Projecting Louisville's 2027 NFL Draft Class

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - We might be just a few days removed from the 2026 NFL Draft, but it's never too early to start looking ahead to next year.

For the upcoming 2026 season, the Louisville football program is generating a lot of local and national hype, and have been a pick by some to reach their first College Football Playoff. As you can imagine, between their returners and their transfer portal haul, on paper, the Cardinals are certainly not lacking any talent. In fact, this time next year, multiple players have a very real chance to get drafted.

Here are some current Cardinals who are the most likely to be selected in the 2027 NFL Draft:

Top Candidates:

Running Back Isaac Brown

Brown is one of the best players in all of college football, and it wouldn't come as a surprise if he worked himself in to first round pick discussion this time next year. The 5-foot-9, 190-pound all-purpose back was hampered by a couple lower body injuries this past season, but still managed rush for 884 yards and seven touchdowns on 101 carries and catch 13 passes for 48 yards.

Linebacker Stanquan Clark

Clark had to miss most of the 2025 season due to an ankle injury, and didn't play his best ball for the final couple games when he did return. But he's long proven himself to be a bonafide playmaker (76 tackles, 7.5 for loss, two interceptions, two forced fumbles in 2024), and looked like he was back to his old form during spring ball.

Defensive End Clev Lubin

On a stacked defense, Lubin is the best the Cardinals have on this unit, and he is one of the top pass rushers in the ACC and college football as a whole. The 6-foot-3, 250-pound edge is coming of of a season where he collected 61 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and five pass breakups to earn Third-Team All-ACC honors.

Other Names to Watch:

Safety Koen Entringer

Entringer was the top defensive transfer that Louisville brought in this offseason, and during spring ball, he made he presence felt from his strong safety spot. Last season at Iowa, he collected 73 tackles (43 solo), as well as 3.5 for loss, four pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery to capture an All-Big Ten honorable mention.

Tight End Brody Foley

Foley had to be sidelined during Louisville's spring practice, but he is coming off of a mammoth breakout season at Tulsa, and his game should translate to the ACC. He hauled in 37 passes for 528 yards and seven touchdowns last year, with his receiving touchdown total being the second-most by a tight end in the FBS.

Quarterback Lincoln Kienholz

Typically, NFL teams like to draft quarterbacks with multiple years of starting experience, and Kienholz currently has none. But once the games start this fall, he has a chance to really flourish, as he possesses a high level arm and is incredibly mobile. Whether it's enough to make the jump to the NFL after one year as a starter, we shall see.

Wide Receiver Tre Richardson

Richardson had to miss spring ball due to foot surgery, fixing an injury that impacted him during his 2025 season at Vanderbilt. That being said, Richardson still caught 46 passes for 806 yards and seven scores. When fully healthy, one of the fastest players in college football has a chance to explode.

Linebacker/Safety Antonio Watts

Watts wasn't able to play the entire season after getting hurt late in the year, but he has already shown to be one of the most versatile defenders on the entire team. He logged 41 tackles (21 solo), 6.5 for loss, 2.0 sacks, a team-best three interceptions, three pass breakups and two forced fumbles, taking home an All-ACC honorable mention for his efforts.

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Top Candidates:

Other Names to Watch:

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