3. Rodney Johnson Jr. - CB
The glaring area of concern from Louisville fans is their secondary. While it is hard to say one player's name who will make or break the season, if someone had to be picked, it would be Rodney Johnson Jr. The Southern University transfer is expected to take that big step and be the Cardinals' star cornerback this season after having a massive spring and fall camp.
Johnson is coming off his best season after earning 31 total tackles, one forced fumble, and one interception. He had a solid three-year run with Southern University after logging a total of 89 tackles, 11 pass deflections, one forced fumble, and one interception. But now he is making that transition from the Southwestern Athletic Conference to the ACC, and Louisville has a lot on the line that he can play at a high level.
The Cardinals lost four of their top five defensive backs last season, making Johnson have even more pressure. Brohm has made it clear he wants to limit the deep pass and avoid the ball being thrown over his head, and Johnson is a player who must lead this inexperienced group and play up to Brohm's standards.
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