Four-star defensive edge CJ May, who previously committed to Notre Dame before reopening his recruitment, announced his verbal commitment to Louisville on Saturday. May disclosed his decision during a live stream on 247Sports’ YouTube channel, where he proudly donned a red Louisville hat.
May emphasized that his decision was influenced by strong relationships with Louisville’s coaching staff and a promising outlook on the team’s depth chart. He indicated that he had made up his mind about Louisville approximately a month or so ago.
Despite considering Syracuse, Washington, and Auburn as finalists, Louisville emerged as the favorite leading up to the announcement, a prediction supported by 247Sports’ national recruiting analyst, Tom Loy.
May also acknowledged his positive connections with Syracuse’s coaching staff, particularly head coach Fran Brown and assistants Nick Williams and Elijah Robinson. Auburn was another consideration due to its proximity to his home and his childhood fandom.
Hailing from Highland Home, Alabama, May is ranked as the No. 306 prospect nationally by the 247Sports composite, standing at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds. Had he chosen Syracuse, he would have been the highest-ranked recruit in their 2025 class.
Syracuse’s recruiting efforts for 2025 currently rank 32nd nationally in the 247Sports composite, placing them eighth in the ACC. The class includes 28 verbal commitments, making it the second largest in the country behind Rutgers. Notably, former Syracuse commit Marcus Upton recently announced his intention to sign with Boston College.
It’s important to note that verbal commitments are not binding until players sign a National Letter of Intent.
