Projecting Louisville's 2024 NFL Draft Class
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - We might be just a few days removed from the 2024 NFL Draft, but it's never too early to start looking ahead to next year.
The Louisville football program is coming off of an 8-5 campaign in 2022, and is in the midst of transitioning to the Jeff Brohm era. While several talented playmakers from last year's squad have departed, the Cardinals are certainly not lacking any talent heading into 2023, and multiple players have a very real chance to play themselves into a draft pick.
Here are some current Cardinals who are the most likely to be selected in the 2024 NFL Draft:
Top Candidates:
Cornerback Storm Duck
Out of all the talented transfers that Louisville has brought in this offseason, Duck has a case to be the most productive and most talented on the defensive side. He is coming off of a career season in which he was tabbed as a Second-Team All-ACC selection, logging three interceptions, nine pass breakups and 46 tackles.
Defensive End Ashton Gillotte
Louisville's defense does lose a ton of production from their incredibly disruptive front seven, but Gillotte is back for his junior season. Tallying 8.0 tackles for loss and 7.0 sacks last season, he has a case for arguably the most productive returning defender. On top of that, there were point in the spring where he looked completely unblockable.
Safety M.J. Griffin
One part of Louisville's defensive turnaround last season - mainly cutting back on the amount of big plays they were giving up - coincides with Griffin sliding into the starting lineup around halfway through the season. In the final eight games of the season, he collected 43 tackles (22 solo), a pair of interceptions and a forced fumble, making plays both in the box and on the back end.
Wide Receiver Jamari Thrash
If Duck is the most talented transfer on the defensive side, then the same can be said for Thrash on the offense. Thrash was one of the most explosive players in all of FBS football, catching 61 receptions for 1,112 yards and seven touchdowns, with the yardage mark good for 13th nationally. His blazing speed was on display during multiple practices during the spring.
Other Names to Watch:
Cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr.
Brownlee certainly had his highs and lows in 2022, but there's no denying his potential. He's Louisville's leading returning tackler at 66, and with two picks and a team-best 12 pass breakups in 2022, his 14 passes defended were tied for second-most in the ACC. He looked good in the spring, and if he stays consistent, he could turn into one of the best corners in the ACC.
Center Bryan Hudson
After being the offensive line's sixth man in 2021, he slid in as the starting center in 2022, and was Louisville's best offensive lineman last season. His Pro Football Focus grade of 76.9 was fifth-best on Louisville's entire team amongst players with triple digits snaps played, with his 76.6 pass blocking grade and 75.3 run blocking grade best amongst the starting offensive line last season.
Running Back Jawhar Jordan
Time will tell how much his production is impacted transitioning from a run-heavy offense to a pass-heavy one, but he already has proven what he can do. Starting off as the fourth running back on Louisville's depth chart, he wound up leading the Cardinals in rushing yards with 815. This came despite rushing for over 50 yards just once in the first eight games, before rushing for over 100 in four of the final five.
Linebacker/Safety Benjamin Perry
Perry saw his role on Louisville's defense take a large step forward in 2022, and with his natural skill set being a better fit with Ron English/Mark Hagen's scheme, he could be poised for a standout 2023 campaign. He collected 43 total tackles (31 solo), one tackle for loss, three pass breakups and three quarterback hurries last season.
Quarterback Jack Plummer
Even on a bad Cal team, Plummer still managed to have a good season from a personal standpoint in 2022. With a much better supporting cast around him this season, especially on the offensive line, there's no telling what he could be capable of. He completed 62.5 percent of his passes for 3,095 yards, 21 touchdown passes and nine interceptions last year. His yardage mark was good for No. 22 in the FBS through the end of the regular season.
(Photo of M.J. Griffin: Jared Anderson - Louisville Report)
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