11 Louisville Players Named Athlon Sports Preseason All-ACC Selections

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11 Louisville Players Named Athlon Sports Preseason All-ACC Selections

Louisville Cardinals defensive lineman Clev Lubin (50) and teammates Louisville Cardinals defensive back Tayon Holloway (25), left, and Louisville Cardinals defensive lineman Wesley Bailey (23) and Louisville Cardinals linebacker Antonio Watts (9) celebrate creating a turnover on James Madison University as the Cards' beat the visiting Dukes 28-14 Friday September 5, 2025 at L&N Credit Union Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky. | Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Matthew McGavic · Louisville Cardinals On SI

Mon, Jun 29, 2026 ·

6 min read

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Preseason watch list season is in full swing with the 2026 college football season just over two months away, and Athlon Sports is the latest to get into the mix.

They recently released their 2026 Preseason All-ACC Teams , with 11 members of the Louisville football program earning 12 selections. The Cardinals have the second-most selections, with Miami leading the way with 17.

Running back Isaac Brown and offensive lineman Lance Robinson made the First-Team Offense, defensive end Clev Lubin and cornerback Tayon Holloway were named to the First-Team Defense, while Tre Richardson was a First-Team Specialist at kick returner. Louisville has the second-most preseason First-Team All-ACC picks with five, behind only Miami's nine.

Richardson made the Second-Team Offense as a wide receiver/all-purpose back, while linebackers Stanquan Clark and Antonio Watts were both tabbed to the Second-Team Defense. Tight end Brody Foley was selected to the Third-Team Offense, linebacker Tyler Thompson and safety Koen Entringer made the Third-Team Defense, with offensive lineman Eryx Daugherty rounding out UofL selections on the Fourth-Team Offense.

Ever since stepping foot on Louisville's campus, Brown has been a home run threat every time he touches the ball. In just two years at the college level, the 5-foot-9, 190-pound all-purpose back has already rushed for 2,057 yards and 18 touchdowns, as well as caught 43 passes for 200 yards and a score. While he was hampered by a couple lower body injuries this past season, he still managed to run for 884 yards and seven touchdowns on 101 carries in nine games and seven starts, while also catching 13 passes for 48 yards.

Robinson is Louisville's top returning offensive lineman from last season. Starting all 13 games while playing 457 pass blocking snaps (and 817 snaps overall), the 6-foot-4, 295-pound lineman allowed just one sacks and 12 total quarterback pressures. Playing both guard positions and at right tackle last season, he was originally slated to be the starting center, but will likely begin the year at left tackle following Anwar O'Neal's injury in the spring.

Lubin is coming off of a 2025 campaign where he was one of the top defensive ends in all of college football. The 6-foot-3, 250-pound edge rusher collected 61 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and five pass breakups, earning Third-Team All-ACC honors in the process. According to Pro Football Focus, his 64 quarterback pressures was the most by a Louisville player in the PFF era, and was the sixth-most in all of the FBS.

Holloway was Louisville's top cornerback in 2025, and could be in line to become one of the best corners in the ACC this season. Starting all 13 games, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound defensive back finished the year with 42 tackles (28 solo), 3.5 for loss, two interceptions and five pass breakups.

Richardson is coming off of an explosive 2025 season for Vanderbilt. Playing all 13 games and starting all but one, the 5-foot-10, 175-pound wideout's 46 receptions were the third-most on the Commodores, while his 806 yards and seven touchdowns off of them both led the team. He also returned 17 kicks for 427 yards, and when you add in 11 rushes for 62 yards, he finished the 2025 season with 1.295 all-purpose yards.

Clark had to miss the majority of the 2025 season due to an ankle injury suffered in week two against James Madison , only finishing with 19 tackles in five games. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound linebacker broke out as a sophomore the season before in 2024, logging 76 tackles (33 solo), 7.5 for loss, two interceptions and two forced fumbles.

Watts has been a crucial component of Louisville's defense at the STAR position, and is coming off of his best season in college. While the 6-foot-2, 225-pound linebacker only had 10 starts due to a late season knee injury, he logged 41 tackles (21 solo), 6.5 for loss, 2.0 sacks, a team-best three interceptions, three pass breakups and two forced fumbles. He took home an All-ACC honorable mention for his efforts.

Foley put together a fantastic season with Tulsa last year. Starting in 11 games, the 6-foot-6, 260-pound tight end hauled in 37 passes for 528 yards and seven touchdowns. Not only did he have the second-most receptions on the team and led them in yardage, his receiving touchdown total is the second-most by a tight end in the FBS.

Thompson was one of the most underrated defensive players in the ACC, despite not being a starter. Playing in all 12 games for North Carolina , the 6-foot-5, 245-pound outside linebacker collected 7.5 tackles for loss, the eighth-most sacks in the league at 7.0, two forced fumbles and 25 tackles overall.

Entringer was one of the best safeties in the Big Ten last season, as well as a captain for Iowa 's vaunted defense. Starting all 13 games, the 6-foot-2, 215-pound defensive back finished with the third-most tackles on the Hawkeyes with 73 (43 solo), as well as 3.5 for loss, four pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He earned an All-Big Ten honorable mention as a result.

While Daugherty did not make an All-ACC team this season, he was one of the most underrated linemen in the entire conference. Starting 10 games at left guard, the 6-foot-3, 305-pound lineman allowed only one sack and 12 total pressures on 431 pass block snaps and 646 total blocking snaps. His 78.7 pass blocking grade on Pro Football Focus ranked 17th among the 83 offensive linemen in the ACC with at least 500 blocking snaps this season.

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