Louisville football: 5 position battles to watch for this fall

Right tackle: Renato Brown (R-Fr.) v. Trevor Reid (Jr.)

With an offense as dynamic as Louisville’s they cannot afford setbacks at any position, especially along the offensive line. However, that’s where all eyes will be during fall camp as Scott Satterfield and offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford will be tasked with replacing not only left tackle, Mekhi Becton, but also starting right tackle, Tyler Haycraft.

Haycraft was one of the most underrated players on Louisville’s roster last season in terms of impact, and his physicality, leadership, and consistency will be sorely missed. In the same vein, Ledford will get his first opportunity to put a player he recruited into that position which has him and the entire staff excited.

Competing for that spot will be redshirt freshman Renato Brown and incoming junior college transfer, Trevor Reid. Brown earned the nod during the abbreviated spring practice and was one of the most talked-about players by the time it was all said and done.

Brown was one of the top players in the 2019 class and brings a new level of size to the right side of the line at 6’4, 330-pounds. He’s still unpolished having only played a few snaps last season but his upside is through the roof thanks to his size and run-blocking ability.

ALSO READ: Way-too-early offensive line depth chart preview

Reid is one of the stars of this past year’s class is a guy who many have pegged as a starter since the day he chose the Cards. Playing for Georgia Military College, Reid has a few years of experience under his belt and that along with his raw abilities and size make him a perfect match for the right tackle position. At 6’5, 285-pounds, Reid is a great athlete who displays good movement and footwork on the offensive line. His footwork gives me a ton of optimism when it comes to his upside as a pass blocker and keeping quarterback Micale Cunningham upright. While Haycraft was really good for Louisville, he was limited and struggled at times with faster and stronger players. He’s also a player who could potentially be in line to compete with Adonis Boone at the vacant left tackle position, although that is a bit more far fetched than winning the right tackle job.

Both Reid and Brown should be able to elevate the position in terms of athleticism, but it’s the high-motor and pure force and violence that Haycraft played with that will be hard to replace and replicate.

This one will go down to the wire.