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Louisville football: 5 freshmen that will make an impact in 2019

By Jacob Lane

CHESTNUT HILL, MA - OCTOBER 13: Quarterback Jawon Pass #4 of the Louisville Cardinals hands off to Hassan Hall #19 of the Louisville Cardinals during the third quarter of the game against the Boston College Eagles at Alumni Stadium on October 13, 2018 in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images)
CHESTNUT HILL, MA - OCTOBER 13: Quarterback Jawon Pass #4 of the Louisville Cardinals hands off to Hassan Hall #19 of the Louisville Cardinals during the third quarter of the game against the Boston College Eagles at Alumni Stadium on October 13, 2018 in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images) /
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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)
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) /

Allen Smith – OLB

Three-star | No. 73 OLB

When zeroing in on recruits for the 2019 class, it was clear that the coaching staff wanted players would set the tone for the culture that they are trying to establish.

Meet Allen Smith, 6’3,” 205-pound outside linebacker and tone-setter.

Upon first impression, Smith is a solid player with excellent fundamentals, but he is also a great player for the culture and overall vibe of the team.

Smith is mild-mannered, well-spoken, and speaks extremely highly of the new staff.

The same thing that we heard repeatedly from Smith after his visits with the staff was that they are easy going and that there is a natural draw for him.

“They were the most influential coaches I’ve ever met,” Smith told Chris Person of Rivals. “The new culture (at Louisville) is unbelievable.”

On the field, how can Smith help the Cards right away? First, he provides depth. That’s a huge key for a Cardinals team that seemed unbalanced all over the field.

Smith also fits the mold of what the coaching staff is looking for. In Bryan Brown’s scheme, there are three and four linebackers all of the time, which means that players will have to be versatile in their craft.

Smith is a player who is an aggressive tackler, but he moves well in space as well. In high school, he was more than comfortable covering receivers and tight ends.

That versatility is similar to a PJ Blue or a Yassir Abdullah, and nicely compliments guys like Nick Okeke, TJ Holl, and Dorian Etheridge.

Look for Smith to be a guy that you hear more about sooner rather than later.

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