In 2022, the Louisville football team had an impressive season finishing with a record of 8-5 and capping off the season with a bowl win over rival Cincinnati in the 2022 inaugural Wasabi Fenway Bowl. Considering the Cardinals opened the season with a 2-3 record and 0-3 in ACC play, an 8-5 record seemed insurmountable at the time.
Falling to a less-talented Boston College team by one point created a lot of angst in both the organization and the fanbase. But, Louisville was resilient and turned it around to finish with an above .500 record for the first time since 2019.
A decent portion of these players have been staples in the Louisville locker room for years, while others may have transferred in for a graduate season. But the combined talent and determination of all of them led to their cumulative success this season.
Here is a list of players who have officially declared for the 2023 NFL Draft that will be held from April 27-29, 2023 in Kansas City.
Starting with the quarterback position:
After a redshirted season in 2017, Malik Cunningham has been the primary signal caller for the Cardinals since 2019. In 2018, he shared a significant amount of playing time with former Louisville Cardinal Jawon Pass, but ultimately won the starting job the following season.
Throughout his career as a Cardinal, the 6-foot-1 Alabama product found success in using his arm talent and running ability. He not only tied Lamar Jackson’s rushing touchdown record with 50, but also broke the Great Eight’s total touchdowns responsible for–119 touchdowns–record with 120 total touchdowns. Cunningham chose to opt-out of the Wasabi Fenway Bowl to begin his preparation for the NFL Draft. According to NFL Draft Buzz, he is listed as the 18th overall quarterback heading into the draft.