Highlights & Evaluation: Louisville TE Commit Nick Lautar

Originally posted on Louisville Cardinals on SI
By Matthew McGavic | Last updated Jun 2, 2025 2:00 PM ET

The Louisville football program is already starting to see the fruits of their labor from their first recruiting weekend of the month pan out, as Nick Lautar has committed to the Cardinals.

Here is Louisville Cardinals On SI's full evaluation:

Prospect: Nick Lautar
Position: Tight End
Measurables: 6-foot-5, 230 pounds
School: Lebanon (Oh.) HS
Top Offers: Baylor, Cincinnati, Kentucky, Pitt, Wisconsin
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): N/A

Nick Lautar's Junior Year Highlights: HERE (Hudl)

Frame: Given that Lautar also has a background in wrestling, he has a good amount of muscle on his frame already. That being said, it's possible that he could easily add 10-20 more pounds of muscle/weight. He also has good height and wingspan for a tight end.

Athleticism: With how big he already is and has the potential to be, Lautar has very good burst for his size. It's mainly due to his north-south footwork, although his lateral agility is so-so. He also has very good sustained open field speed for his position, and regularly demonstrates solid play strength.

Instincts: Watching his film, it's obvious that Lautar is the kind of pass catcher who just knows how to get open. He has an above average release off the line of scrimmage, and has a good feel for the where the holes are in zone coverage. Because of this, Lautar routinely gets open on seam routes and in-breaking routes. As far as his actual catching ability goes, he has good hands, and displays great concentration on low throws. Additionally, he's a good blocker for someone who's primarily a receiving tight end. He does well when pulling across the line, does a good job setting the edge, and is also a surprisingly good blocker on WR screens.

Polish: Lautar is very position versatile for a tight end. Of course, he took plenty of reps as an inline blocker, but has lined up in the backfield in pistol/gun formations, as well as in the slot and outside. While he's not a super crisp route runner because of his lateral footwork, he does run a more diverse tree than expected. He's also not afraid to do the dirty work on more physical blocks. Lautar always seeks to either finish his block or move downfield for the next one, but his motor is a touch inconsistent.

Bottom Line: Overall, this is an underrated pickup for Louisville. While there are a few things to fine tune between now and when he gets on campus, Lautar has some good long term potential as both a downfield threat and a run blocker. He won't be asked to do a whole lot next season, which will help him develop.