Louisville Football Transfer Portal Update

The 2026 transfer portal window opened on Friday, and Louisville got right to work on rebuilding a roster that has major holes to fill. Our man, John, laid out all the rules and nuances of the portal, as well as the current state of the roster. I’m here to give an update as the first weekend closes and the first full week begins. The Cards find themselves in a bit of a rough spot due to losing so much production from a team that wasn’t very deep to begin with. However, the staff has done well to retain the core of the returning talent available.

Now that they have held on to Isaac Brown and others, let’s take a look at the guys who have committed so far.

Lincoln Kienholz – Quarterback – Ohio State

Jeff Brohm entered this portal cycle with a plan to significantly improve the offensive line and bring in a high-level quarterback from the transfer portal. In my opinion, that wasn’t possible for Louisville. Quarterback NIL demands have skyrocketed, and there aren’t many players available who are a sure thing, in my opinion.

The Cards had a choice between investing multiple millions of dollars into flawed starters like DJ Lagway or Dylan Riola, or taking in a high-ceiling prospect who showed promise. To me, it was a choice between a Miller Moss type of prospect or a less seasoned version of Tyler Shough.

I won’t fault anyone for not being sold on the decision, but I will argue the reasoning, as this roster has to be nearly completely rebuilt outside of the core of returners. Going with Kienholz allowed the staff to shift some funds to Isaac Brown, and they will be able to improve the offensive line and wide receivers.

With that out of the way, let’s get into Kienholz as a prospect. The Cards are getting a very athletic quarterback who adds to the playbook with his ability to use his legs. LK (I’m trying it out) can make plays throwing the ball on the run, and he can run the read option and handle RPO calls. His arm strength is still to be seen, but I clipped a play below that is a true “NFL throw” from the opposite hash.

Kienholz will likely have two red flags to watch for, with both being pretty normal for an inexperienced quarterback. He will have issues with his footwork as he works through progressions. If his first read isn’t there, he might struggle with his feet as he moves to the next option. This will also lead to some potential “hero ball” or forced throws as he works to trust his line and fully understand the offense. I think it’s imperative that they add talent around him.

Marquise Davis – Running Back – Missouri

Louisville lost Duke Watson to the portal after an injury-plagued and subpar season. They were able to persuade Isaac Brown to return for one final season, but they needed to add depth at the position as well as a succession plan for when Brown heads to the NFL. Enter Davis, who was a 4-star running back prospect in the 2025 class.

Davos was a Kentucky commit at one point who was recruited by Vince Marrow. He flipped to Missouri late in the process and ended up having a productive true freshman year for the Tigers. Davis played in 3 games and finished the season with 34 carries, 200 yards, and two touchdowns. Davis made the most of every opportunity he had, and Louisville will have four years to work with him from an availability standpoint.

Daylen Russell – Defensive Tackle – Miami

Louisville doesn’t have a contributor returning at defensive tackle, and at this point, they really only have one scholarship player at the position. They were able to bring in a solid ACC talent in Russell, who nearly chose the Cards out of high school. Russell was on campus multiple times with TJ Capers, but he decided to stay home and head to Miami.

After redshirting his freshman season, Russell appeared in 5 games this year with 29 total snaps, 6 tackles, and a tackle for loss. UofL is getting a player who has seen the field at this level, so he at least provides depth. At best, he gets a fresh start in a new system, and he works his way into a starting role. Either way, the Cards are getting an ACC talent with good size to shore up a position that lacked depth and talent outside of the starters this past season. I’d expect the staff to add a few more players in the middle of the defensive line.

DJ Waller – Cornerback – Kentucky

Steve Ellis has earned the right to bring in whoever he wants in the portal, in my opinion. Waller is a big corner who started his career at Michigan before heading to UK for a starting position. At Michigan, he put up solid numbers for a true freshman reserve. He played in 10 games as a corner and held opposing quarterbacks to a 58% completion percentage against him. He hasn’t been able to stay healthy over the last two seasons at UK, but if he can get healthy for the Cards, he should be able to walk into the starting position across from Tayon Halloway.

Waller is physical as you would expect from a 6-3/203 corner, but he also shows a good ability to match receivers down the field in coverage. While he is solid as a tackler, UofL will need him to be better at taking out the runner’s legs on the edge. Waller tends to tackle high with his size, but getting to the ball quickly and cutting down runners is a staple for UofL corners. The potential has always been there for Waller, and Steve Ellis is one of the best in the country at maximizing potential.

1/6 UPDATE

Louisville got on the offensive line board with two pickups from the portal today. They then went on a run of commitments during the Duke game. The Cards are up to 10 additions from the portal over the last few days.

Eryx Daugherty – Offensive Guard – Boston College

Louisville was able to land an ACC starter to slide right into an open position at guard on the offensive line. Daugherty ranked as one of the best pass blockers in the ACC per PFF, and outside of a very rough game against Notre Dame, he held his own against a strong schedule of defenses.

Louisville needs to replace three starters up front, and they have no experienced depth on the roster at this point. Getting a legit starter to plug right into the lineup is a very big deal for the staff. Daugherty should pair up with Jordan Church at guard, with the center spot still left to be filled. If they can bring in a high-level center, you have to feel good about the top of the depth chart for the Cards.

Anwar O’Neal – Offensive Tackle – Delaware

The Cards also picked up a starter at offensive tackle in O’Neal, who is coming off his second All-Conference performance in a row. The Delaware native seems to have flown under the radar as a recruit as the Blue Hens moved up in competition to Conference USA this year, and his play continued to excel.

