Looking Ahead: Seven Cards who could be selected in 2021 NFL Draft
The 2020 NFL Draft might have only just ended, but it's never too early to start looking ahead to next year. While offensive tackle Mekhi Becton was the only Louisville player drafted this year, going No. 11 overall to the New York Jets, the 2021 NFL Draft has a chance to see many more former Cards taken off the board.
With Louisville returning much of their production on both sides of the ball for the upcoming 2020 college football season, they'll have a chance to show NFL teams how deep they truly are, and why so many deserve to have their name called.
Here are seven current Louisville Cardinals who could be selected in the 2021 NFL Draft
Chatarius "Tutu" Atwell - Junior
This pick was a no-brainer. To say that Tutu Atwell exploded onto the scene in 2019 was a gross understatement. Even in head coach Scott Satterfield's run-heavy system, that didn't stop the five-foot-nine & 165-pound slot receiver from having a record-setting sophomore campaign. With 1,272 receiving yards, he broke Harry Douglas' single-season UofL receiving record by just 8 yards, and tied the single-season UofL receiving touchdown record held by DeVante Parker & Ibn Green with 12. While many GMs could view him as undersized, his blazing speed alone would merit a draft selection.
CJ Avery - Senior
Originally starting out his collegiate career at the safety position, he became a much more consistent defensive asset once he made the transition to inside linebacker. Even during the 2018 season on statically the worst defense in Louisville history, he still led the team in interceptions and was second in tackles. His penultimate season saw him develop his tackling skills even further to lead the team with 93. A tad undersized for a prototypical NFL linebacker, if he can develop his on ball skills a tad more, he has the potential to find a niche role on an NFL team similar to how Deone Buchanan was with the Arizona Cardinals as a "moneybacker" or safety/linebacker hybrid.
Rodjay Burns - Redshirt Senior
Another player switching from the secondary to the linebacker corps, Burns not only benefitted greatly from his transfer to Louisville from Ohio State, but also the position change. Moving from cornerback to outside linebacker, Burns flourished to lead the team in tackles for loss with eleven. It could benefit him to work a little more on his pass rushing technique to become a more well-rounded edge rusher, but with a second year under DC Bryan Brown's 3-4 scheme, improvement seems inevitable.
Micale Cunningham - Redshirt Junior
Injuries in the quarterback room were a two-way street for Cunningham in 2019. Had Jawon Pass not gotten injured towards the start of the season, Cunningham would have never had the opportunity to showcase his talents. Conversely, he might have gotten more national love had he himself not battled injuries throughout the season. Regardless, whenever Cunningham did see the field, he took advantage of it. The coaching change prior to his 2019 campaign took him from simply being a raw talent to a much more polished passer, as he broke the single-season UofL passing efficiency record with a 194.45 mark. For context, this mark was good for second in the nation, behind only Heisman winner & No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick Joe Burrow. While durability could be a question mark going forward, another year working with Satterfield & quarterbacks coach Frank Ponce will do him wonders.
Dorian Etheridge - Senior
Linebacker is arguably the deepest position group on the defensive side for Louisville heading into 2019, with Etheridge contributing plenty to this notion. The inside linebacker was all over the field whether either was stopping the run or defending the pass. He logged 8.0 tackles for loss (second on team), 70 tackles (fourth on team), as well as 5 pass break ups and an interception. With a frame you would expect from a modern NFL middle linebacker (six-foot-three, 230lbs) and a ton of upside, it would not be shocking to see a GM take a chance on Etheridge.
Dez Fitzpatrick - Redshirt Senior
Fitzpatrick considered jumping to the league during this current offseason, but ultimately decided to come back for a chance to play with his brother Christian among other factors. While he didn't put up the gaudy numbers that Atwell did, Fitzpatrick could be regarded as a more well-rounded receiver prospect by NFL GMs. He has a balanced combination of speed, size & athleticism that makes him a weapon on any part of the field, whether it's a slant, goal line fade, or streak. If he can improve his numbers from a year ago, he could make the case to be a day two draft selection.
Javian Hawkins - Redshirt Sophomore
No one had a breakout year quite like Javian Hawkins did in 2019. Many projected that Hassan Hall would be the starting running back through Satterfield's first spring camp as the head coach. However by the time the 2019 season came to a close, not only did he break the single-season UofL rushing record (by a RB) with 1,525 yards, but finished seventh in the nation. If Travis Etienne was not returning to Clemson for his final year, Hawkins would unquestionably be the top returning rusher in the ACC in 2020. Even though he is small in stature at five-foot-nine, his speed and agility makes him incredibly hard for would-be tacklers to bring him down, something that NFL GMs are surely to take note of.
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