By Dalton Ray–

After wrapping up with the offensive side of the ball, TLC’s position break down now shifts to defense. The first group of focus is the defensive line.

Defensive Coordinator Todd Grantham runs a 3-4 defense, which requires his lineman to play multiple positions. If a defense only has three defensive linemen on the field, those three players need to be able to hold their own in the trenches and tie up multiple lineman.

Grantham lost Sheldon Rankins, his best defensive lineman, to the NFL Draft. The difference between 2015 and 2016 on the defensive line is depth. If Louisville suffers an injury in the first six lineman, there is a large drop off of talent – especially from the first group to second. With five of the 11 defensive lineman being true freshman, Grantham could be in trouble if more than one guy goes down this season.

Projected starters: DE – Drew Bailey, NTc- DeAngelo Brown, DE – Johnny Richardson

The headline name of this group is, no doubt, Brown. After announcing he would return for his final season, a sigh of relief brushed over the coaching staff for not losing their top two defensive lineman. Brown’s presence will help ease the loss of Rankins and give opposing centers headaches.

When one pictures a nose-tackle, the image of Brown comes to mind. At 6-foot-1 and 310 lbs., Brown is a monster in the weight room. The team captain has a max bench press of 515 lbs. and benched 315 lbs. 21 times in the offseason. Additionally he can squat 600 lbs. A second team All-ACC selection, Brown recorded 40 tackles last year with 6.5 tackles-for-loss.

Four years ago, Richardson came in as one of the biggest recruits in the 2013 recruiting class. Now a redshirt junior, Richardson has his chance to start and make a big impact. At 6-foot-3 and 335 lbs., Richardson can move anywhere on the line and require attention. Coming back from an ACL tear last summer, Richardson made three tackles against Pittsburgh and came on strong in the final games.

Bailey came to Louisville through the junior college ranks last year. Like most lineman in 3-4 defenses, Bailey specializes in run defense. At a more traditional size for a defensive end, 6-foot-5 and 285 lbs, the senior can set the edge. While Bailey doesn’t possess an amazing first-step, stunning power or an uncanny knack for finding the ball, he is a solid defensive lineman who will get the job done.

Second team

An unfamiliar name who could make a big impact this year is Chris Williams. Playing behind Bailey, Williams is also a junior college transfer. The junior is strong off the snap and can battle opposing lineman with his explosive hands. Rated the seventh-best JuCo transfer by ESPN, Williams won the defensive MVP of the junior college national title game. Expect to hear Williams’ number called on often this year.

G.G. Robinson redshirted in 2015 and now has his chance to log a lot of minutes over the next four years. Recruited out of high school as a tight end and defensive end, Robinson is very mobile for his position. Kyle Shortridge appeared in all 13 games last year but had limited reps behind Rankins and Brown. Improving his pad level is another reason Shortridge will be to first name called in to give Brown a break.

The freshmen

The remaining defensive lineman are all freshmen, which means some true freshmen can still potentially see the field this year. One name Cardinal fans need to be aware of down the road is Mike Boykin.

At 6-foot-6 and 250 lbs., Boykin held offers from Auburn, Florida State, Ohio State, LSU, Alabama and many others. Boykin is very raw, mainly relying on size and athleticism to be successful in high school. Standing up and bull-rushing won’t be as effective at this level so development is needed. The tools are there for Boykin to be a big name player.

Caleb Tillman can be a mix of tackle and end for Grantham depending on how he develops. The most certain thing about Tillman is he plays angry. He has violent collisions with opponents and seems to fight his way to the ball. Tillman seems to waste a lot of energy during plays and can be a better college player than high school if he progresses.

Derek Dorsey is another local product from Manual High School. At 6-foot-2 and 270 lbs., Dorsey can play both defensive end and tackle in Grantham’s scheme. He isn’t a player that will blow you away in any category, but Dorsey is a solid, hearty football player.

Kordell Slater will more than likely be an end under Grantham. At 6-foot-4, Slater has good length and wingspan to create separation from opposing lineman. Slater always looks to knock down passes at the line of scrimmage. Like most incoming lineman, Slater will need to work on his pad level and also staying aggressive on pass rushing situations.

File photo / The Louisville Cardinal