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Louisville football: The 25 most important players for 2020

By Presley Meyer

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - OCTOBER 05: Javian Hawkins #10 of the Louisville Cardinals runs the ball in the game against the Boston College Eagles at Cardinal Stadium on October 05, 2019 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - OCTOBER 05: Javian Hawkins #10 of the Louisville Cardinals runs the ball in the game against the Boston College Eagles at Cardinal Stadium on October 05, 2019 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /
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CHAPEL HILL, NC – SEPTEMBER 09: Chazz Surratt #12 of the North Carolina Tar Heels thrown under pressure from James Hearns #99 of the Louisville Cardinals during the game at Kenan Stadium on September 9, 2017 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NC – SEPTEMBER 09: Chazz Surratt #12 of the North Carolina Tar Heels thrown under pressure from James Hearns #99 of the Louisville Cardinals during the game at Kenan Stadium on September 9, 2017 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

No. 15: Yaya Diaby – Defensive end

Junior

  • 2019 stats: 58 tackles, 5 sacks (Georgia Military College)
  • 2019 BRL Ranking: (Not eligible, JUCO)

What is there to know about JUCO transfer Yaya Diaby? Perhaps the first thing to consider is that the edge rusher was a high priority for the Louisville coaching staff in the last recruiting cycle.

People are often skeptical about JUCO transfers- And with good reason. Junior College guys don’t often pan out the way that we expect them to. However, given the track record of a coaching staff that took 7th and 8th-highest-ranked recruiting classes in their previous conference and routinely mopped the floor with the competition, it’s clear that guys like Satterfield, Brown, Ponce, Ledford, and others know talent when they see it.

That’s not to say, however, that it took a keen eye to identify the talent that Diaby possesses. One look at his tape from last season, and you’ll understand just what the 6’4,” 255-pound pass-rushing specialist is capable of.

https://twitter.com/greatyaya4/status/1207816443594727424?s=20

As our good friend, Card Chronicle Deputy Editor Keith Wynne, loves to point out in conversations, Diaby has had his high school highlights pinned to his Hudl profile since 2017. This is a guy with a chip on his shoulder. He wants coaches to know he’s been this good for a while, and he knows he was overlooked.

That’s why it makes way too much sense for Diaby to go to a school with a new staff and a need for his exact skill set. He has an opportunity to start from day one and could possess the raw talent to make up for lack of power five experience right out the gate.

Louisville beat out Tennessee, South Carolina, and Colorado among many others for his services, and fended off a strong late surge from Florida State.

He might be No. 15 on this list, but it would not shock me in the least if he ended up in the top 5 most important players by season’s end.

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