By Derek DeBurger
For NFL fans and prospective players alike, nothing can go wrong during the draft. There’s only the promise of hope, a time of unbridled optimism.
For college fans, however, the draft offers a sense of pride in your program’s superior ability to assist players on to the next level.
Several Louisville players have taken that step over the past weekend, so let’s take a look at who got drafted and where they ended up.
Isaac Guerendo
Ironically, the first Cardinal off the board started the season as the backup running back. Guerendo went 129th overall in the fourth round to the San Francisco 49ers. Under head coach Kyle Shanahan the 49ers are known for their nearly unstoppable zone-running scheme allowing virtually every back in their system to thrive. For one as versatile as Guerendo, he should excel whenever he gets his first chance to shine.
Be on the lookout for Guerendo to put up some monster numbers in just a few short years.
Jarvis Brownlee Jr.
The 146th overall pick in the fifth round to the Tennessee Titans, Brownlee will have plenty of opportunity to work his way into the top spot. While he’ll most likely be a depth piece early in his career, his track record for developing in skill combined with the Titans’ defensive woes in recent years will set him up to earn a starting role. Brownlee is a versatile cornerback, and could easily become an excellent specialist if need be.
Jamari Thrash
Thrash led Louisville in all receiving categories this past season, helping him land as the 156th overall pick in the fifth round to the Cleveland Browns. Under Kevin Stefanski, the Browns have one of the best offensive schemes in the NFL. The Browns already have a strong receiving corps and a run-heavy attack, so Thrash’s opportunities will likely be limited early on. However, given Thrash’s route-running ability and wide catch radius, don’t be too surprised if he’s able to make an impact early on in a pass-happy league.
Jawhar Jordan
The final draft pick for the Cards was the 205th overall pick in the sixth round to the Houston Texans. Houston has one of the brightest young cores in all of the NFL, so Jordan will be walking into a great situation to compete for playing time and help build a winning culture. While he struggled to see the field until late in his college career, whenever he did he shined bright for all to see.
Jordan can and will do anything asked of him, and will likely make an impact in some way.
Undrafted Signees
Jack Plummer, Bryan Hudson, Storm Duck and Eric Miller are the four Cardinals to sign with teams after going undrafted.
Plummer is heading to the Carolina Panthers to compete at the quarterback position. There’s a good chance that Plummer was able to sign with a team due to Jeff Brohm’s tendency to produce NFL-caliber quarterbacks. With that said the Panthers might provide Plummer with his best opportunity, as their current starting quarterback—Bryce Young—is coming off of a highly disappointing rookie season. Plummer is a smart quarterback, and while his ceiling is probably as a career backup, it would not surprise me to see him hit the field at some point in Carolina.
Hudson signed with the Detroit Lions and is a player I could see sticking around in the NFL for a while. Hudson is a very smart player who has the physicality and skill to match. If he can make the roster in Detroit, look to see himself have a decent pro career.
Storm Duck has signed with the Miami Dolphins, and Eric Miller with the Cincinnati Bengals. None of these players will be guaranteed spots on their respective rosters and will have to fight in training camps and the preseason to either make a 53-man roster or practice squad.
As of April 28th, lineman Willie Tyler has signed with the New York Jets.
Graphic Courtesy // Louisville Football
