This week in our breakdown of the 2026 Louisville football roster, we take a look at a linebacker group that returns several key players from last year’s squad, as well as adding several depth pieces.
2025 Rewind
We covered Louisville’s success against the pass last year in our breakdown of the 2026 secondary group last week, and it was a good unit. What was not mentioned was that Louisville’s defense, generally speaking, was one of the best in the ACC.
The Cardinals finished second in the ACC in total defense last year (16th nationally at 303.1 YPG). They were also 15th nationally in yards per play (4.71) and had 20 takeaways (T-36th nationally, sixth in ACC).
Linebacker TJ Quinn led the team with 95 tackles, finishing his collegiate career as Louisville’s leading tackler for three straight seasons (2023-25), and earned Third-Team All-ACC honors in 2025. Stanquan Clark only played in five games due to an ankle injury early in the season, and had 19 tackles with 1.5 TFLs. Kalib Perry played in all 13 games and had 55 tackles to go with 1.5 TFLs and an interception. TJ Capers stepped up as a contributor, logging 46 tackles and an interception.
Read more: 2026 Louisville Football Guide: LinebackersNotable Departures
- TJ Quinn (graduated; signed as an UDFA with the Green Bay Packers)
- Kalib Perry (graduated)
2026 Preview
In an era where rosters are overturned overnight from season to season, Louisville did a good job at retaining their talent from last season’s linebacker group. New linebacker coach Adam Mueller has a luxury with three returning starters from last year’s group: TJ Capers, Stanquan Clark, and Antonio Watts.
TJ Capers stepped up as a rotational weakside linebacker after Stanquan Clark was sidelined with an ankle injury for most of last season. Capers came to Louisville as one of their highest-rated recruits in program history, transitioned to linebacker, and has been a solid piece. He has the versatility to play both weakside and mike, and he is an ace in stopping the run.
An ankle injury and subsequent surgery in early September kept Stanquan Clark off the field for most of last season, leaving Louisville without an impact player. But Clark was granted an extra year of eligibility and now, he is back to slide from weakside to the middle linebacker spot. Clark is an athletic linebacker that is capable of making plays against the run and drop back in coverage. If he plays all 13 games this season, I’d expect Clark to be in the conversation for an All-ACC nomination.
Louisville also gets a huge asset with another excellent player in Antonio Watts at STAR (linebacker / safety hybrid position). I tabbed Watts as a potential breakout player for the Cardinals in last year’s preview and it showed in a big way last season; he led the team in interceptions (three), had 6.5 TFLs, and two forced fumbles en route to earning Honorable Mention All-ACC honors. Watts is another well-rounded player that can make plays anywhere on the field, and in my opinion, should be in the conversation for an All-ACC nomination if his development progresses in 2026.
A familiar face returns for Louisville in 2026, with Benjamin Perry coming back after spending last season at UCLA. Perry was sidelined for almost the entire 2025 season with an injury, but spent three seasons at Louisville previously, including as a starter in all 13 games of the 2023 season. Perry is an athletic player that can plug gaps and make plays in the run. I could see Perry splitting reps between the STAR and weakside linebacker spots, and with him, Louisville gets valuable depth.
Jacob Smith also arrives at Louisville as another Kentucky transfer, he will almost certainly be featured as a depth piece. Smith was a former four-star prospect from Corbin, Ky. and a top-20 edge rusher nationally in the 2024 class (his twin brother, Jerod, also transferred to Louisville; both were the first and second-ranked prospects in the state of Kentucky in the ’24 class per 247Sports). Trent Carter could be due for a bigger role in the two-deep after playing in eight games last season, expect him to be a major contributor on special teams as well. Caleb Matelau and Cam White are also in the mix for reps as backup linebackers this season.
Projected Starters: TJ Capers (weakside), Stanquan Clark (middle), Antonio Watts (STAR)
Key Reserves: Benjamin Perry (STAR), Jacob Smith, Trent Carter, Caleb Matelau, Cam White
