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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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RALEIGH, NC – OCTOBER 05: Ryan Finley #15 of the North Carolina State Wolfpack rolls out under pressure from Khane Pass #30 of the Louisville Cardinals during the game at Carter Finley Stadium on October 5, 2017 in Raleigh, North Carolina. North Carolina State won 39-25. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

No. 24: Isaiah Hayes – Safety

Redshirt senior

Louisville football is set to have multiple players step into starting roles for the first time after losing three starters on both offense and defense. Isaiah Hayes is apart of that group and is set to have a breakout season following his strong finish in 2019,

Hayes will compete for the starting role left behind by multi-year starter Khane Pass when fall officially kicks off, and will do so against the likes of Jack Fagot (who owns Trevor Lawrence) and freshman Lovie Jenkins.

Transferring from Arizona, Hayes joined Louisville very late in the offseason last year doing so as a graduate transfer and giving him immediate eligibility. After dealing with injury issues early in the season, Hayes emerged as a bright spot late down the stretch of the season – looking his best in Louisville’s win over Mississippi State in the Music City Bowl.

In total, the fourth-year junior finished 2019 with 19 total tackles – including five total tackles against MSU. Those stats normally wouldn’t get many excited, but when you consider injuries kept him out of four games (limiting him in others as well) and more than half of his production came in the team’s final two games.

Hayes had been more productive during his three seasons at Arizona, finishing his career as a Wildcat with 58 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and one sack. That production along with what we saw late last year leads you to believe that he should be in line to impact the defense, even more, this season.

With Pass gone, Hayes’ experience should give him a leg up on Fagot and Jenkins when it comes to claiming the starting role early in the season. Assuming there is a season, Hayes’ will be counted on to provide the sound tackling and playmaking that Pass did, mostly in the run game.

The good news about Hayes is that he is a much better defender in coverage than Pass was, which could add a new and exciting element to the back end of the Louisville defense. Even if Hayes doesn’t remain the starter all year long, his experience and leadership will be a driving force that impacts the team in more ways than we realize.

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