Louisville football: 5 players who could be drafted in 2021 NFL Draft
By Jacob Lane
With the NFL Draft coming to an end, we take our first look at five Louisville football players who could be drafted in the 2021 NFL Draft.
I don’t know about you, but to me, it’s seemed like it has been forever since Louisville football had a player drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft.
While 2018 was just two years ago when Jaire Alexander and Lamar Jackson joined the fraternity of former Cards going in the first round, it seems like an eternity thanks to a disastrous 2018 season.
The one-year drought came to an end on Thursday night when Louisville football star left tackle, Mekhi Becton, was selected 11th overall by the New York Jets – making him the highest selected offensive player in program history.
Read more: What Mekhi Becton brings to the New York Jets
When Becton committed to Louisville nearly four years ago, I think it’s safe to say that we all thought it was only a matter of when, not if, the big man would play in the NFL. At 6’8, 365 pounds he was a physical specimen that just needed the time and tutelage to develop into a premier offensive tackle – and while it probably went a little bit different than the big fella expected, that’s exactly what happened.
Now with no other Louisville players drafted (although Jon Greenard was drafted in the third round and in my books is a Cardinal), we can turn our attention to 2021, which could be a draft that includes multiple Cardinals.
Louisville is expected to return one of the most talented offenses in 2020 and could have multiple weapons drafted, while the defense could see the development of a few players to the level of becoming draftable prospects.
All of the players on this list besides one are underclassmen who will have tough decisions to make at the end of the season. With that in mind, let’s take a look at five Cards who could be drafted in 2021.