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Who makes up Louisville football’s Mt. Rushmore of the last decade?

By Jacob Lane

TALLAHASSEE, FL - OCTOBER 21: Quarterback Lamar Jackson #8 of the Louisville Cardinals warms up prior to their game against the Florida State Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium on October 21, 2017 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images)
TALLAHASSEE, FL - OCTOBER 21: Quarterback Lamar Jackson #8 of the Louisville Cardinals warms up prior to their game against the Florida State Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium on October 21, 2017 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images) /
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NEW ORLEANS, LA – JANUARY 02: DeVante Parker #9 of the Louisville Cardinals catches a second quarter touchdown pass over Loucheiz Purifoy #15 of the Florida Gators during the Allstate Sugar Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 2, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JANUARY 02: DeVante Parker #9 of the Louisville Cardinals catches a second quarter touchdown pass over Loucheiz Purifoy #15 of the Florida Gators during the Allstate Sugar Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 2, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

DeVante Parker – Wide receiver (2012-2014)

Hailing from Ballard High School in Louisville, KY, Parker was another one of the biggest local recruiting wins of the decade and potentially in program history. In his three seasons at Louisville, Parker was one of the most reliable targets and biggest play-makers across the country.

It always felt like with Teddy Bridgewater at quarterback and Parker at wide receiver that whenever the team was in need of points they could go to no. 9 to get on the board. In fact, no matter who UofL was playing it always seemed like the Cards had the best player on the field at receiver. Whether it was a 5’8 cornerback or a 6’2 safety, Parker had the ball skills and vertical explosiveness to make plays no matter who was covering him.

I can think of teams like Florida, Florida State, Boston College, NC State, and plenty of others who thought they had answers for Parker over the course of his four-year career, only to get destroyed for 100-plus yards and multiple touchdowns.

What made Parker so great was his affinity for big games. None more so than Kentucky.

Parker finished with a combined 13 receptions for 287 yards and four touchdowns over the course of his career against Kentucky, including a six reception, 180 yards, 3 touchdown performance in his final matchup of his career.

There were plenty of other memories too. The touchdown against Cincinnati. The big play against Florida in the Sugar Bowl. The come back game against FSU in 2015. DeVante finished his career with 2,775 receiving yards and 33 touchdowns and was picked 14th overall to the Dolphins in 2015 and just signed a 2-year extension with the Dolphins.

Parker will forever be one of the greatest receivers to ever wear the red and black for Louisville, and he’s definitely one of the top four players of the last decade.

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