Louisville has bolstered its roster with the addition of former Tennessee linebacker Kalib Perry, marking another key pickup from the transfer portal. Perry, originally from Rock Hill, S.C., but a high school standout at Great Crossing in Georgetown, Ky., brings significant experience after appearing in 37 games over three seasons with the Volunteers. He’ll have one season of eligibility remaining as he joins the Cardinals.
The 6-foot-3, 231-pound linebacker had his most productive season in 2024, totaling 26 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and one forced fumble in 12 games, including three starts. Perry started against Florida, Alabama, and Ohio State in the College Football Playoff first-round loss, recording four tackles against the Buckeyes.
He logged at least 23 snaps in five games this season, including SEC matchups against Florida, Alabama, and Georgia, and finished with 234 defensive snaps—fourth-most among Tennessee linebackers.
During his time at Tennessee, Perry accumulated 61 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, two blocked punts, and one forced fumble. He made an immediate impact on special teams as a freshman in 2022, blocking a punt against Kentucky.
He repeated the feat in 2023 with a blocked kick against Vanderbilt while contributing 21 tackles on defense. Before Tennessee, Perry was a versatile athlete in high school, excelling as a safety, rusher, and defensive leader. In his senior year, he posted 85 tackles and 9.5 tackles for loss.
Perry, a three-star recruit ranked as the No. 100 linebacker in the 2022 class by 247Sports, chose Tennessee over Purdue, Kentucky, and Cincinnati. He comes from a football family, with his father, LaBreece, playing in the CFL, and NFL star Stephon Gilmore as his second cousin.
Perry’s addition brings Louisville’s transfer count to 19 in less than a month, continuing the staff’s aggressive roster-building approach.
