2019 four-star athlete says Louisville visit was more than he expected
Louisville hosted 11 official visitors this week and one of them brought a rival schools' assistant coach to the campus. It wasn't a covert scouting operation however, as Raymond Woodie III also brought his mother, sister, little brother and his father, Florida State's linebackers coach, Raymond Woodie Jr.
I asked Woodie III if the Louisville coaching staff blindfolded his father to keep him from seeing too much, but he laughed it off.
"Nah they were all cool, they were actually chopping it up," replied Woodie III.
"My little brother did tease my dad every time Louisville had a highlight against Florida state though," he laughed.
While family shenanigans make for good fun, this was a business trip for the Woodies and Louisville's football program made a good impression with the four-star athlete who Louisville is recruiting to play defensive back.
"(The visit showed me) more than I expected. I loved the atmosphere and the vibe of the city, players, and the coaches," said Woodie III. "Everyone got along they all seem to have bought in to what the coaches were saying and seemed like they were happy to be at louisville."
Speaking of coaches, linebackers coach Ryan Beard played safety for WKU when Woodie's father coached there during Beard's junior and senior seasons back in 2010 and 2011. Coach Beard is the point man in Woodie III's recruitment along with cornerbacks coach and recruiting director Grady Brown.
The Louisville target lived in Bowling Green at the time his father was coaching at WKU so the family has a connection to the blue grass state you can read about here.
The entire visit wasn't all about football however, Woodie III and his family got to take in two of the city's biggest cultural staples.
"We toured the Yum Center and went to Churchill Downs, I saw my first horse race," said Woodie III.
He didn't win any money however.
"Nah, no betting for me," he chuckled.
Overall, Louisville did what they had to do on Woodie's visit, solidifying the program as a serious contender to earn his signature on signing day.
"They were already one of my top schools, the visit was great and solidified that," concluded the four-star athlete.
What it looks like: Louisville appeared to make a solid impression on Woodie III and his family. The family ties to Kentucky make this an interesting recruitment as well as the fact Beard played under the elder Woodie at WKU. While there is still a question about him attending a school that will play his father's program once a year, the fact he made it up to Louisville for an official visit and the whole family accompanied him allays that concern for the most part. He didn't mention any further official visits that have been cemented at this point so as always, watch the visits he takes.
Stay up to date with all the latest Louisville recruiting inside info:
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