Why the Louisville football team might have the ACC's best defensive player

The Louisville football team surprised everyone when they made the ACC Championship Game a year ago. It was a team that wasn't on many people's radar to start the season because a new coach was in the fold. Jeff Brohm had just come over from Purdue and there were a few questions that had to be answered.

Brohm answered those and then some. At one point, they were in the thick of the College Football Playoff conversation. While they faltered at the end, it was a good step for this program. Now, they are trying to show that last season wasn't a fluke and they are a program that can keep contending.

While the offense lost some key guys from a season ago, the defense brings back its best player. That player might end up being the best player in the entire ACC. Ashton Gillotte is a senior defensive end who might be the best pass rusher in the league.

The Louisville football team might have the best defensive player in the ACC

Gillotte is someone that every program would love to have on their team. Gillotte had 11 sacks as a junior last season after a season that saw him get seven sacks. He had 45 total tackles and also forced three fumbles. That's the kind of production that every program in the conference would love to get out of someone.

Louisville will have a chance in every game because of Gillotte. Teams will have to gameplan around what he does. He can be a game-wrecker that forces double-teams every game. If they double-team him, that means someone else is getting single-covered. That makes it easier to get to the quarterback.

Gillotte won't singlehandedly make Louisville a CFP contender this season. Still, he's someone who makes the team a lot better and makes this defense a lot harder to play against.