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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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LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY – NOVEMBER 30: Dez Fitzpatrick #7 of the Louisville Cardinals celebrates after a touchdown against the Kentucky Wildcats at Commonwealth Stadium on November 30, 2019 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY – NOVEMBER 30: Dez Fitzpatrick #7 of the Louisville Cardinals celebrates after a touchdown against the Kentucky Wildcats at Commonwealth Stadium on November 30, 2019 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

No. 9: Dez Fitzpatrick

Redshirt senior

  • 2019 stats: 35 rec, 635 yds, 6 TDs
  • 2019 BRL ranking: 4th

Unfinished business is the theme of the 2020 season for Cardinals wide receiver Dez Fitzpatrick.

There is no player taken more for granted on this Louisville squad than the fifth-year senior.

After redshirting in year one, Fitzpatrick had an impactful breakout season in his redshirt freshman year where he recorded nine touchdown catches and over 700 yards receiving.

Since then, however, Fitzpatrick has been as synonymous with Louisville football as anyone in the program post-Lamar Jackson.

That’s why the Farmington Hills, Michigan native is flying a bit under the radar in terms of the overall narrative of the 2020 season.

Friend of BRL and hall of fame Louisville football parent Greg Fitzpatrick commented earlier this year on the importance of the 2020 season for Dez as he navigates the NFL draft waters and relishes the opportunity to play a year with his brother Christian.

"“I believe that Dez is a complete receiver. I think that his size, speed, route running, ball skills, technical skills, blocking, and positional IQ are all things that make him a player with early-round potential. Dez has the ability to make catches from both sides of the field at every catch angle along with the ability to make tough contested catches. He’s equally effective playing outside or inside and has a very high understanding of play and route concepts, which allows him to create separation and maintain leverage… “When he’s targeted, he’s always shown that he can make special plays. He decided to come back because he feels like he has unfinished business at UofL, he wanted to play with his younger brother, and he wants to learn from Coach Brew another year.”"

The elder Fitzpatrick brother could be primed for his best year yet, and with the departure of fellow veteran Seth Dawkins and additional attention being paid to All-American receiver Tutu Atwell, it could be his time to shine.

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