Louisville's Isaac Brown Named a Top-10 Returning RB for 2025

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Few players have a ceiling as high as Isaac Brown. The Louisville running back was not only one of the top breakout players in the ACC this past year, but in college football as a whole as well - and he did it as a true freshman.

As a result, he's already being regarded as one of the top players at his position.

On Thursday, Pro Football Focus released their list of the top 10 running backs returning for the 2025 college football season. Brown came in at No. 2, trailing only Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love.

"Brown wasn’t even among the top 40 running back recruits coming out of high school," PFF's Max Chadwick wrote. "The former three-star disproved that immediately and is now the runner-up for the title of 'best running back in college football.'"

The 5-foot-9, 190-pound all-purpose back put together a dynamic true freshman campaign for the Cardinals this past season. Appearing in all 13 games and making nine starts, including the final eight, Brown rushed for 1,173 yards and 11 touchdowns on 165 carries, while also catching 30 passes for 152 yards and a touchdown.

Brown's 7.1 yards per carry led the ACC, while his rushing yardage placed third in the league, and his rushing touchdown total placed fifth. Not only did he break Lamar Jackson's true freshman rushing mark at Louisville, he tied Jackson's true freshman record for 100-yard rushing games with five.

Brown also became the Cardinals' first true freshman to ever rush for over 1,000 yards. His yardage total is also the most among power conference true freshmen, and the second-most among FBS true freshmen, trailing only Ahmad Hardy's 1,351 at ULM.

As a result, Brown took home numerous accolades. He earned Second-Team All-ACC honors, was named the ACC Offensive and Overall Rookie of the Year, and was named a Freshman All-American by PFF and 247Sports.

Louisville finished the 2024 season, their second under head coach Jeff Brohm, with a 9-4 overall record including a 35-34 win over Washington in the Sun Bowl. The Cardinals have posted back-to-back seasons of nine-plus wins for the first time in a decade.

(Photo of Isaac Brown: Amber Searls - Imagn Images)

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