Has Louisville football finalized roster? 3 spots coach Jeff Brohm is targeting in portal
After the 2023 season, Louisville football took the biggest hit to its defensive line.
Of the 30 players who transferred out of the program since December, nine were defensive linemen. The losses and injuries during the spring allowed redshirt freshmen Micah Carter and Adonijah “AJ” Green as well as midyear enrollee Maurice Davis to get on the field during the spring football game April 19.
After the game, U of L coach Jeff Brohm added five players from the portal, four of whom were defensive linemen: Brandon Lane, Tramel Logan, Richard Kinley and Rene Konga.
Although the period to enter the transfer portal has closed and most of the top-ranked portal players have committed to new programs, teams still can add players who remain in the portal. With the beginning of the 2024 season about three months away, the Cardinals have time to fill some spots after losing 10 players in April.
Here are three positions that the Cardinals can benefit from using the transfer portal:
Safety
Defensive coordinator Ron English said he could see fatigue setting in for the safeties near the end of the 2023 season. Cam Kelly played 714 snaps, while Devin Neal and Ben Perry played 662 and 594 snaps, respectively. The next most was Josh Minkins, who totaled 227 snaps. Minkins transferred to Cincinnati during the offseason, and Kelly left for the NFL draft.
U of L expects to get a healthy MJ Griffin back this fall and added a few safeties from the portal prior to the spring to make up for the losses and lack of depth. But the Cardinals could use at least one or two more to help maintain the depth.
Defensive line
Even with the four additions from April, Louisville can stand to make the defensive line even deeper. One of the group's strengths last season was its strong rotation of players. Six linemen played at least 300 snaps, but only Ashton Gillotte played more than 500. Allowing players to get rest and rotate kept them fresh and propelled Louisville to one of the nation's best defenses, ranking first in red zone defense, ninth in rushing defense and 21st in total defense.
With numbers down from last year’s squad, the Cardinals have some wiggle room to give the defensive line more depth.
Wide receiver
Louisville lost five wide receivers, including 2023 leading receiver and fifth-round NFL draft pick Jamari Thrash, and added three from the portal over the last five months. But injuries during the spring caused the team to cross-train quarterbacks. Despite lacking numbers at the position now, the Cardinals are looking to elevate the passing game this season, so they’ll need a deep group. There’s no shortage of options in the transfer portal. Of the 32 wide receivers who entered the portal the last five days of April, 18 are still available, according to the 247Sports transfer portal database.
Reach Louisville football, women's basketball and baseball beat writer Alexis Cubit at acubit@gannett.com and follow her on X at @Alexis_Cubit.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville football can use transfer portal to help these positions
