Highlights & Evaluation: Louisville RB Commit A.J. Tillman Jr.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Louisville football program is capitalizing on their first recruiting weekend of official visit season, with A.J. Tillman Jr. giving his verbal commitment to the Cardinals following his visit to UofL.

Here is Louisville Cardinals On SI's full evaluation:

Player: A.J. Tillman Jr.
Position: Running Back
Measurables: 5-foot-11, 175 pounds
School: Lithonia (Ga.) HS
Top Offers: Georgia, Georgia Tech, Miami, Ole Miss
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): 0.8982 (357th)

A.J. Tillman Jr.'s Junior Year Highlights: HERE (Hudl)

Frame: Tillman has a good base frame for his position. Height is about what you would want out of a running back, and he has an above average wingspan as well. He's a bit on the wiry side right now, and could benefit from adding a bit more weight.

Athleticism: Tillman's top athletic trait is his high-end speed, as his personal record in the outdoor 100-meter dash is 10.55 seconds. His north-south footwork is solid, as you would expect, but his lateral agility could use some work. Given his current weight class, his play strength is about average.

Instincts: While Tillman is a blazing open field runner, that's not the best part of his game. Whether it's looking for a hole in the offensive line or in the second level, he's got very good vision. On top of that, when there's no clear and obvious hole, he's got good patience. Not to mention that when he finally finds the hole, he uses good north-south burst to attack it and come flying through the other side. Tillman also takes great angles when bouncing to the outside, and can regularly win footraces to the sideline and subsequently kick up field. When defenders are near or he's outright in the process of being tackled, Tillman's legs are always churning forwards, which regularly helps him get an extra yard or two. He's also shown to be a positive asset in the passing game on screens, dump offs and some short routes because of his upfield vision.

Polish: Tillman is a two-way player for Lithonia, also playing cornerback (as well as a kick and punt returner). Because of this, while he's not a bruising runner pe se, he's got good contact balance. Plus, he is very much not afraid to run in between the tackles despite the lower weight class, and has flashed the willingness to run angry. He's a slippery runner in part because of his speed, contact balance and motor, but his overall elusiveness could be better. He has a so-so juke move at best because lateral agility, and doesn't have the capability to start and stop on a dime.

Bottom Line: Overall, this is a good pickup for Louisville, and one that potentially has a very high ceiling. Tillman has incredible speed and vision, along with a great overall mindset/approach despite being on the skinnier side. He will have to get his weight up and work on his footwork, but if he can do that, his potential at the next level is very high.

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