3-star 2027 TE Xavier Ratica commits to Louisville
Louisville football has picked up its eighth verbal pledge out of the 2027 recruiting class.
On Wednesday, Lakota West (Oh.) tight end Xavier Ratica announced his commitment to the Cardinals.
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The 6-foot-6 pass catcher was on campus yesterday for the Cardinals’ first open practice of the spring. There, the two-sport athlete told Louisville’s staff he would be committing to play for the red and black.
“Louisville checked all the boxes for me and my family,” Ratica told On3’s Allen Trieu. “The relationships and regular contact with Coach Petrino, Coach Marrow, Coach Ivey, and Coach Bramel have meant a lot to me.”
Ratica ranks as the No. 937 overall prospect and 48th best tight end according to Rivals. He is now the fourth prospect out of Ohio to commit to play for Louisville, joining fellow tight end D’Angelo White, wide receiver Chuck Alexander, and Taft linebacker Josiah Pouncy.
“It felt great to give my commitment personally to Coach Brohm in his office with my parents present along with Coach Petrino, Coach Marrow, and Coach Bramel who have all been a big part of my recruitment. I’m home, Go Cards,” Ratica added.
Louisville’s 2027 recruiting class is the fourth of such under Jeff Brohm and is easily his best to date, with four blue-chip prospects already committed to the program. The group currently ranks as the 14th-best class in the country and second-best in the ACC, only behind Miami.
Also, lettering in basketball, Ratica is considered one of the best blocking tight ends in the class, and the 240-plus-pounder caught eight passes for over 100 yards in 2025.
RELATED — Xavier Ratica talks about recruitment and upcoming Louisville visit

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