Ole Miss and Mississippi State both wanted to keep Grenada (MS) standout CJ Avery home for college.

Auburn also make a strong charge for the four-star safety.

But Wednesday, the Under Armor All-American chose Louisville over a trio of SEC West programs, providing a major recruiting victory for Bobby Petrino’s Cardinals.

“The development they do for players coming out of college,” Avery told 247Sports recently. “I feel if a team needs me more between Louisville and Auburn it would be Louisville. They are a little short at the safety spot and I watched the UK game and you could really tell they need some help at the safety spot.”

Avery said last week during Mississippi-Alabama All-Star week that Louisville and Auburn were his two top options.

“They produced so many NFL players and they were a staff I feel like I could trust, and coach Bobby Petrino is a guy who I can really relate to,” Avery told the Clarion-Ledger. “I fit in there and they have an unbelievable group of players. The fans of Louisville are some unbelievable people. It's final. This is where I want to be and I am a person that stands by my word. I just feel like I can have an unbelievable career at Louisville.”

Rated the No. 19 safety nationally in the 247Sports Composite, Avery will enroll at Louisville next month and compete for a starting job at safety, where Josh Harvey-Clemons graduates.

Avery’s commitment bolsters Louisville’s recruiting class, already rated No. 24 nationally and fourth in the ACC by 247Sports.

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