2025 Louisville Football Preview: Secondary (CB / S)

We continue our breakdown of the 2025 Louisville football team with a two-fer in this one. The entire secondary (both cornerback and safety) goes under the microscope in this preview.

As always, below is our scheduled position breakdowns for the 2025 season.

• Special Teams (released July 21st: link)
• Offensive Line (released July 28th: link)
• Defensive Line (released August 4th: link)
• Linebackers (released August 15th: link)
• Receivers (WR / TE) (released August 18th: link)
• Running Backs (released August 22nd: link)
• Quarterbacks (releasing August 25th)

Last Year’s Results

Louisville’s pass defense faced a lot of struggles last season, allowing 236.2 YPG (100th in FBS) on 7.3 yards per attempt (T-72nd in FBS). A lot of their issues stemmed from miscommunication on coverage, which led to allowing big plays and a lack of creating turnovers. The Cardinals had a two-month stretch in the middle of the season where they didn’t get an interception, which includes Louisville’s losses to Notre Dame, SMU, and Miami (FL).

Louisville’s losses could largely be pointed towards their issues with pass coverage. The Cardinals gave up 291 yards to SMU, 319 to Miami (FL), and 323 to Stanford. They also gave up 300+ passing yards in three other games (312 to Georgia Tech, 301 to Virginia, and 374 to Washington), including a season-high 11.7 yards per attempt from the Huskies.

Towards the end of the season, though, Louisville was able to get some plays from the secondary with improved communication. The Cardinals had eight interceptions in their final four games, including three each against Pitt and Kentucky.

Quincy Riley led the team in both interceptions (two) and pass breakups (13), and was also drafted in the fourth round by the New Orleans Saints.

Position Breakdown: Cornerback

I’ve been doing football previews on the site for nearly a decade, and I don’t think I’ve seen a season where one position group has so much roster turnover as Louisville will have to manage with its secondary.

To put it in perspective, here is who has left: Quincy Riley, Corey Thornton, Tahveon Nicholson, M.J. Griffin, Tamarion McDonald all graduated. Ben Perry, Devin Neal, and Aaron Williams all transferred. Louisville only has two guys at cornerback with major playing experience returning (Tayon Holloway & Rae’mon Mosby), and one at safety (D’Angelo Hutchinson).

Louisville ended up leaning heavily on the transfer portal to bolster their depth at both positions. They will likely have to lean on it again and get recruits in the 2026 class, as the Cardinals once again have an upperclassmen-heavy rotation.

Rodney Johnson figures to be the favorite as Louisville’s CB1 heading into the season. He arrives after spending three seasons at Southern University, and brings great experience as well as size to the position (listed at 6’2″, 200 lbs.). Among all the cornerbacks I saw in the spring game, Johnson looked like the most consistent player in the group. He had an interception in the spring game, and his size, combined with his solid man cover skills, should make him a mainstay in Louisville’s cornerback rotation at minimum.

After Johnson, Jabari Mack should be in line to start at CB2. Mack was another transfer portal acquisition, coming from Jacksonville State. He led Conference USA last season with 11 pass breakups and had two interceptions, also starting in 14 career games for Jacksonville State. Johnson and Mack’s arrivals give Louisville a couple of solid playmakers at cornerback, but they’ll have to avoid allowing big plays that plagued last year’s squad.

Louisville also added Justin Agu (Louisiana-Lafayette) and Nigel Williams (New Mexico / Northwestern) from the portal for depth. Agu had 36 tackles with four pass breakups last season at ULL, while Williams had 58 tackles and two PBUs with a forced fumble at New Mexico.

Tayon Holloway was recently reinstated to the team this summer, after being arrested in November 2024 and indefinitely suspended as a result. He missed all of spring practice, but his return to the team could see him be a regular piece of the CB rotation and even start. Holloway likely fits as a nickel for now, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him play outside corner. Rae’mon Mosby could also see some time as a potential option at nickel, after his solid play towards the end of last season.

I highlighted in the defensive line preview that C.J. May would probably be the freshman to watch for in Louisville’s 2025 recruiting class. That still holds true, but the secondary might see the most opportunity for a freshman to come in and crack the two-deep depth chart. One local recruit, Antonio Harris, could compete for potential playing time. Harris is a second-generation Cardinal, son of former Louisville linebacker Nate Harris and nephew of former Louisville wide receiver Doug Beaumont. He’s a tough man corner that won’t shy away from contact, and with a season to bulk up, could project as a potential starter for Louisville as early as next season.

Projected Starters: Rodney Johnson, Jabari Mack OR Tayon Holloway

Key Reserves: Justin Agu, Nigel Williams, Rae’mon Mosby, Antonio Harris

Position Breakdown: Safety

Louisville should see an improvement from their safety spot this season, with D’Angelo Hutchinson moving into a full-time starting role and Jojo Evans Jr. arriving in the portal to give the Cardinals another starter at safety.

Hutchinson finally gets elevated to a full-time starting role after spending three seasons as a reserve for Louisville. He ended up being a key contributor for the Cardinals last season, logging 52 tackles (fifth-best on the team) with two TFLs and three pass breakups. Hutchinson has tremendous size at 6’3″, 200 lbs. and can make plays in pass coverage.

Louisville probably gained the most on defense with their safety acquisitions in the portal, landing Evans and Baylor transfer Corey Gordon as a solid one-two punch in the rotation. Evans was a First-Team All-Conference USA player last season at Florida International, landing 93 tackles and leading the team with seven pass breakups and two interceptions. Evans is a well-rounded safety that can play the run or in coverage, which will be crucial for Louisville to take the next step and improve as a team defensively.

Gordon was a regular contributor at Baylor as well, posting 34 tackles (seventh-best on the team) with a team-high three interceptions for the Bears last season. Between Evans, Gordon, and Hutchinson, Louisville should have a regular rotation of three guys at safety like they’ve had in the previous two seasons under co-defensive coordinator Ron English.

Do keep an eye on Daeh McCullough and Blake Ruffin as potential reserves. McCullough was a four-star prospect coming out of high school and this could be his first major opportunity to see major playing time at Louisville. Ruffin was a Second-Team FCS All-American at Eastern Illinois in his previous stop and has potential to crack the two-deep rotation.

Projected Starters: Jojo Evans Jr. and D’Angelo Hutchinson

Key Reserves: Corey Gordon, Daeh McCullough, Blake Ruffin