Like Daugherty, O’Neal had a rough game this season, but played very well in the other games on the schedule. He is a super-experienced left tackle who has also played some snaps on the right side. I would expect him to slot right in on the left side of the line for UofL. A very nice addition for Richard Owens and the staff.

Jacob Smith – Edge – Kentucky

Vince Marrow has gone after a handful of Kentucky players whom he recruited in the past, and he landed the Smith twins, who were high-level high school recruits two years ago. Jacob Smith is an edge player who played an outside linebacker role for the Cats last year. We will have to see who takes over at defensive coordinator for the good guys next year, but he would project as a defensive end in Clev Lubin’s role in the previous system.

Jacob didn’t see the field much for the Cats outside of special teams, but a change of scenery could jumpstart his production. At 6-4/246, he has the size to handle ACC competition, and at the very leas,t he will provide depth for the Cards at a position of need.

Jerod Smith – Defensive End – Kentucky

Jerod Smith has had more of an impact than his brother so far in his career. Jerod has 24 games under his belt with 283 snaps this past season. He finished the year with 10 total pressures as a pass rusher with 5 tackles for loss and a sack. Jerod’s best game was arguably against Louisville, where he had 6 tackles and 4 stops (tackles that constitute a “failure” for the offense).

The Cards needed a replacement for Wesley Bailey at defensive end, with Clev Lunin and AJ Green being better as pass rushers. Jerod will give them a very good presence at defensive end at 6-4/275. This will give UofL a very good three-man rotation like they had this past season, but Jerod has a higher ceiling as a player and should be better against the run with his size and experience in the SEC.

Demeco Kennedy – Defensive Tackle – Purdue

Defensive tackle is a position that is completely barren after the season ended, so it is nice to see them add another big body with experience to the mix. Kennedy played 450 snaps this year for the Boilermakers with 4 starts. His PFF grades were subpar, but he did have 12 pressures and 10 stops on the year. Louisville will need those numbers to transfer, as he will have better players around him.

We still have a lot of time left in this portal cycle to see the staff add more players in the middle, but they have at the very least, added two young players inside who have P4 experience. Kennedy could work his way into being a starter, but he will be a part of the rotation this year, and he will be a legitimate upgrade over the depth the Cards had this season.

Johnnie Brown – Offensive Tackle – Georgia Southern

The Cards landed five players during the basketball game tonight, with Brown being the last addition in roughly two hours. UofL is getting another player who performed well this year, with Brown being one of the better run blockers in the country per PFF grades. Brown allowed a lot of pressure this season as a left tackle, but gave up only 3 sacks. He will battle for a starting spot, but I’m not certain what position he will play for the Cards.

Brown is 6-3/315; it’s possible that Brown slides down to guard for the Cards. I’m not as concerned with what position he will play as I am excited for the depth that is being built on the line. UofL is a handful of days into the portal, and they have good depth at tackle to go with options at guard. Finding a center will be key, but they will also need to get to 9-10 total guys they feel good about playing. The staff couldn’t have asked for a better start. Now they have to continue to build out a line that will get them into the playoff.

1/7 UPDATE

The Cards landed two players last night after I posted the update for the day. Jeff Brohm and his staff landed eight players on the day, and in doing so, solidified the tight end position, barring any defections.

Justyn Reid – Tight End – Tulane

Tight end has been a position of underperformance for the Cards, and this year, it was clear that the staff needed to address the position in the offseason. Nate Kurisky transferred out to Duke, which left the team with only Jaleel Skinner with experience on the roster. The staff solidified the position in about an hour, with Reed being the first addition to the group.

At 6-5/255, Reid will bring great size to the offense at a position that has been pretty light from a blocking standpoint. Skinner and Kurisky left a lot to be desired from this standpoint this past season, and it had an impact on the running game. Reid should be able to come in and help in that area while also being an option in the passing game, with his height helping in the red zone.

Brody Foley – Tight End – Tulsa

I would entertain an argument that Foley might be the most athletic tight in Jeff Brohm has had in his career. Foley was one of the most sought-after transfers at his position in the portal, and I would imagine a clear path to be a focal point of the Cards’ offense was a good sell for the staff. Foley is 6-6/260, but he runs like a much lighter player while also displaying a versatile skill set that allows him to line up in different areas of the offense.

Foley isn’t known for his blocking, but his PFF grades stand out for a player who is sometimes split out as a receiver or lined up as a fullback. Foley was also the “wildcat” quarterback in Tulsa’s offense, with a handful of carries in short yardage for good yardage. Where I liked him most in my review of his highlights is as an outside option on wheel routes and other delayed routes down the field. When he got out into the open field, he picked up big yardage very quickly. He has long strides, but he is also clearly fast for a tight end, and he can run away from defenders.

It’s early in the portal window, but Foley might be the best player the staff has added so far.

Cason Henry – Offensive Tackle – South Carolina

Louisville entered this portal cycle with a clear plan to focus on the offensive line to ensure they don’t have the issues upfront that plagued them this past season. They have now added four offensive linemen who were starters at their previous school, with two of those players coming from Power Four schools.

Henry comes to UofL after missing most of this season with a shoulder injury. He was the starting right tackle for the Gamecocks last season with mixed results. He struggled early in the season but improved mightily as a pass blocker as the season went on. Henry also started this season with three strong showings before he was injured. If the Cards can get the improved version of Henry, he should be in line to be a starter.