior college prospects and four-star DE Earl Heyman landed just outside the Rivals 250.
Peanut Whitehead, the No. 4 defensive end in America and No. 52 overall recruit, headlined the 2006 recruiting class. Defensive tackle Aundre Henderson was also a Rivals 250 recruit, coming in at No. 172 in the nation. Brandon Heath and Kareem Crowell were four-stars who just missed the 250 cut.
In 2007, Louisville signed C.J. Peake, the No. 17 safety and No. 248 player nationally. Four-star back Dale Martin was just outside the Top 250.
Louisville didn't sign a four-star high schooler in 2008 or 2009.
In 2010, Michaelee Harris was the No. 121 overall recruit and No. 16 wide receiver, and Dominique Brown was the No. 193 overall recruit and No. 20 athlete.
In 2011, Louisville signed Teddy Bridgewater, the No. 6 quarterback in the nation (No. 113 overall) and Gerod Holliman, the No. 1 safety and No. 96 overall prospect. Other high school four-stars were wideout Eli Rogers and cornerback Andrew Johnson.
In 2012, Louisville signed linebacker Nick Dawson who was rated No. 2 as an inside backer and No. 89 overall. They also landed No. 7 linebacker Keith Brown, the No. 133 overall recruit in the 2012 class.
In 2013, the Cardinals landed a pair of Rivals 250 stars in wideout James Quick (No. 9 WR, No. 76 overall) and linebacker James Hearns (No. 7 ILB, No. 197 overall). Linebacker Stacy Thomas was also a four-star, but didn't make the Top 250.
In 2014, Louisville didn't sign a four-star high school prospect, but in 2015 Louisville signed two, quarterback Lamar Jackson and wideout Devante Peete, neither of whom cracked the Rivals 250 that year.
In 2016, Louisville signed three four-stars, quarterback Jawon Pass, wideout Chris Taylor-Yamanoha and wideout Desmond Fitzpatrick. Of those three, only Fitzpatrick (No. 45 WR, No. 208 overall) was in the final Rivals 250.
There are a few things evident in looking back at the rankings:
1. Some of Louisville's best players weren't four-star high school recruits
First Round NFL picks Sheldon Rankins, Amobi Okoye, Marcus Smith, DeVante Parker, Eric Wood and Calvin Pryor were all rated two- or three-stars.
2. Louisville's success is not determined by signing class rank
The Cardinals have never had a Top 25 recruiting class according to Rivals.com's final team rankings after National Signing Day.
3. High School Top 250 guys are rare
Since 2002 when Rivals' database catalogues, Louisville has 14 high school signees ranked in the Rivals 250: Michael Bush, Brian Brohm, Peanut Whitehead, Aundre Henderson, CJ Peake, Michaelee Harris, Dominique Brown, Teddy Bridgewater, Gerod Holliman, Nick Dawson, Keith Brown, James Quick, James Hearns and Desmond Fitzpatrick.
Of the nine who have exhausted eligibility, five made an NFL Camp and several made active rosters.
Louisville has been one of the more successful college football programs in the nation in the Rivals.com era, but it hasn't typically landed the four- and five-star recruits.
Instead, Louisville's success has been built on taking talented high schoolers, developing them and pairing them with junior college prospects and transfers to build teams that have gone to a dozen recent bowls including wins in the Orange and Sugar Bowls.
Wilson, the four-star running back out of Green Cove Springs, Fla., is a Rivals 250 recruit, determined by Rivals.com to be the best of the best in the high school ranks. Looking back on previous recruiting classes, Louisville doesn't have very many Rivals 250 recruits.
The database goes back to 2002. In that recruiting year, Louisville signed a pair of four-stars, but neither were Rivals250 recruits.
In 2003, Louisville signed Michael Bush, a four-star running back ranked No. 28 nationally and the No. 2 running back in the nation.
In 2004, Louisville signed Brian Brohm, a four-star quarterback ranked No. 78 nationally and the No. 5 quarterback in the country.
Louisville signed four four-star recruits in 2005, but three were junior college prospects and four-star DE Earl Heyman landed just outside the Rivals 250.
Peanut Whitehead, the No. 4 defensive end in America and No. 52 overall recruit, headlined the 2006 recruiting class. Defensive tackle Aundre Henderson was also a Rivals 250 recruit, coming in at No. 172 in the nation. Brandon Heath and Kareem Crowell were four-stars who just missed the 250 cut.
In 2007, Louisville signed C.J. Peake, the No. 17 safety and No. 248 player nationally. Four-star back Dale Martin was just outside the Top 250.
Louisville didn't sign a four-star high schooler in 2008 or 2009.
In 2010, Michaelee Harris was the No. 121 overall recruit and No. 16 wide receiver, and Dominique Brown was the No. 193 overall recruit and No. 20 athlete.
In 2011, Louisville signed Teddy Bridgewater, the No. 6 quarterback in the nation (No. 113 overall) and Gerod Holliman, the No. 1 safety and No. 96 overall prospect. Other high school four-stars were wideout Eli Rogers and cornerback Andrew Johnson.
In 2012, Louisville signed linebacker Nick Dawson who was rated No. 2 as an inside backer and No. 89 overall. They also landed No. 7 linebacker Keith Brown, the No. 133 overall recruit in the 2012 class.
In 2013, the Cardinals landed a pair of Rivals 250 stars in wideout James Quick (No. 9 WR, No. 76 overall) and linebacker James Hearns (No. 7 ILB, No. 197 overall). Linebacker Stacy Thomas was also a four-star, but didn't make the Top 250.
In 2014, Louisville didn't sign a four-star high school prospect, but in 2015 Louisville signed two, quarterback Lamar Jackson and wideout Devante Peete, neither of whom cracked the Rivals 250 that year.
In 2016, Louisville signed three four-stars, quarterback Jawon Pass, wideout Chris Taylor-Yamanoha and wideout Desmond Fitzpatrick. Of those three, only Fitzpatrick (No. 45 WR, No. 208 overall) was in the final Rivals 250.
There are a few things evident in looking back at the rankings:
1. Some of Louisville's best players weren't four-star high school recruits
First Round NFL picks Sheldon Rankins, Amobi Okoye, Marcus Smith, DeVante Parker, Eric Wood and Calvin Pryor were all rated two- or three-stars.
2. Louisville's success is not determined by signing class rank
The Cardinals have never had a Top 25 recruiting class according to Rivals.com's final team rankings after National Signing Day.
3. High School Top 250 guys are rare
Since 2002 when Rivals' database catalogues, Louisville has 14 high school signees ranked in the Rivals 250: Michael Bush, Brian Brohm, Peanut Whitehead, Aundre Henderson, CJ Peake, Michaelee Harris, Dominique Brown, Teddy Bridgewater, Gerod Holliman, Nick Dawson, Keith Brown, James Quick, James Hearns and Desmond Fitzpatrick.
Of the nine who have exhausted eligibility, five made an NFL Camp and several made active rosters.
