Louisville football: 5 players who may start as backups but finish as starters

Zach Edwards – OLB

If there is a freshman who I can lock in as being a starter by seasons end, it would be defensive end/outside linebacker, Zach Edwards. The 6’3, 235-pound three-star recruit chose the Cards over several big-time offers including the likes of Ole Miss, LSU, and Texas A&M.

Edwards arrives as one of the more polished players for Scott Satterfield from the class of 2019, and could receive serious snaps at either linebacker or defensive end right away against Notre Dame.

He has the ability to play multiple positions, whether it’s the aforementioned defensive end or outside linebacker position, but he’s also shown the ability to handle the inside will or mike linebacker positions, giving Bryan Brown and Cort Dennison a serious weapon to use in different situations.

According to Jody Demling, Edwards has already been working hard in the weight room since arriving on campus and has put on more weight which again will give him flexibility/versatility to play a couple of different positions.

The defensive end spots seem to be covered by Amonte Caban, Tabarius Peterson, and incoming graduate transfer Ty Tyler, while the inside linebacker positions are held down by C.J. Avery and Dorian Etheridge, the two leaders on the defense for Scott Satterfield.

As we detailed earlier, the outside linebacker position is one that is in flux with Boosie Whitlow, Gary McCrae, and others battling it out, and it would not be shocking in the least bit if Edwards beat those guys out from day one or claimed the position somewhere in the season.