Louisville Early Signing Day Tracker: Every Player Coming to the Program in 2026

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The 2025 Early Signing Period is finally here. Between Wednesday, Dec. 3 and Friday, Dec. 5, Class of 2026 recruits have the option to preemptively sign with the schools to which they have committed to before the traditional National Signing Day in February.

Louisville will be no exception, as they are expected to sign a majority of - if not all - their current 2026 commits on the first day of the Early Signing Period.

Like the first three cycles under head coach Jeff Brohm, this cycles's crop of newcomers is expected to be a healthy mix of high school prospects and Division I transfers. When everything is said and done, Louisville is expected to sign all of their scholarship high school commitments during the Early Signing Period - and could add additional prospects to their current 20-man class.

Follow this page throughout the morning and next few days to receive live updates on who has signed and faxed in their National Letter of Intent to play for the Cardinals, as well as other related news.

NLI's can officially be signed and faxed starting at 7:00 a.m. EST.

Early Signing Period Start:

7:21 a.m. - Wide receiver Gavin Waddell is the first prospect to put pen to paper with the Cardinals.
7:31 a.m. - Make that two offensive players in a row, with offensive lineman Max Merz signing next.
7:38 a.m. - Linebacker Brady Ballart is the first defensive prospect to make it official with Louisville.
7:45 a.m. - Taj Powell, who Louisville flipped from West Virginia earlier in the cycle, signs with the Cards.
7:52 a.m. - Two offensive linemen have now signed, with Bryten Close being the latest.
8:19 a.m. - Offensive lineman Tyreek Jemison, a former Kentucky commit that Louisville was actively recruiting, commits to Georgia.
8:51 a.m. - Another in-state prospect officially signs, this time bein defensive lineman Sam Dawson.
9:02 a.m. - Cornerback Jaydin Broadnax, Louisville's highest-ranked recruit in the cycle, is officially a Cardinal.
9:12 a.m. - Surging running back Lekhy Thompkins spurns a late charge from Miami and others to sign with the Cards.
9:23 a.m. - Offensive lineman Benjamin Corhei, who flipped from Louisville to USF this past summer, has flipped back to and signed with the Cardinals.
9:33 a.m. - Edge rusher Jon Adams is the latest to officially sign with Louisville.
9:43 a.m. - Marlon Harbin, a local two-way star for St. X, has made things official.
10:13 a.m. - Safety Jordan Vann, who Louisville recently flipped from Michigan State, is now in the fold.
10:34 a.m. - Kris Brunson, one of two cornerbacks for Louisville in the class, has signed.
10:53 a.m. - Louisville's highest-ranked offensive commitment, tight end Julius Miles, has now signed with the Cards.
11:23 a.m. - One of the top prospects in the state, offensive lineman Jarvis Strickland, has put pen to paper with Louisville.
11:35 a.m. - Another receiver is officially in the fold, with D.J. Williams being the latest.
12:00 p.m. - Josiah Hope, a local defensive tackle hailing from North Hardin, has flipped to Purdue for a second time.
3:09 p.m. - Wide receiver Payton Cook has turned in his NLI to Louisville.
3:13 p.m. - Linebacker Karsten Busch, who recently decommitted from Louisville, has committed to Miami following an official visit to the Canes.
4:38 p.m. - Offensive lineman Charlie Edgeworth is now officially a Card after signing his NLI.
5:36 p.m. - Louisville's lone quarterback in the class, Briggs Cherry, has made things official with Louisville.

Full List of 2026 Early Signees:

Offense

QB Briggs Cherry
RB Lekhy Thompkins
WR Payton Cook
WR Marlon Harbin
WR Gavin Waddell
WR D.J. Williams
TE Julius Miles
OL Bryten Close
OL Benjamin Corhei
OL Charlie Edgeworth
OL Max Merz
OL Jarvis Strickland

Defense

DL Sam Dawson
DE Jon Adams
LB Brady Ballart
LB/S Taj Powell
CB Jaydin Broadnax
CB Kris Brunson
S Jordan Vann

Player-by-Player Breakdown:

Gavin Waddell

Position: Wide Receiver
Measurables: 6-foot-1, 175 pounds
School: Rolesville (N.C.) HS
Top Offers: App State, Coastal Carolina, Miami, Maryland, UConn
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): 0.8647 (1,110th)
Highlights and Evaluation: Click Here

Max Merz

Position: Offensive Lineman
Measurables: 6-foot-4, 310 pounds
School: Fort Thomas (Ky.) Highlands
Top Offers: Kent State, Marshall, Toledo, Troy
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): 0.8475 (1,784th)
Highlights and Evaluation: Click Here

