Mark Hagen: Ramon Puryear Might be Louisville's 'Most Valuable' Defensive Lineman

The Louisville native and Eastern HS alum has played multiple positions on the defensive line in his career.

Louisville Cardinals defensive lineman Ramon Puryear (41) sacks Virginia Tech Hokies quarterback Kyron Drones (1) as the Cards went up against Virginia Tech Saturday in the second quarter. / Matt Stone/Louisville Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - At this point in time, it's well established that defensive end Ashton Gillotte is the Louisville football program's current best player. Following a year in which he logged 14.5 tackles for loss, 11 sacks and three forced fumbles, he took home multiple All-American honors last season, and is regarded as one of the top defenders in all of college football.

Defensive line coach and co-defensive coordinator Mark Hagen also agrees that Gillotte is the player on the Cardinals. But in terms who is the "most valuable" on team because the various positions he can play at a high level, Hagen believes that title might belong to Gillotte's backup: Ramon Puryear

"Even though Ashton's our best football player, Ramon Puryear might be our most valuable," Hagen said last week following a fall camp practice. "The amount of things that he can do- he backs up Ashton. He's actually started inside at three technique before, so (he has) the versatility to know multiple positions. He could probably go into the boundary and play LEO for us, too, because he's he's that right and he's that versatile."

The 6-foot-3, 275-pound lineman is coming off of his best season at the collegiate level. Playing in 13 games last year while making five starts, Puryear collected 21 tackles (10 solo), 6.0 for loss and four sacks - all of which were career-highs - as well as his first ever interception in the season-opener against Georgia Tech.

His aforementioned position versatility was on full display during that season. He played 364 defensive snaps last year, and he took triple digit snaps at three different spots on the line. According to Pro Football Focus, Puryear played 128 snaps outside the offensive tackle, 104 snaps right on top of the tackle, and 118 as a defensive tackle lined up in the B-gap. He also logged 14 snaps as a true A-gap nose tackle.

Like multiple members on the defensive line for Louisville, Puryear has flown largely under-the-radar during his collegiate career. He might have just 53 tackles, 11 for loss and 6.5 sacks in five years as Cardinals, his impact has certainly made a difference that does not show up on the stat sheet.

"I've been around Ramon my whole career, so I really know him," defensive tackles Jared Dawson said. "I saw what he was a couple of years ago to now. He just did a whole 360 turn around. He started talking and laughing, and that brings a bunch of energy to the field, especially since everybody gets comfortable with each other, and everybody knows what we all can do. We can all push each other. If he might be having a bad day, but we know who he is, so we can push him and bring that out of him.

"Just like Ashton. He's the best player, but he might have a bad day too. We got people like Ramon and everybody, we're all pushing each other. Ashton doesn't have a big head like he's just the best player and he can't take criticism from people. We all work together and we all love each other."

It's been a long journey to get where he is now. A Louisville native and Eastern H.S. alum, Puryear actually started out his college career as a walk-on. After two seasons as a Cardinal, then-head coach Scott Satterfield officially placed Puryear on scholarship.

Two years later when head coach Jeff Brohm and his staff took over following Satterfield's departure for Cincinnati, Puryear was bumped from exclusively a defensive end to primarily a defensive tackle for the 2023 season - when he had his best season to date. Though because of various injuries on the edge of the line suffered over the course of the current offseason, Puryear is back to playing primarily as an edge rusher in fall camp.

But no matter where he lines up on the line of scrimmage, Puryear is only focused on two things as the Cardinals prepare for the upcoming 2024 season: getting better one day at a time, and helping Louisville get back to Charlotte and win the ACC Championship.

"Just come in every day and work at getting better, just do the best I can," he said earlier this month during the program's annual Media Day. "I'm not worried about stats or numbers, I'm about winning and just doing the best I can."

(Photo of Ramon Puryear, Kyron Drones: Matt Stone - Louisville Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK)

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