Defensive Player of the Year: TJ Quinn
The defensive side is where things get tricky to predict, but a few names stand out from the rest. The Louisville Cardinals brought in edge rusher Clev Lubin from Coastal Carolina and returned Stanquan Clark to the linebacker position, but at the end of the day, T.J. Quinn is our pick for the Defensive Player of the Year award.
Quinn has led the Cardinals in total tackles for two straight seasons, and he will look to make it three in 2025. Last year, he was a dominant force for Louisville's defense, logging 82 tackles and 1.5 sacks. The 6-foot-1, 235-pound linebacker was one of Jeff Brohm's fall standout stars and enters 2025 as a team leader.
His best year came in 2023 after he logged a team high 92 tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss, two pass deflections, an interception, and a sack. He earned All-ACC honorable mention and now looks to dominate in 2025, just as he did that season as a fifth-year senior.
The Cardinals' linebacker unit is the strongest group on this defense, and Quinn is in the middle of it all. Clark and Lubin are expected to take massive leaps this season as well, but with Quinn's experience, leadership, and stat history, we expect him to be Brohm's Defensive Player of the Year when the season ends.
Related: 5 Louisville football players with the most to prove in 2025