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Kentucky transfer DB DJ Waller Jr. commits to Louisville

Danby: Daniel Hager01/03/26DanielHagerOn3

Kentucky transfer junior defensive back DJ Waller Jr. has committed to Louisville via the NCAA Transfer Portal.

Waller Jr., who transferred to Kentucky from Michigan prior to the 2024 season, spent two seasons playing for the Wildcats. He was much more effective in 2024, as he recorded 13 tackles and two pass deflections in seven games. He suffered an injury in Kentucky‘s 2025 season opener against Toledo that kept him out for most of his junior season.

The Youngstown, OH native marks the first Transfer Portal commitment of the cycle for Jeff Brohm and Louisville. He was the No. 578 ranked player in On3’s Transfer Portal Rankings.

Prior to enrolling at Michigan out of high school, Waller Jr. was ranked as a three-star prospect and the No. 681 overall player in the 2023 class, according to the On3 Consensus. He was the No. 62-ranked safety in his class and the No. 22 overall player from the state of Ohio, hailing from Chaney.

Louisville‘s 2025 season got off to a strong start, as it rose as high as No. 15 in the College Football Playoff Rankings following a 28-16 victory over Virginia Tech on Nov. 1. The Cardinals, sitting at 7-1, had a slew of unranked opponents on their schedule heading down the final stretch.

They, however, dropped three consecutive games to Cal, Clemson, and SMU before closing the regular season strong with a 41-0 win over Kentucky. This sent them to the Boca Raton Bowl against Toledo, which they won 27-22 to wrap up a 9-4 record.

Waller Jr. heading to Louisville comes as a surprise to nobody, as Louisville‘s Executive Director of Football Personnel and Recruiting Vince Marrow was one of his lead recruiters at Kentucky. Both Waller Jr. and Marrow hail from Youngstown, OH, which served as a strong recruiting base for Kentucky for many years.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. 

The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.