Louisville football: Four sophomores on the verge of break out in 2019

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LOUISVILLE, KY – SEPTEMBER 29: Deondre Francois #12 of the Florida State Seminoles throws a pass in the fourth quarter of the game against the Louisville Cardinals at Cardinal Stadium on September 29, 2018 in Louisville, Kentucky. Florida State came from behind to win 28-24. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Jarrett Jackson – DE

2018 season stats: 16 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble

Though he didn’t quite finish the season on the high note that we all expected him to in 2018, especially after the injury to Jon Greenard, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be high on Jarrett Jackson heading into the 2019 season.

The 6’6″ 280-pound defensive end finished the year with 16 tackles, two sacks, and one forced fumble, showing glimpses of dominance at times throughout the year. At the same time, Jackson also showed his rawness as a pass rusher and run stopper, getting lost on plays where he could have made an impact.

Playing for Mark Ivey, a defensive line coach who’s worked with some nasty pass rushers during his time at Appalachian State, Jackson should take a huge step forward as a defensive end and maybe even in the nose tackle position.

Jackson has the size, strength, athleticism, and most importantly, speed, needed to be an impact player for the Cardinals and I expect him to do just that. If Johnson can play smart, disciplined football, the way App State defensive lineman did, then expect to see him as a three-down lineman throughout the season.

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