Another weapon on the offensive side of the ball in the Class of 2027 is opting to play of the Louisville football program, as Brooklyn Maxey has committed to the Cardinals.
Here is Louisville Cardinals On SI's full evaluation:
Player: Brooklyn Maxey
Position: Wide Receiver/Safety
Measurables: 6-foot-2, 215 pounds
School: Tampa (Fla.) Carrollwood Day
Top Offers: Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Kentucky, SMU
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): 0.8700 (810th)
Brooklyn Maxey's Junior Year Highlights: HERE (Hudl)
Frame: Maxey's frame is in a pretty good spot right now. His current weight will certainly play at the college level, and he has a fair amount of muscle tone - although some of his weight could still be converted to pure muscle mass. Has ideal positional height, wingspan appears to be about average if not slightly above average.
Athleticism: As someone who also participates in track (11.20 in 100m, 23.07 in 200m), Maxey has some great open field speed at his disposal. He couples that with good (but maybe not great) overall footwork, and play strength that is what you'd expect given his weight/muscle. He's also got a vertical that is much better than expected.
Instincts: What stands out the most on Maxey's tape is his fantastic catch radius. He's got extremely consistent hands, to the point where he seldom relies on catching a ball against his body, and a good vertical that helps him high point the ball. He also possesses good body control and overall concentration, which further expands his catch radius. Maxey can also be tough to take down in the open field for a few reasons. He's not extremely shifty per se, but he's got a good one-cut. He also plays with a gritty and physical edge (partly because he also plays linebacker/safety), leading him to always fight through tackle attempts. This mindset also translates to blocking as well.
Polish: On top of playing safety, Maxey also is an experienced kick returner. Thanks to his great upfield vision, he has a ton of value here and with his run-after-catch capabilities. He's got a good release off the line of scrimmage and takes crisp cuts on short routes, but his route running on longer developing routes could use some improvement - although he's got a nice double move. Maxey has also shown that he can withstand some hard hits to complete the catch, and typically doesn't let traffic break his concentration.
Bottom Line: Overall, this is a good pickup for Louisville. Maxey will have to fine tune his route running a touch, but he's got a great mix of speed and power, as well as the mental intangibles to go with it. He could be a contender for significant playing time by his sophomore season.
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