Louisville football needs to target these positions in recruiting the NCAA transfer portal

Louisville’s recipe for a successful 2023 season included a strong transfer portal class.

Jeff Brohm, ahead of his first season leading his alma mater, assembled a group of experienced players that helped the program win 10 games and make its first ACC championship game appearance. Many of those transfer portal additions only had one year of eligibility left when they signed with U of L. Between those who are graduating, could decide to forgo their remaining eligibility to turn pro and the eight players who entered the transfer portal in the first week of it being open, the Cardinals will need to use the portal to replace experience at various positions.

"You have to constantly try to improve your roster and your team and where you think you need to get better,” Brohm said. “So, without question, we're hard at work on that, and that's the big focus between myself and all of our coaches and support staff and recruiting staff."

The Cardinals have already received commitments from three transfers: a veteran quarterback in Tyler Shough, who started his career at Oregon (2018-2020) before transferring to Texas Tech (2021-23), former Harvard defensive lineman Thor Griffith and former Yale offensive lineman Jonathan Mendoza. The new group currently ranks among the top 10 transfer classes nationally, per 247Sports, while ranking among the top five in On3’s transfer portal index.

But Louisville’s not done yet. The Cardinals have offers out and continue to recruit players from the transfer portal, which will remain open until Jan. 2. It will open again April 16-30 following the spring football season.

Here are three positions the Cardinals should target in the transfer portal this offseason:

Tight end

Louisville entered the 2023 season with limited depth and experience at tight end. The Cardinals returned Josh Lifson, Nate Kurisky and Duane Martin, signed Jamari Johnson as part of the 2023 recruiting class and added Joey Gatewood, who had never played the position before, from the transfer portal. Lifson emerged as the starting tight end before Kurisky started in eight of the final nine games, though each saw time on the field and contributed to the team’s offensive production.

The Cardinals will lose Lifson and Gatewood to graduation. Because of how important the tight end position is in Brohm’s system, the Cardinals could look to the portal to add depth and experience.

While Martin served as more of a blocker, Lifson, Kurisky and Gatewood were more involved in the passing game. Gatewood led the way with 150 yards and three touchdowns on nine receptions followed by Kurisky with 16 catches for 138 yards and two scores. Despite not logging any statistics, Johnson played in four games as a freshman and started in the ACC championship game alongside Kurisky.

According to the 247Sports rankings, the portal’s top three tight ends — Holden Staes, who played behind Mitchell Evans and Michael Mayer for the past two seasons at Notre Dame, Justin Joly (UConn) and Jake Johnson (Texas A&M) — are still available.

Offensive line

Brohm was aggressive in adding offensive linemen from the transfer portal following his first spring football season at U of L and he appears to be sticking with the approach this offseason. Depth and experience on the line will be especially important in protecting Shough, who has yet to play a full season of college football after struggling with injuries over the past three years at Texas Tech.

Right guard Renato Brown, who suffered a season-ending knee injury at Pitt during Week 7, and left guard Michael Gonzalez will return for the Cards. But U of L must replace three of its five starting offensive linemen with the biggest loss being Jacobs Blocking Trophy winner Bryan Hudson at center.

The Cardinals acquired their starting tackles — Eric Miller (Purdue) and Willie Tyler (Rutgers) — from the portal and can look to replace them in the same manner.

U of L already signed one O-lineman in Mendoza, who ranked 11^th among transfer tackles. Remington Strickland (Texas A&M), Kevin Wigenton and Ethan Boyd, both of whom are transferring out of Michigan State, and Lyndon Cooper (N.C. State) are among the players Louisville has reportedly offered.

Defensive backs

Louisville’s passing defense ranked 35^th nationally and fifth in the ACC, allowing an average of 205.4 passing yards per game in 2023. Following the transfer of Josh Minkins, the Cardinals have 17 defensive backs listed on their roster but could lose more. Cornerbacks Quincy Riley, Jarvis Brownlee and Storm Duck as well as safety Cam Kelly all have at least one year of eligibility remaining but could opt to turn pro.

Kelly has already exercised that option, declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft. He posted on social media that he still intends to play in the bowl game.

While the Cardinals return safeties Devin Neal and D’Angelo Hutchinson and expect to get M.J. Griffin back after he suffered a season-ending lower leg injury prior to the 2023 campaign, preparing for the potential loss of four starters in the defensive backfield will be key.

Cornerbacks TJ Crandall (Colorado State) and Jermod McCoy (Oregon State), who’s the No. 5 corner in the portal, and safety Jakobe Thomas, who’s transferring out of Middle Tennessee State, are reportedly among the players U of L is targeting.

Reach Louisville football, women's basketball and baseball beat writer Alexis Cubit at acubit@gannett.com and follow her on X at @Alexis_Cubit.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Transfer portal: Areas of need for Jeff Brohm and Louisville football