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Who will be Louisville football’s next NFL Draft selections?

By Jacob Lane

SYRACUSE, NY - NOVEMBER 09: Hassan Hall #19 of the Louisville Cardinals carries the ball for a touchdown during the third quarter against the Syracuse Orange at the Carrier Dome on November 9, 2018 in Syracuse, New York. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
SYRACUSE, NY - NOVEMBER 09: Hassan Hall #19 of the Louisville Cardinals carries the ball for a touchdown during the third quarter against the Syracuse Orange at the Carrier Dome on November 9, 2018 in Syracuse, New York. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images) /
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LOUISVILLE, KY – NOVEMBER 17: Dorian Etheridge #17 of the Louisville Cardinals breaks up a pass in the end zone against the North Carolina State Wolfpack in the second quarter of the game at Cardinal Stadium on November 17, 2018 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, KY – NOVEMBER 17: Dorian Etheridge #17 of the Louisville Cardinals breaks up a pass in the end zone against the North Carolina State Wolfpack in the second quarter of the game at Cardinal Stadium on November 17, 2018 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Dorian Etheridge – LB

Junior

You don’t lead an ACC team in tackles as a true freshman by accident, and you definitely don’t get named to the ESPN freshman All-American team without putting together a solid first year. Etheridge totaled 77 tackles, 37 solo, in 2017-18 and followed that up with 55, 32 solo, as a sophomore in 2018. The step back isn’t necessarily what you want to see from your middle linebacker but considering the circumstances of last year, you understand why that was the case.

As a junior, Etheridge will go back to work under the coaching of Cort Dennison, who was also a huge part of his development and success as a freshman.

While Etheridge doesn’t necessarily fit hand-in-glove in the Bryan Brown defense, which relies mostly upon speed (that just so happens to probably one of Etheridge’s downfalls) the junior’s high football IQ and solid tackling should make up for it.

At the NFL level inside linebackers are asked to play fast, smart, and physical football, which for the most part are right up the alley of Etheridge. He will need to show he can play faster when diagnosing and dissecting what offenses are doing in real time, as well as show the ability to drop back into coverage to run with tight ends and running backs, both huge part of the role of the inside linebacker in the NFL. If he does that the sky is the limit due to his leadership and playing experience.

Expect big things and a bright future from Etheridge.

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