Highlights & Evaluation: Louisville DE Commit Jon Adams

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Louisville football program has picked up their first defensive commitment of the 2026 cycle, with Jon Adams giving his verbal pledge to the Cardinals.

Here is Louisville Cardinals On SI's full evaluation:

Prospect: Jon Adams
Position: Edge Rusher
Measurables: 6-foot-3, 200 pounds
School: Chiefland (Fla.) HS
Top Offers: FIU, Tulane
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): 0.8367 (1,028th)

Jon Adams' Sophomore Year Highlights: HERE (Hudl)

Frame: Adams has a very good base frame for an edge rusher. While he likely needs to add a little more weight, he already has very good muscle tone throughout - especially in his arms. On top of having good height for a defensive end/outside linebacker, he also has a very good wingspan that likely pushes over six-and-a-half-feet.

Athleticism: Adams regularly displays an above average first step and good footwork overall, while also showcasing good speed on a play-to-play basis. He's also got some decent play strength, and a solid vertical to boot.

Instincts: As you can guess, Adams is your prototypical speed rusher in modern football. He's got good initial burst and closing speed, on top of a high motor that always stays engaged. He has very good counters to initial blocks that lets him get into the backfield fairly quickly. Adams can also stay patient when he has to, and has decent timing on disengaging blocks when letting the play come to him. He's also a fundamental tackler who regularly wraps up.

Polish: Adams always lines up as an outside rusher in a 3-4 scheme that regularly features five on the line, but also takes reps at wide receiver and quarterback as well. Arguably the biggest knock on Adams is his ability to make correct and/or timely reads. His good footwork and speed gives him great recovery to still make the play more often than not, but he regularly is caught a tick late on the read or is over pursuing. As an actual pass rusher vs. a blocker, his bend is decent but could also use some development.

Bottom Line: Overall, this is a pickup that has some potential for Louisville once he gets on campus and takes advantage of the resources provided for him. While he is very raw as an actual pass rusher, the tools and skill set are certainly there, and could be unlocked and unleashed with a redshirt year.

(Photo of Jon Adams: C.J. Gish via Main Street Daily News)

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