Louisville football: Cards’ top candidate for each ACC award next season

ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year – Ja’Darien Boykin

2019 award winner: Gregory Rousseau

Louisville football left a lot to be desired in 2018 on the offensive and defensive fronts, in large part due to the lack of talented depth in the trenches left over from the previous coaching staff.

Immediately, however, the staff tried to remedy this lack of depth by bringing in highly-rated but under recruited defensive end Ja’Darien Boykin.

Boykin is an explosive talent and was an absolute menace in the backfield in high school, and though he didn’t meet the staff’s criterium in regards to grades, they took a chance and offered him a scholarship in hopes that he could instantly help on Louisville’s front three.

Unfortunately, Boykin failed to qualify, but he stuck with his commitment to the Cards and a year later is primed to take advantage of a second chance at success on the next level.

Boykin is a bit undersized for an edge rusher, but he uses a lower center of gravity to punish the opposing blocker and his quick first step is a terror for opponents to stop. Arriving in January, Boykin benefited from going through the limited spring practice, getting familar with his teammates, coaching staff, and of course the defensive scheme.

https://twitter.com/JadarienB/status/1243967427970465793

Brown told the media after spring practice,

"“Ja’Darien (Boykin) came on late, towards the end of spring ball, maybe like the last three practices. He really showed some signs of what we recruited and getting after the pass in pass rush and chasing some balls down.”"

Unlike most players, Boykin has had a year to train his body and get prepared for the physical rigors of college football. You combine that with some form of offseason training and spring practice and you have the recipe for a player getting on the field early.

It’ll be up to Boykin to prove that he can produce, but with his speed, ability to rush the passer, combined with the huge opportunity that is available on the defensive line for Mark Ivey, it’s a perfect storm for Boykin to have an instant impact breakout season.