Louisville RB Commit Evan Hampton Flips to Vanderbilt

For as much momentum as head coach Jeff Brohm and the Louisville football program has been generating in the Class of 2026, they lost a massive piece of their class on Tuesday night.

Owensboro (Ky.) HS running back Evan Hampton, the No. 1 Class of 2026 prospect in the state of Kentucky according to the 247Sports Composite, announced that he has flipped his verbal commitment from Louisville to Vanderbilt.

"It is imperative that I express my appreciation to the staff at the University of Louisville," Hampton said in a statement posted to social media. "The decision to decommit and refocus my intentions was not one I took lightly, and I have the upmost respect for the coaches and personnel who invested in me personally and athletically. The University of Louisville is a first class operation and I wish the program nothing but future success."

Considering that there was not a path to early playing time for a highly-regarded prospect like Hampton, his decision to play elsewhere does not come as a massive surprise. Uber-talented running backs Isaac Brown and Duke Watson both have three years of eligibility left, and in theory, still have two seasons left before having the opportunity to declare for the NFL Draft.

Regardless, losing Hampton, who had been committed since mid-March, is a massive blow. The 6-foot-0, 208-pound running back, on top of being the No. 1 player in the state, is the 338th-ranked player in the 2026 cycle per the 247Sports Composite. He ranks as high the No. 171 prospect in the nation by Rivals.

Hampton has put up video game-like numbers during his time at Owensboro. This past season as a junior, he rushed for 1,609 yards and 20 touchdowns, and also caught 16 passes for 107 yards and four scores, getting named a Third-Team All-State selection by the Courier-Journal. During his three-year career at Owensboro he has amassed 3,284 rushing yards and 51 rushing touchdowns.

Louisville is now down to a 21-man 2026 recruiting class following Hampton's decision. He is now the seventh prospect in the cycle to decommit from the Cardinals, joining Joel Ervin, Emoni Smith, Jamarcus Whyce, Kevontay Hugan, Josiah Hope and Benjamin Corhei.