Louisville football: The 50 greatest Cardinals of all time

Lorenzo Mauldin was not only a fantastic player, but he was an incredible person with a great story. He grew up as a foster child, bouncing from home to home throughout his childhood.

When Mauldin arrived on campus in Louisville, he was an instant energy guy with a big heart and he found a new home in the City of Louisville.

One of the more well-known stories about Mauldin is that he was in a moped accident where he was hit by a car in the offseason. He recovered fully and was able to start every game the next year.

Mauldin was a big reason the Louisville defense was able to transition from an abysmal one to one of the best in the country under Charlie Strong. He was extremely versatile being able to play as a stand-up rush linebacker and with his hand in the turf on the front four.

He combined speed, power, quickness and overall a great motor into one excellent player. Through his three-year career became a nightmare for opposing offensive linemen and especially quarterbacks.

Playing alongside guys like Marcus Smith, DeAngelo Brown, Sheldon Rankins and plenty of others, Mauldin played a huge role in helping Charlie Strong shape a roster into his identity, playing sound defense and getting after the quarterback.

As a freshman, Mauldin burst onto the scene for Louisville, becoming an instantaneous fan favorite, finishing the 2012 NCAA season with 22 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.

Mauldin finished his career with 114 total tackles (77 solo), 33.5 tackles for loss and 21 sacks. He was named to the 2014 All-ACC Second-team defense, one of four to make an All-ACC team in the program’s first year inside the new Power 5 Conference.

Due to his fun-loving personality, incredible motor and ability to hit the quarterback and his red dreadlocks, Mauldin will forever hold a special place in the hearts of Louisville fans. He was a building block for Strong and a huge part of the overall foundation of the Louisville defense during their final few seasons in the Big East/AAC.