Louisville RB Duke Watson plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal
Louisville running back Duke Watson has announced his intent to enter the transfer portal.
The sophomore appeared in 19 career games for the Cardinals.
Watson was rated as a four-star prospect, playing his high school ball at Mary Persons in Forsyth, Georgia. Making an imminent impact in his true freshman season, Watson ran for 597 yards and 7 touchdowns. His 8.9 yards per attempt would’ve been ranked first in the country, but his 67 carries didn’t qualify him for the list. Watson and fellow star freshman Isaac Brown were considered one of the very best one-two punches in the country during their 2024 campaign. Watson had two 100-yard performances, including 6 carries for 104 yards and 2 touchdowns against in-state rival Kentucky.
Following up on his impressive 2024 campaign, Watson was unable to live up to the hype in 2025. Hindered by injuries all season long, Watson only appeared in 7 games, including three games with 6 or fewer carries.
The 6-foot 180-pound tailback ran for 158 yards and 1 touchdown on 49 carries. His 3.2 yards per attempt was a significant dip from last season. Watson also hauled in 6 catches for 49 yards and a touchdown.
Seeing his most action against Pittsburgh, Watson had 14 carries for 47 yards in a come-from-behind victory on the road. Known for his blazing speed and big play potential, injuries didn’t allow Watson to play to his full potential this season.
Louisville running back coach Chris Barclay has done a great job developing talent in his three years with the program. The Cardinals had five players rush for over 150 yards this year, including a breakout 704 yards from sophomore Keyjuan Brown.
Watson joins fellow Louisville running back Shaun Boykins Jr to enter the portal at this position group. After singing 31 transfers last season, Coach Jeff Brohm and company are expected to hit the portal hard once again. Coming off a 20-man high school signing class, Louisville will have plenty of new faces competing for snaps.
Louisville recently beat Toledo 27-22 in the Bush Boca Raton Bowl, extending its streak to three straight years with 9 or more victories.