Brady Ballart

Position: Inside Linebacker/Running Back
Measurables: 6-foot-2, 213 pounds
School: Aurora (Ind.) South Dearborn
Top Offers: Ball State, Eastern Michigan, Miami (Oh.), Toledo
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): 0.8542 (1,503rd)
Highlights and Evaluation: Click Here

Taj Powell

Position: Outside Linebacker/Safety
Measurables: 6-foot-3, 205 pounds
School: Springfield (Oh.) HS
Top Offers: Buffalo, Miami of Ohio, Ohio, Temple, Toledo
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): 0.8711 (911st)
Highlights and Evaluation: Click Here

Bryten Close

Position: Offensive/Defensive Tackle
Measurables: 6-foot-6, 285 pounds
School: Campbellsville (Ky.) Taylor County
Top Offers: East Carolina, Liberty, Ohio, UMass, Western Kentucky
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): 0.8592 (1,361st)
Highlights and Evaluation: Click Here

Sam Dawson

Position: Defensive Line
Measurables: 6-foot-4, 275 pounds
School: Crestwood (Ky.) South Oldham
Top Offers: Eastern Kentucky
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): 0.8567 (1,430th)
Highlights and Evaluation: Click Here

Jaydin Broadnax

Position: Cornerback
Measurables: 6-foot-3, 190 pounds
School: Boca Raton (Fla.) West Boca Raton
Top Offers: Florida, Michigan, Nebraska, Penn State, Tennessee
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): 0.9061 (282nd)
Highlights and Evaluation: Click Here

Lekhy Thompkins

Position: Running Back
Measurables: 6-foot-1, 227 pounds
School: Jackson (Tenn.) University School
Top Offers: Maryland, Minnesota, Purdue, Virginia Tech, West Virginia
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): 0.8639 (1,134th)
Highlights and Evaluation: Click Here

Benjamin Corhei

Position: Offensive Tackle
Measurables: 6-foot-5, 285 pounds
School: Valdosta (Ga.) Lowndes
Top Offers: Florida State, Indiana, Kentucky, Miami, Pitt
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): 0.8633 (1,385th)
Highlights and Evaluation: Click Here

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): 0.8483 (1,768th)
Highlights and Evaluation: Click Here

Marlon Harbin

Position: Wide Receiver/Running Back/Cornerback
Measurables: 5-foot-11, 175 pounds
School: Louisville (Ky.) St. Xavier
Top Offers: Eastern Kentucky, Kentucky, Miami (Oh.), Toledo, UT Martin
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): 0.8719 (817th)
Highlights and Evaluation: Click Here

Jordan Vann

Position: Safety
Measurables: 6-foot-1, 195 pounds
School: Middletown (Oh.) HS
Top Offers: Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan State, Virginia, Wisconsin
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): 0.8722 (964th)
Highlights and Evaluation: Click Here

Kris Brunson

Position: Cornerback
Measurables: 6-foot-2, 180 pounds
School: Snellville (Ga.) Brookwood
Top Offers: Miami, Mississippi State, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Western Kentucky
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): 0.8467 (1,790th)
Highlights and Evaluation: Click Here

Julius Miles

Position: Tight End
Measurables: 6-foot-6, 210 pounds
School: Freeport (Fla.) HS
Top Offers: Colorado, Florida State, Michigan State, Syracuse, Pitt
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): 0.8826 (548th)
Highlights and Evaluation: Click Here

Jarvis Strickland

Position: Offensive Tackle
Measurables: 6-foot-6, 294 pounds
School: Paducah (Ky.) Tilghman
Top Offers: Kentucky, Georgia Tech, Michgan, Ole Miss, Tennessee
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): 0.8916 (414th)
Highlights and Evaluation: Click Here

D.J. Williams

Position: Wide Receiver/Safety
Measurables: 6-foot-2, 170 pounds
School: Tampa (Fla.) Carrollwood Day
Top Offers: Florida State, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): 0.8808 (580th)
Highlights and Evaluation: Click Here

Payton Cook

Position: Wide Receiver/Defensive Back
Measurables: 6-foot-2, 170 pounds
School: Akron (Oh.) Archbishop Hoban
Top Offers: Kentucky, Miami, Michigan, Pitt, Tennessee
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): 0.8889 (474th)
Highlights and Evaluation: Click Here

Charlie Edgeworth

Position: Offensive Tackle
Measurables: 6-foot-7, 325 pounds
School: Chattanooga (Ten.) Baylor School
Top Offers: Florida, Kentucky, Purdue, Syracuse, Virginia Tech
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): 0.8711 (1,002nd)
Highlights and Evaluation: Click Here

Briggs Cherry

Position: Quarterback
Measurables: 6-foot-4, 215 pounds
School: Chattanooga (Tenn.) Baylor School
Top Offers: App State, Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, Pitt, Syracuse
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): 0.8983 (371st)
Highlights and Evaluation: Click Here