Athlon Sports’ latest preseason All-ACC teams put a bright spotlight on Louisville, with 11 Cardinals earning 12 total selections for the 2026 season.
That haul is the second-most in the conference behind Miami’s 17, and Louisville also landed five First-Team picks, again trailing only Miami, which had nine. Running back Isaac Brown and offensive lineman Lance Robinson were named to the First-Team Offense, while defensive end Clev Lubin and cornerback Tayon Holloway made the First-Team Defense. Tre Richardson rounded out Louisville’s first-team group as the First-Team Specialist at kick returner.
Richardson showed up again on the Second-Team Offense as a wide receiver/all-purpose back, giving the Cardinals another multi-position threat on the list. Louisville also placed linebackers Stanquan Clark and Antonio Watts on the Second-Team Defense. Tight end Brody Foley earned a Third-Team Offense spot, linebacker Tyler Thompson and safety Koen Entringer were selected to the Third-Team Defense, and offensive lineman Eryx Daugherty was Louisville’s lone Fourth-Team Offense pick.
Brown has been electric since arriving on campus, and the numbers back it up. In two college seasons, the 5-foot-9, 190-pound back has piled up 2,057 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns, plus 43 catches for 200 yards and another score. Even with lower body injuries limiting him last season, he still rushed for 884 yards and seven touchdowns on 101 carries in nine games and seven starts, while adding 13 receptions for 48 yards.
Robinson enters the year as Louisville’s top returning offensive lineman. The 6-foot-4, 295-pound blocker started all 13 games last season, logged 817 snaps overall and 457 pass-blocking snaps, and gave up just one sack and 12 total quarterback pressures. He played both guard spots and right tackle a year ago, and after originally being projected as the starting center, he is likely to open the season at left tackle following Anwar O’Neal’s spring injury.
Lubin was one of the most disruptive edge rushers in the country in 2025. The 6-foot-3, 250-pound defensive end posted 61 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and five pass breakups, which earned him Third-Team All-ACC honors. Pro Football Focus credited him with 64 quarterback pressures, the most by a Louisville player in the PFF era and the sixth-most in the FBS.
Holloway gave Louisville steady play at corner last season and could be set for an even bigger jump. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound defensive back started all 13 games and finished with 42 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions and five pass breakups.
Richardson’s path to the All-ACC list came after a big 2025 season at Vanderbilt. The 5-foot-10, 175-pound playmaker played in all 13 games and started all but one, finishing with 46 catches for 806 yards and seven touchdowns, both team highs. He also returned 17 kicks for 427 yards and added 11 carries for 62 yards, finishing with 1,295 all-purpose yards.
Clark’s 2025 season was shortened by an ankle injury in Week 2 against James Madison, and he ended up with 19 tackles in five games. But the 6-foot-3, 240-pound linebacker had already shown his ceiling the year before, when he broke out in 2024 with 76 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions and two forced fumbles.
Watts was a major piece for Louisville at STAR and turned in the best season of his college career. The 6-foot-2, 225-pound linebacker started 10 games because of a late-season knee injury, but still recorded 41 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, a team-best three interceptions, three pass breakups and two forced fumbles. He was also an All-ACC honorable mention.
Foley made a serious impact at Tulsa last year, producing one of the most productive tight end seasons in the country. In 11 starts, the 6-foot-6, 260-pound target caught 37 passes for 528 yards and seven touchdowns. He finished second on the team in receptions, led the team in receiving yards, and his seven touchdown catches are the second-most by a tight end in the FBS.
Thompson’s numbers stood out even without a starting role at North Carolina. The 6-foot-5, 245-pound outside linebacker played in all 12 games and put up 7.5 tackles for loss, 7.0 sacks, two forced fumbles and 25 tackles, making him one of the league’s more overlooked defenders.
Entringer arrives after a strong season at Iowa, where he was also a captain on one of the Big Ten’s top defenses. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound safety started all 13 games and ranked third on the Hawkeyes with 73 tackles, including 43 solo stops. He also added 3.5 tackles for loss, four pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery, which led to an All-Big Ten honorable mention.
Daugherty didn’t land on an All-ACC team, but he still drew notice as one of the conference’s more underappreciated linemen. The 6-foot-3, 305-pound guard started 10 games at left guard and allowed only one sack and 12 total pressures across 431 pass-block snaps and 646 total blocking snaps. His 78.7 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus ranked 17th among the 83 ACC offensive linemen with at least 500 blocking snaps.
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Pat Kelsey Is Finally Addressing Louisvilles Biggest Problem
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That adjustment has shown up everywhere this offseason. Louisville added several defense-first transfers, brought in a five-star center prospect earlier than expected by reclassifying him into this summers group, and filled out the staff with assistants who have built their reputations on the defensive end. The idea is clear enough even if the full payoff is still to come: Kelsey is trying to make sure the Cardinals are harder to score on, especially when the games get bigger and the front line matters most. [Read more 🡒]
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Louisville Veteran Sends Strong Message About Rebuilt Offensive Line
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Robinson has been especially upbeat about the work being done by new line coach Dale Williams and the way the newcomers have fit in, saying the group has a chance to become something meaningful quickly. Louisvilles confidence is being sharpened by what it believes it can become in a pivotal year, and the early test everyone keeps circling is the opening game against Ole Miss in Nashville, where the Cardinals will find out a lot about how ready this overhaul really is. [Read more 🡒]