(Photo: AP Gary Jones)

With spring practice officially occurring, ESPN is looking at every NCAA program & evaluating them on a number of factors. They believe Louisville is on the verge of a big jump in the ACC.

Here is a small excerpt from ESPN’s David Hale. For the full evaluation, click here.

Roster situation: The Cardinals got plenty of good news after the season when a host of underclassmen with NFL futures decided to stay put. Yes, they are losing stars up the middle in Sheldon Rankins and James Burgess, but 16 members of the two-deep on defense return, including Josh Harvey-Clemons, Shaq Wiggins, Keith Kelsey and Devonte Fields. On offense last season, Louisville endured the growing pains that come with a young group, but as a result, just one regular starter is moving on, and McGee has the luxury of depth at receiver, running back and QB, where Lamar Jackson appears to be a burgeoning star. The biggest looming question is whether the offensive line, which was a disaster for much of 2015, can take a big step forward this offseason.