Top In-State '26 Prospect RB Evan Hampton Names Louisville to Top Schools

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Recruiting the state of Kentucky has been a big focal point of Jeff Brohm's tenure as the head coach of the Louisville football program, and they're making progress with the best player in the Commonwealth.

Owensboro (Ky.) HS running back Evan Hampton, the No. 1 Class of 2026 prospect in the state of Kentucky according to the 247Sports Composite, named the Cardinals to his list of top seven schools on Monday.

Duke, Indiana, NC State, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech and West Virginia are also still in the running for his commitment. Hampton also holds offers from Illinois, Minnesota, North Carolina, Penn State, Stanford, TCU and others.

Hampton was originally offered by Louisville last June, then took a visit for the Cardinals' matchup against Jacksonville State on Sept. 7. Recently, all four current assist coaches plus Brohm paid Hampton a visit last January.

There's a reason why Louisville in so invested in Hampton. The 6-foot-0, 197-pound running back, on top of being the No. 1 player in the state, is the 298th-ranked player in the 2026 cycle per the 247Sports Composite.

Hampton has put up video game-like numbers during his time at Owensboro. This past season as a junior, he rushed for 1,609 yards and 20 touchdowns, and also caught 16 passes for 107 yards and four scores, getting named a Third-Team All-State selection by the Courier-Journal. During his three-year career at Owensboro he has amassed 3,284 rushing yards and 51 rushing touchdowns.

So far, Louisville hold six commitments in the Class of 2026. This includes Chattanooga (Tenn.) Baylor School signal caller Briggs Cherry and Aurora (Ind.) South Dearborn linebacker Brady Ballart, who are regarded as four-star prospects by at least one major recruiting service.

(Photo of Chris Barclay, Evan Hampton: Twitter/X)

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