Two Louisville football players appear on prestigious award watchlist

Two Louisville football players have been put on the preseason Bednarik Award watchlist, which is given to the country’s best defensive player.

In recent years, the Louisville football program has primarily been recognized for its offense, thanks to stars like Lamar Jackson and Davante Parker. However, the talent on the defensive side often goes unnoticed.

This year, the Cardinals could possess the best defensive player in the ACC, with two players named to the Bednarik Award watchlist. This award honors the nation’s top defensive player, highlighting the strong talent on the Cardinals’ roster.

For Louisville to secure a spot in the ACC Championship Game again, these defensive athletes will need to excel in shutting down opposing teams. One is an impressive pass rusher, while the other is a solid performer in the secondary.

Two Louisville football players are on the Bednarik Award watchlist

Ashton Gillotte tops the list. This standout defensive end logged 11 sacks as a junior last year and aims to improve on that as a senior. He is the Cardinals’ top pass-rusher and is a strong contender to lead the conference in total sacks this season.

Quincy Riley is the other player featured on the Bednarik watchlist. Now in his sixth year of college football, Riley has spent the last two seasons with Louisville after starting his career at Middle Tennessee State. He has recorded three interceptions in each of the past two seasons.

These are two of the key players for the Louisville Cardinals this season. They require both to perform at an elite level if they hope to build on last year’s ten-win record. Jeff Brohm is committed to doing everything he can to ensure that success.