Top Five Defensive Ends in Louisville Football History
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville football program has seen plenty of talented players don the Cardinals uniform over the years, ranging from multi-time All-Conference selections to All-Americans and a Heisman Trophy winner.
This offseason, Louisville Report is taking on the task of ranking the top five players in the history of the program at each position on the field. Next in this series, we take at look at the defensive end spot.
No. 5: Marcus Smith
Years at UofL: 2010-13
UofL Career Stats: 86 tackles, 33.0 tackles for loss, 24.0 sacks, 14 quarterback hurries, eight forced fumbles, five pass breakups, one interception
Summary: The Charlie Strong era was chock full of defensive talent, and Smith was arguably the best to play on that side of the ball while Strong was the head coach. He was a productive component on the line during his sophomore and junior campaigns, then put together an incredible senior season in 2013. That year, he was named a First-Team FWAA All-American and the American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year, logging 42 tackles, 18.5 for loss, 14.5 sacks, 12 quarterback hurries, four forced fumbles and three pass breakups. He currently ranks fourth in program history in forced fumbles, and is seventh in tackles for loss, sacks and QB hurries.
No. 4: Sheldon Rankins
Years at UofL: 2012-15
UofL Career Stats: 133 tackles, 31.5 tackles for loss, 18.0 sacks, 11 quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, two interceptions, four pass breakups
Summary: While Sheldon did see a lot of time playing technically as a defensive tackle, he was a force to be reckoned with no matter where he was on the line. After a pair of seasons spent mainly as a reserve, Rankins made a seamless transition to starter, and was one of the best linemen in the ACC. His best season came in 2014, when he led the team in sacks and tackles for loss at 13.5 and 8.0, respectively, leading to a Second-Team All-ACC nod. That's not to say his senior season wasn't top tier, as he still earned Third-Team All-ACC honors after logging 13.0 tackles for loss and 6.0 sacks, which were second on the team to Devonte' Fields.
No. 3: Michael Josiah
Years at UofL: 1999-01
UofL Career Stats: 121 tackles, 43.0 tackles for loss, 31.0 sacks, 26 quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles
Summary: Josiah and Dewayne White was arguably the best pass rusher duo in Louisville history, and while the latter largely overshadowed the former, he still found plenty of success. Josiah was the Cardinals' all-time leader in tackles for loss and sacks (now second and third, respectively) for one season until White broke both marks, and could still be No. 1 in both had he not declared for the draft early. After earning a pair of Freshman All-American honors in 1999, he put together his best season as a sophomore in 2000. He logged 47 tackles, 19.0 tackles for loss, 13.0 sacks and 21 quarterback hurries (second-most in a single-season at UofL) to earn an All-American honorable mention by Football News and a Second-Team All-Conference USA selection. He wrapped up his UofL career with a junior year in which he logged 40 tackles, 14 for loss and 10 sacks to earn a First-Team All-Conference USA nod.
No. 2: Dewayne White
Years at UofL: 2000-02
UofL Career Stats: 198 tackles, 56.5 tackles for loss, 37.5 sacks, 42 quarterback hurries, 14 pass break ups, two interceptions, two forced fumbles.
Summary: White is unquestionably the most prolific pass rusher to ever play at Louisville. He logged double-digit tackle for loss and sack totals in all three of his seasons as a Cardinal, and is their all-time leader in both categories, as well as quarterback hurries. His best season came as a sophomore in 2001, when he was named a First-Team Pro Football Weekly All-American and Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year. That season, he set the single-season school TFL record with 23.0 while also tallying 15.0 sacks (third-most in a single season), while also collecting 86 tackles, seven QB hurries, four pass breakups and two forced fumbles. His junior season in 2002 wasn't bad either, finishing with 60 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, six pass break ups and a pick to earn First-Team All-Conference USA honors.
No. 1: Elvis Dumervil
Years at UofL: 2002-05
UofL Career Stats: 151 tackles, 41.0 tackles for loss, 32.0 sacks, 11 forced fumble, one interception, four pass breakups
Summary: If there's anyone who has an argument to possibly challenge Lamar Jackson for the best player in Louisville football history, it's Dumervil. While his career tackle for loss and sack numbers are behind White for the most in school history (he ranks third and second, respectively), he takes the No. 1 spot primarily due to his 2005 season, which is hands down the best by a defender in UofL history. That year, he set the single-season school record in tackles for loss, sacks and forced fumbles with 23.0, 20.0 and 11, respectfully, while also adding 65 tackles, an interception and four pass breakups. He also tied the NCAA record for sacks in a game with six in the opener against Kentucky. Dumervil became the first Consensus All-American in Louisville history, won the Bronco Nagurski Trophy (given to the top defensive player in college football), and was the first Cardinal to receive votes for the Heisman Trophy, placing 10th in voting.
Other Louisville Position Top Fives:
- Quarterback
- Running Back
- Wide Receiver
- Tight End
- Offensive Line
- Interior Defensive Line
- Linebacker
- Cornerback
- Safety
(Photo of Elvis Dumervil via University of Louisville Athletics)
You can follow Louisville Report for future coverage by liking us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram:
Facebook - @LouisvilleReport
Twitter - @UofLReport
Instagram - @louisville_report
You can also follow Deputy Editor Matthew McGavic at @Matt_McGavic on Twitter
