Both Louisville and Syracuse started their seasons 2-0 before losing their third game, with the Cardinals dropping a 23-21 decision at Virginia and the Orange falling at home to Maryland, 34-20. Louisville has bounced back with two victories to move to 4-1, while Syracuse dropped their next game to No. 8 Notre Dame and will start conference play with a .500 record.
With Louisville star wide receiver DeVante Parker injured, most of the NFL-caliber talent will be found up front in this ACC Atlantic match-up rather than at the skill positions.
By: Chris Tripodi
Louisville Cardinals
John Miller, OG, #70
A powerful blocker at 6-2, 321 pounds, Miller uses strong hands and an aggressive approach to effectively control defenders inside. The senior has good awareness to recognize defenders’ mistakes on the inside and take advantage to seal them out of holes on running plays or push them past the pocket on passing downs. Miller plays with good extension but will occasionally reach too far out in front, losing leverage and falling off blocks. Quick off the line to the second level, Miller explodes into blocks to take linebackers out of plays, shows good movement skills on pulls and has the lateral quickness to pick up scraping linebackers on reach blocks. His base will get too skinny at times, which will prevent him from staying in front of pass rushers, but Miller is a true mauler in the run game. A late Day 2 or early Day 3 prospect, Miller needs to improve his leverage and consistency to bump himself up draft boards.
Lorenzo Mauldin, OLB, #94
With Louisville shifting to a 3-4 defense this season and Marcus Smith now with the Philadelphia Eagles, Mauldin was set to take on Smith’s role as the Cardinals’ best pass rusher. Mauldin had just one sack in his first four games this year, but broke out against Wake Forest last week with three sacks to bring his season total to four. Mauldin wins with speed and bend around the edge, dipping too low for tackles to square up and using a strong rip move to turn the corner sharply and create an angle to the quarterback. When he isn’t trying to bend the edge, Mauldin shows quick hands to slap the arms of opposing lineman away and uses his speed to get around the edge and pressure the quarterback.
Opinions on Mauldin’s stock are all over the place, with some scouts saying he has first-round potential and others looking at him in the later rounds. For now, Mauldin belongs in the same tier as Miller as a late Day 2 or early Day 3 prospect, but Smith was viewed similarly at this point last season before rising into the first round. The NFL values pass rushers very highly and while Mauldin isn’t sturdy against the run, he will be an in-demand pass rushing prospect as early as the draft’s second day.
Syracuse Orange
Sean Hickey, OT, #60
Syracuse’s top NFL prospect, Hickey struggled in his team’s loss last week against Notre Dame. At just 291 pounds, Hickey has had issues in the past with strong bull rushers, and was pushed or thrown off his spot consistently against the Fighting Irish. His footwork needs improvement, as Hickey was too deliberate and not fluid in his kick slide, leading to rushers getting around his outside shoulder. Hickey has the ability to slide his feet out to get underneath defenders in those situations, but struggled with Notre Dame’s speed off the edge and wasn’t as successful recovering late.
Normally a powerful run blocker with good leg drive, Hickey spent too much time lunging on reach blocks and stumbling as a result. The senior did show off his strong hands, but his placement was poor, keeping his hands too far outside and often looking like he had a handful of jersey. While Louisville usually rushes Mauldin off the left side, opposite of Hickey, it will be interesting to see if the two match up at all Thursday night. If they do, Hickey seems likely to struggle with Mauldin’s speed.
Cameron Lynch, OLB, #38
I wrote about Lynch after Syracuse’s loss to Maryland two weeks ago, as he had amassed 30 tackles and 4.5 sacks through the Orange’s first three games. Lynch didn’t record a sack against Notre Dame and had just three tackles, but did make a few plays on the blitz that don’t show up in the box score. The undersized senior (5-11, 226) gets skinny in tight creases to break into the backfield and shows good closing speed to the quarterback, while keeping his eyes up to react if the ball is thrown to get his hands in the air, break up passes and take away throwing lanes. While Lynch is unlikely to be drafted, it’s possible he latches on in free agency as a player with the potential to excel on special teams thanks to his speed and aggression.
Other Notes:
-Along with Miller, be sure to watch OT Jamon Brown (#79) for Louisville. While he’s not the same top-100 prospect we feel Miller is, he’s a legitimate prospect as a tackle (left in college) or at guard for the NFL level.
-With Parker on the shelf, senior receiver Eli Rogers leads Louisville with 22 receptions this season. A shifty slot receiver with reliable hands, the 5-10, 182-pound Rogers is a decent prospect who could get looks from scouts towards the end of the draft or in free agency.
-Louisville safety Gerod Holliman is just a redshirt sophomore, but he has stepped in admirably to replace Calvin Pryor and Hakeem Smith. The 6-0, 201-pounder leads the nation with six interceptions and also shows great timing as an enforcer as well when he can’t get his hands on the football. Holliman is draft-eligible this season and while it seems unlikely he’ll come out, he’s definitely made himself a player to watch for NFL scouts.
-The Cardinals’ three-headed backfield of seniors Dominique Brown, Michael Dyer and sophomore Brandon Radcliff took an interesting turn last week, as Radcliff led the team with 129 yards on 17 carries after two early fumbles by Brown and ineffective running from Dyer. At 5-9, 216 pounds with good speed and burst, Radcliff may get more work this week, or the coaching staff may turn back to the 6-2, 232-pound bruising Brown. Brown and Dyer are on the NFL radar but if Radcliff can pass them, he might find his way into scouts’ film rooms as well, likely for the 2016 draft.
-Prince-Tyson Gulley has alternated 100-yard games with sub-30-yard games so far this season and if the pattern holds, he has a chance for a big night against Louisville. His two 100-yard games came on just 25 combined carries against Villanova and Maryland and, while I don’t expect him to explode for another, Gulley’s quick feet and tenacity fighting for extra yardage will be needed for the Orange to establish the run. His season-high in carries is just 14, however, and any potential NFL role for him would be limited to depth.
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