Louisville DE Ashton Gillotte Opts Out of Sun Bowl, Declares for 2025 NFL Draft

The defensive end departs the Cardinals as one of their top pass rushers in program history.

Louisville s Ashton Gillotte celebrates getting a sack against Boston College Saturday afternoon in L & N Stadium. Sept. 23, 2023 / Scott Utterback/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Louisville senior defensive end Ashton Gillotte has declared for the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft and will not play in the Cardinals' upcoming matchup vs. Washington in the Sun Bowl, he announced Friday on social media.

Gillotte is the third Cardinal to declare for the 2025 NFL Draft and opt out of the Sun Bowl, following wide receiver Ja'Corey Brooks and quarterback Tyler Shough. Louisville has also seen 15 players enter the transfer portal as well.

"For as long as I can remember, it has always been my dream to play in the NFL," Gillotte said in a post to Twitter/X. "I am incredibly blessed to have built such a strong support system over the years who have helped encourage me and guide me in pursuit of this goal.

"First and foremost, I want to thank God for His grace, guidance, and strength throughout my journey. Without Him, none of this would be possible, and I am eternally grateful for the countless blessings He has provided me. To my family, thank you for your unwavering support and love. You've been my foundation, always pushing me to be my best and reminding me to stay grounded.

"To my teammates, you are my brothers for life and I am forever grateful for everything we've accomplished together. To my coaches, thank you for your leadership, belief in my abilities, and the opportunities you've given me to grow both as an athlete and as an individual. To the fans and the Louisville community, thank you for your incredible support throughout my time at this amazing university."

Gillotte departs the Cardinals as one of their top pass rushers in program history. Playing in 51 career games while starting all 37 games over the last three seasons, his 41.0 career tackles for loss ranks fifth in school history, while his 26.5 sacks comes in at sixth.

While the 6-foot-3, 275-pound edge rusher had a little bit of a slow statistical start to his senior campaign, he still managed to be one of the most impactful defensive linemen in the ACC by regular season's end. Starting all 12 games, he finished with 43 total tackles (23 solo), 10 for loss and 4.5 sacks.

The Boca Raton, Fla. native's best season came as a junior in 2023. Starting all 14 games, Gillotte collected 14.5 tackles for loss, 11.0 sacks, three forced fumbles and 45.0 tackles overall. His sack total led the ACC, was good for eighth in the FBS, and was ninth on the single-season sack list in Louisville history.

As you can imagine, Gillotte collected plenty of accolades for his standout junior campaign. He earned First-Team All-ACC honors and was the runner-up in ACC Defensive Player of the Year voting, while also earning Second-Team All-American nods from Walter Camp, USA TODAY, Sports Illustrated and The Athletic.

Louisville will conclude their 2024 season later this month with a matchup against Washington in the Sun Bowl. Kickoff against the Huskies is set for Tuesday, Dec. 31 at 2:00 p.m. EST from Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas.

(Photo of Ashton Gillotte: Scott Utterback - Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK)

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