Chris Barclay makes Louisville 'the right place' for 4-star RB AJ Tillman
Louisville running backs coach Chris Barclay is widely regarded as one of the best position coaches in college football. Not only is Barclay coaching players to the NFL and to productive numbers at the collegiate level, but he’s also been one of the best at identifying underrated talent in high school.
The Cardinals’ most recent addition to the 2027 class, Lithonia (Ga.) running back AJ Tillman, pledged to the program on Monday and has already grown a strong relationship with Barclay after visiting Louisville last weekend.
“Been strong, especially these last few months,” Tillman told Cardinal Sports following his commitment. “Very positive guy to be around and I can tell he trusts his players and believes in them.”
Working closely under Jeff Brohm for 10 seasons, Barclay has squeezed the talent out of his running backs. Entering the 2026 season, the Cards have one of the most dynamic backfields in the country with future pros Isaac Brown and Keyjuan Brown entering their junior seasons. South Florida native Isaac Brown was an undersized, underrecruited player whom Barclay saw flashes in; same with someone like Tyrone Tracy, who, back at Purdue, converted from wideout to running back under his guidance. Athletes with good traits of speed, change of direction, burst, and contact balance do well in Louisville’s system.
Tillman, without a doubt, has that. He’s surged to a four-star rating and is currently listed as the No. 349 player in the country and No. 11 among athletes. The Cards are recruiting him as a running back, and the 5-foot-11, 190-pound two-way player feels like he fits in at Louisville because of the coach-to-player relationship.
“The love the city had for the team,” said Tillman on what stood out during his visit. “Louisville is the right place for me because I feel like their development system is one of a kind. It’s not all about football with them; it’s about building an actual connection with the players outside the field too.”
Starting his high school career at McDonough (Ga.) Tillman has been one of the most productive backs in the state. Over the last two seasons, Tillman has combined for over 1,500 yards on the ground and 17 touchdowns. Last fall, he ran for 461 yards on 61 carries, averaging 7.6 yards a try with Litonia and also managed to reach the end zone five times. Playing on both sides of the football as a defensive back as well, Tillman collected 22 tackles, six passes defended, and a fumble recovery this fall.
Tillman also went on to explain that he feels his skill set fits with the rest of Louisville’s running back room. After all, young players have developed and produced quickly under Barclay — just look at last year’s drubbing of Kentucky.
Louisville’s prioritizing of Tillman made a difference in his recruitment over the last few weeks. He now joins Reading (PA.) back Justice Hardy as the two running back commitments in Louisville’s loaded 2027 recruiting class.
