Highlights & Evaluation: Louisville WR Commit Joseph Stone Jr.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Louisville football program has landed one of their top targets in the Class of 2024, as Joseph Stone Jr. has committed to the Cardinals.

Here is Louisville Report's full evaluation:

Prospect: Joseph "Jojo" Stone Jr.
Position: Wide Receiver
Measurables: 5-foot-11, 180 pounds
School: Langston Hughes (Ga.) Fairburn
Top Offers: Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Texas
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): 0.9047 (300th)

Joseph Stone Jr.'s Sophomore Year Highlights: HERE (Hudl)

Frame: Stone has a frame that you would expect from a blue chip high school wide receiver prospect. Arms and legs are well toned, and he has a good wingspan to boot thanks in part to a recent growth spurt. He won't need to add too much weight or muscle when he gets to college.

Athleticism: For a wide receiver whose build doesn't fit the bill for a prototypical speedster, Stone has fantastic first step acceleration. He can get to his top gear in a hurry, which is also good as you can expect. As far his agility goes, he has great footwork and is incredibly fluid with his cuts and how he changes direction.

Instincts: Stone's best work as a receiver comes on swing passes or wide receiver screens. Thanks to his footwork and acceleration, he can beat defenders to the boundary or the open spot after the catch with regularity, then simply turn on the jets in the open field. Whether lined up out wide, in the slot or in the backfield, Stone excels in working through space and knows exactly what to do when he gets the ball in hands. He has great upfield and anticipatory vision with the ball in his hands, and knows how to navigate through traffic, whether that involves an above average spin move or bouncing off would-be tacklers.

Polish: Stone is an incredibly versatile athlete. On top of playing receiver, he also took a lot of offensive snaps in the backfield as a running back or wildcat quarterback, and can even play defensive back, though has mainly stuck to WR as a junior and senior. As a wide receiver, he does need some development as a downfield threat. His release off the line of scrimmage is average to slightly above average, he doesn't run a super diverse route tree, and his route running overall could definitely use some work. That being said, he can run effective curl routes and slants, and has shown good concentration on occasional long shots.

Bottom Line: Overall, this is a great pickup for Louisville. While he will need some coaching to become a complete college wide receiver, his capabilities with the ball in his hands more than merit his status as a blue chip recruit. Hopefully a foot injury that has limited him during his senior season hasn't stunted his development, but Jeff Brohm and Co. should be able to unlock his full potential, and he is very much a candidate to see early playing time.

(Photo of Joseph Stone Jr. via Twitter)

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