Louisville has won 19 games since Jeff Brohm took over in 2023, and that success has translated to the NFL Draft. The Cardinals have had seven players selected across the past two NFL Drafts, and heading into the 2025 season, defensive coordinator Ron English has identified the program’s next pro prospect, linebacker Antonio Watts.
Heading into his junior year, Watts is an established veteran with a significant track record, but English saw his NFL trajectory well before he recorded 51 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, three pass breakups, and a forced fumble last season.
“I thought when I came, if we can get him knowing what to do, and playing fast, he’s an NFL guy,” English told the Louisville media after fall camp practice on Thursday. “Because he’s big, because he could probably run in the high 4.4s, low 4.5s, and he’ll probably be about 223, 225 pounds, and,” English emphasized, “he’s a good person.”
Antonio Watts could play his way onto NFL radars in his junior season
Watts is one of three key returners at linebacker, joining TJ Quinn and Stanquan Clark, last season’s two leading tacklers. Instead of playing traditional off-ball linebacker with that duo, English and co-defensive coordinator Mark Hagen deploy in a role more fitting of his unique skillset.
At 6-foot-2, 225 pounds, Watts runs like a safety and can cover like a corner. He plays Louisville’s “star” role, which means he takes the majority of his snaps in the slot, but moves all over the defense.
A big hitter who flies downhill once he triggers to the ball, Watts is a disruptive force around the line of scrimmage, and with another year under his belt with English and Hagen, he should play even faster and more confidently this season. Quinn and Clark are likely to once again lead the Cardinals in tackles, but that doesn’t mean that Watts can’t be the most impactful player on the defense.
Louisville may have to pay up to keep Watts for his senior season
If Watts has a breakout season as a redshirt junior, he could view it as his time to head off to the NFL, but with Quinn playing out his final year of eligibility in 2025, keeping Watts could be crucial to the core of the 2026 Louisville defense. That task will be much tougher and more costly as Watts can leverage both the NFL and transfer portal against Brohm and executive director of player personnel Vince Marrow in negotiations.
Jeff Brohm isn’t afraid of the roster churn of modern college football. He’s happy to dip back into the portal annually to address any position on the roster, including the most important one. Still, Watts is one of Louisville’s most successful long-term developmental projects, so it wouldn’t be easy to watch him walk out the door.
First, Watts has to have a great season, but if he meets those expectations, next offseason will be an interesting one.