Charles Gaines Louisville vs. Notre Dame Photo by Adam Creech

Louisville Football Inks 17 Student-Athletes During the Early Signing Period

Mark BlankenbakerDecember 15, 2021

University of Louisville head football coach Scott Satterfield announced the signing of 17 players to the 2022 signing class, with six student-athletes enrolling in January.

The group includes 11 offensive players, which features four wide receivers and three offensive linemen. The defensive side features six players, including two defensive linemen and a pair of linebackers.

In total, 13 states are represented, with Florida leading the way with five student-athletes.

The class is headlined by four Power 5 transfers in running back Tiyon Evans (Tennessee), wide receiver Dee Wiggins (Miami), linebacker Momo Sanogo (Mississippi) and safety M.J. Grifffin (Temple).

Evans played one season at Tennessee, leading the team with 525 yards and six touchdowns, including 120 yards and a touchdown in the season opener versus Bowling Green.

A highly-touted wide receiver, Wiggins played two seasons at Miami. He finished fourth on the team in both receptions with 31 and receiving yards with 358.

Sanogo, a four-year player at Mississippi, finished the 2021 season with 26 tackles, 1.0 tackles for loss and an interception. His best season came in 2020 with 60 tackles and 4.0 tackles for loss.

A two-year player at Temple, Griffin closed the 2021 season as the Owls’ second-leading tackler with 65.

Head coach Scott Satterfield inked one of the top players in the state of Kentucky in defensive end Selah Brown. A product of Male High, Brown was a four-star prospect who was a finalist for the Kentucky Football Coaches Association Mr. Football Award.

Outside linebacker Popeye Williams is one of the highest rated players in the class. A four-star prospect, Williams was a three-time all-state honoree and finished his senior season with 96 tackles and 10.5 sacks.

The Cardinals added a quarterback in the class with the signing of 6-foot-2, 220-pound Khalib Johnson from Pinson, Ala.. Johnson threw for 5,478 yards and 72 touchdowns.

Besides the transfer of Wiggins, the Cardinals added three other wideouts in Chris Bell from Yazoo City, Miss., Chance Morrow from Charlotte, N.C., and Devaughn Mortimer from Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Bell is a speedster who guided Greenville Christian to a state title and has been timed at 22.5 in the 200-meter run. Morrow is a big target at 6-foot-6, while Mortimer caught five touchdown passes to lead Dillard High to a state title.

Nate Kurisky, a tight end from Washington, D.C., caught 30 passes for 570 yards and two touchdowns at Gonzaga.

The Cardinals beefed up the offensive line with the signing of Max Cabana from Easthampton, Mass., Makhete Gueye from Bradenton, Fla., and Izaiah Reed from Jackson, Tenn.

Running back Maurice Turner from Nicholls, Ga., is a four-time all-conference performer who was named the Region 1-5A Athlete of the Year as a junior.

D’Angelo Hutchinson from St. Petersburg, Fla., recorded 213 career tackles and 15 interceptions at Northeast High.

Tawfiq Thomas. a defensive tackle from Tampa, recorded over 200 career tackles at Gaither High.

Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Exp. Hometown/Previous School

Chris Bell WR 6-2 220 Fr. Yazoo City, Miss./Greenville Christian

Selah Brown DT 6-2 250 Fr. Louisville, Ky./Male

Max Cabana OT 6-6 285 Fr. Easthampton, Mass/ Williston-Northhampton

Tiyon Evans RB 5-11 220 Jr Hartsville, S.C./Tennessee

Makhete Gueye OT 6-7 270 Fr. Bradenton, Fla./Venice Senior

M.J. Griffin DB 6-1 200 So. Ypsilanti, Mich./Saline

D’Angelo Hutchinson DB 6-3 185 Fr. St. Petersburg, Fla./Northeast

Khalib Johnson QB 6-2 220 Fr. Pinson, Ala./Clay/Chalkville

Nate Kurisky TE 6-3 225 Fr. Washington, D.C./Gonzaga