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'26 ATH Jayden McGregory Names Louisville to Final Four, Sets Commitment Date

The safety/wide receiver is a four-star prospect in the 2026 cycle.
Des Moines (Iowa) Valley athlete Jayden McGregory
Des Moines (Iowa) Valley athlete Jayden McGregory | Hud

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Louisville football program is on the precipice of landing one of their top targets in the Class of 2026.

Jayden McGregory, a four-star two-way prospect hailing from Des Moines (Ia.) Valley, trimmed his list of top school from eight to four on Wednesday, with the Cardinals making the cut.

Kansas, Minnesota and Missouri also made McGregory's final cut, with Georgia, Kansas State, Michigan and Michigan State getting axed. He also announced that he will make his collegiate decision on July 7.

McGregory is set to visit all four of his finalists. Minnesota will get the first visit on May 30, followed by Missouri on June 6, Kansas on June 13 and then Louisville as the last one on June 20.

The 6-foot-2, 182-pound two-way player is a four-star prospect in two of the four major recruiting services, and ranks as high as the No. 294 recruit in the cycle, per On3's in-house rankings. The 247Sports Composite tabs him as the 396th-ranked recruit in the nation.

At the collegiate level, McGregory projects as a safety, and he shined on that side of the ball for Valley. During his junior campaign, he logged 20 tackles, one for loss, 13 pass breakups and three interceptions - including one for a touchdown. He also compiled 506 all-purpose yards as a wide receiver and kick/punt returner.

So far, Louisville has done an incredible job in the 2026 cycle. They have landed 14 prospects, including four who are composite four-star recruits, with the class ranking 15th in the nation.

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(Photo of Jayden McGregory via Hudl)

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Matthew McGavic
MATTHEW MCGAVIC

McGavic is a 2016 Sport Administration graduate of the University of Louisville, and a native of the Derby City. He has been covering the Cardinals in various capacities since 2017, with a brief stop in Atlanta, Ga. on the Georgia Tech beat. Also an avid video gamer, a bourbon enthusiast, and fierce dog lover. Find him on Twitter at @Matt_McGavic