Highlights & Evaluation: Louisville OL Commit Jarvis Strickland

Another in-state member of the Class of 2026 is opting to stay home and play for the Louisville football program, as Jarvis Strickland has committed to the Cardinals.

Here is Louisville Cardinals On SI's full evaluation:

Prospect: Jarvis Strickland
Position: Offensive Tackle
Measurables: 6-foot-6, 294 pounds
School: Paducah (Ky.) Tilghman
Top Offers: Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Michigan, Ole Miss, Tennessee
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): 0.8916 (413th)

Jarvis Stricklands Junior Year Highlights: HERE (Hudl)

Frame: Possesses great height and a good wingspan to be able to play at the power conference level, as well broad shoulders and hips. Weight is in a good spot, but will likely need to add a bit more pure muscle once on campus. 

Athleticism: Of course, being an offensive lineman, especially a tackle, it goes without saying that Strickland has very high play strength. But his best athletic intangible might be his footwork, which is bordering on elite status. Whether in the open field or in a phone both, he moves incredibly well both north-south and laterally for someone who is around 300 pounds.

Instincts: Unsurprisingly, where Strickland shines the most is in pass protection. His foot speed and overall footwork translates very well in this regard. Not only does he sport a kickback that is more than ready for the college game, it is very rare that an edge rusher gets leverage on him. Additionally, he has the grip strength to not only stop defenders almost dead in their tracks, but also has the driving force to pile drive them into the ground. In run blocking, he demonstrates almost concussive initial striking power, especially when getting to the second level or pulling across the line - both of which he does very well.

Polish: Strickland played exclusively left tackle during his junior year at Paducah Tilghman, but with his skill set, he has the capability to play right tackle, or even guard if he had to. He routinely maintains good pad level before and during blocks, but sometimes is susceptible to leading with the shoulder in run blocking. Whether in pass protection or run blocking, Strickland typically has good hand placement on his initial strikes, and he does a good job anticipating counters and withstanding bull rushes.

Bottom Line: Overall, this is a very good pickup for Louisville. Strickland is already in a very advanced stage in terms of his blocking fundamentals, which are backed up by both his high end positional strength and agility. He'll likely need to bulk up some once he gets on campus, but he is without a doubt a prime candidate for early playing time.

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