NFL Draft: Where are the eligible Louisville Cardinals expected to be selected?

Malik Cunningham – 5th Year Senior – QB – 6’1 – 190 Lbs. Draft Expectation: 6th-7th Round

Man, it feels like Malik Cunningham was going to always be Louisville’s starting quarterback. That’s probably because Cunningham has been on the roster since 2017 and has been playing since 2018.

Cunningham’s career started off bright for the Cards during his redshirt freshman year. He struggled with accuracy and timing at the position, but he showed off a strong arm and ridiculous athleticism in just his first year.

Those brief moments of excellence had many Louisville fans dreaming of the second coming of Lamar Jackson, but, unfortunately, those dreams never came true.

Cunningham seemed to have stopped improving after his redshirt sophomore year, and the hopes many fans had for him turned sour by 2021.

But, just because he didn’t end up becoming the next great Lamar Jackson, that doesn’t mean everything was a disappointment. The Alabama native ended up 2nd all-time in touchdowns responsible for, and you never knew when the next highlight play was coming from him.

But for as many explosive plays like that one, there were just as many frustrating plays to follow.

I still don’t know why he didn’t just throw this ball away…But anyways, this is about Malik Cunningham, the draft prospect, not me being a constantly disappointed Cardinal football fan over these last five years.

Cunningham received an invite to the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine. He didn’t receive the praise that Diaby, Abdullah, and Clark got, but he still put together some impressive plays.

Cunningham disappointed a little bit at the combine by only running a 4.53 40-yard dash, but he made some decently impressive passes during the throwing portion of the event.

Overall, I do expect Malik Cunningham to be drafted. Quarterback is the most prized position in the NFL, and I believe some team will see Cunningham’s athleticism and believe he’s worth a late round flier. I could see him having a similar career to Tyler Huntley, who has spent the last two seasons with the Ravens, after going undrafted in the 2020 draft.