PFF just sent a warning to the rest of the ACC about Louisville football's dominant trio

Louisville football fans are eagerly awaiting the chance to watch this Cardinals' new-look offense take the field. Jeff Brohm had to completely rebuild nearly his entire offense, as he got a new quarterback, an almost entirely new offensive line, new star wide receivers, and some running back depth.

As for the defense, while Brohm added notable pieces like Tyler Thompson from North Carolina and Koen Entringer from Iowa, the key returners stand out. Brohm’s defensive line is coming off a dominant season in which it was one of the most destructive units in the ACC.

Three Cardinals on that unit stood out last year, and with Clev Lubin and AJ Green both returning and with Thompson joining them, Pro Football Focus just reminded everyone how dominant this trio really is.

Clev Lubin, Tyler Thompson, and AJ Green ranked among top edge rushers in ACC

Green and Lubin were some of the best edge rushers in the ACC in 2025, and Pro Football Focus just made that clear. They just released their highest-graded returning ACC edge rushers, and by no surprise, the Cardinals' three stars are all in the top ten.

Lubin leads the way as he has the highest grade out of all ACC returning edge rushers with a grade of 91.4, and Thompson is next at No. 6 with an 81.5, followed by Green, who ranks No. 8 with an 80.4.

One of Louisville's biggest additions from the Transfer Portal was the UNC transfer. Thompson ranks as high as a 4-star transfer, No. 104 overall and No. 11 among edge rushers. Thomspons is coming off a dominant season with the Tar Heels after earning 26 tackles, 7.5 tackles for a loss, 7.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, and one pass deflection

Also, a major story this offseason was the Cardinals' learning that Green and Lubin both returned. Green initially entered the Transfer Portal and was planning to leave Louisville, but the Cardinals avoided the nightmare scenario and convinced him to return.

The dominant edge rusher finished last season with 31 tackles, 6.0 tackles for a loss, 4.0 sacks, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery, which was returned for a touchdown.

As for Lubin, the 6-foot-3, 260-pound edge rusher is coming off an All-ACC season as he made the All-ACC Third Team. The Cardinals' defensive line was causing havoc this past season, and Lubin's ability to get through to the quarterback was a main reason why.

Lubin is a Preseason All-American after leading Louisville with an impressive 8.5 sacks and adding 59 tackles, which ranked fourth on the team. He also earned three pass deflections and three forced fumbles.

This trio is poised for a huge breakout season, and Pro Football Focus is reminding the whole conference how dominant this defensive line is going to be. It is going to be a fun year for this defensive line, and Green, Thompson, and Lubin are expected to lead the charge.

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