2025 Louisville Football Preview: Receivers (WR / TE)

It’s another two-fer in this one post, as we look at both the wide receiver and tight ends for the 2025 Louisville football team.

If you want to look at our other position breakdowns before the season starts on August 30th against Eastern Kentucky, click the links below:

• Special Teams (Released July 21st: link)
• Offensive Line (Released July 28th: link)
• Defensive Line (Released August 4th: link)
• Secondary (CB / S) (Released August 11th: link)
• Linebackers (Released August 15th: link)
• Running Backs (Released August 22nd: link)
• Quarterbacks (Releasing August 25th)

Last Year’s Results

Ja’Corey Brooks had an outstanding season, logging 61 receptions for 1,013 yards and nine touchdowns, also earning All-ACC First Team honors in his only season with the Cardinals. Last year marked the third straight season that Louisville had a 1,000-yard receiver on its roster (Tyler Hudson in 2022, and Jamari Thrash in 2023).

Chris Bell had a dramatic leap in production, hauling in 43 receptions for 737 yards and four touchdowns. He also had two 100-yard games back-to-back (nine rec., 112 yards, TD at Stanford; two rec., 101 yards, TD vs. Pitt), the first games of his collegiate career where he went over the century mark.

Louisville got decent production outside of its top two receivers, led by Ahmari Huggins-Bruce (18 rec., 239 yards) and Caullin Lacy (18 rec., 196 yards, TD).

Mark Redman led all tight ends on the roster in receptions (24), yards (256), and touchdowns (three). Nate Kurisky had three touchdowns on 12 catches, and Jamari Johnson had 13 catches for 158 yards and one touchdown in seven games before he suffered a season-ending injury.

Position Breakdown: Wide Receiver

Louisville once again has a solid wide receiver room in 2025, despite their departures from last year’s group. Ja’Corey Brooks is off to the NFL, while Cataurus “Blue” Hicks, who emerged as a contributor late last season (12 rec., 149 yards), transferred to Pitt. Ahmari Huggins-Bruce also graduated, and Jadon Thompson only played in three games due to injury, and transferred to Memphis.

Let’s start with Chris Bell, who enters his fourth season as a Cardinal and is poised to emerge as a top name in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. Bell has great physical attributes that you want out of a modern-day wide receiver; great size (6’2″, 225+ lbs.), the ability to fight through contact and make tough catches or get extra yards, and breakaway speed once he hits the second gear. All of these traits have guys from David Pollack to Dane Brugler raving about Bell’s potential, and it’s easy to see when you watch him on game film. If Bell can showcase more as a route runner and put together some strong performances this season, he could be a potential day two pick or even a first round pick with the right circumstances.

The hype for Bell has made it feel like Caullin Lacy is being overlooked, but he is also a very talented receiver. He was able to return by preserving his medical redshirt last season; Lacy had a broken collarbone that kept him out of the first three games, Lacy played the next four, and opted out of the remainder of the regular season.

In the games he did play, though, Lacy reminded everyone why he was a standout at South Alabama the year prior. Lacy is an excellent route runner and has great speed, able to get himself open against both man and zone coverage. Expect Lacy to primarily play in the slot because of his route running ability, but he can play outside as well. He also has the ability to be a contributor on special teams, but with the arrival of Bobby Golden, Lacy might be kept to just playing as a receiver.

With Bell and Lacy, Louisville should once again have a solid one-two punch at both wide receiver, both potentially going to be in the mix for All-ACC honors this season. However, they will have to find consistent plays from a third wide receiver (or tight end, or running back) to take the next step and take pressure off Bell and Lacy to produce on offense.

Louisville was able to land a few guys in the portal that will compete for that opportunity, led by Dacari Collins and Treyshun Hurry. Collins has previous Power Four experience at Clemson and NC State, also has great size at 6’4″, 215 lbs. Hurry played at San Jose State last season and was a solid contributor, logging 28 catches for 481 yards and two touchdowns. Terrence McWilliams and Bobby Golden also arrived in the portal to give Louisville more veteran depth at WR. McWilliams spent the last two seasons at Minnesota and didn’t log any playing time, but could see the field in spurts. Golden has a lot of speed and should play behind Lacy in the slot, but do expect him to be a possible contributor on special teams as well with his experience was a returner. Between Lacy and Golden, Louisville has a lot of creativity to use with both guys in the slot.

Don’t sleep on Antonio Meeks or Kris Hughes, though. Meeks played sporadically last year, most notably getting a 28-yard touchdown reception in the Sun Bowl. Hughes came on late last year as a contributor, highlighted by a three reception, 32-yard showing in Louisville’s comeback win over Boston College.

Projected Starters: Chris Bell (X-receiver / WR1), Caullin Lacy (slot), Dacari Collins (Z-receiver / WR2)

Key Reserves: Treyshun Hurry, Bobby Golden, Terrence McWilliams, Antonio Meeks, Kris Hughes

Position Breakdown: Tight End

With Mark Redman graduating and Jamari Johnson entering the portal, Nate Kurisky returns and should be in the mix to start. Kurisky has started multiple games for Louisville in his career, and he’s been solid as a pass catcher / safety valve type of tight end.

Jaleel Skinner also returns and should be in the mix to start as TE1, but honestly, my expectation is that both Kurisky and Skinner will platoon as 1A / 1B at tight end. Both guys are solid in run blocking, which will allow Louisville to run 12 personnel and give their star running backs, Isaac Brown and Duke Watson, opportunities to get to the second level. As a receiver, Skinner is also an athletic pass catcher, and could line up outside to cause mismatches.

Louisville got two more tight ends from the portal for depth, adding Davon Mitchell and Jacob Stewart. Mitchell was a former top-200 prospect that committed to Oklahoma, but didn’t see any playing time last year. He is another athletic tight end similar to Skinner, and can line up at wide receiver to create mismatches outside. If Mitchell can reach his potential, Louisville could have an impact player for the next couple seasons at tight end.

Stewart is another transfer from San Jose State, joining Treyshun Hurry as a former Spartan making the jump to Louisville this year. Stewart split reps with Jackson Canaan at tight end and was a contributor at SJSU, hauling in 34 catches for 287 yards and two touchdowns.

Projected Starter: Nate Kurisky OR Jaleel Skinner

Key Reserves: Jacob Stewart, Davon Mitchell