Louisville football: Lamar Jackson among school's best NFL players

Louisville football was one of only two programs to have two running backs selected in the 2024 NFL Draft.

After stellar 2023 campaigns, Isaac Guerendo and Jawhar Jordan were selected in the fourth and sixth rounds, respectively. The Cardinals had four players selected in the draft, marking four consecutive years that they’ve had at least one player hear their name called. The four-player group is the most of a Louisville draft class since 2018, when cornerback Jaire Alexander, quarterback Lamar Jackson, offensive lineman Geron Christian and defensive lineman Trevon Young were selected.

Louisville's largest draft class came three years before that when 10 players were picked. Recently retired wide receiver DeVante Parker highlighted the group, going 14th overall to the Miami Dolphins.

Including undrafted free agents who have worked their way onto rosters, the Cardinals have been well represented in the NFL over the years.

Here are five of the best NFL players from Louisville:

Besides being one of the best quarterbacks to put on a Louisville uniform, Johnny Unitas had an outstanding NFL career. The Pro Football Hall of Famer was initially the Pittsburgh Steelers’ ninth-round pick in the 1955 NFL Draft but got cut. A year later, he tried out for the Baltimore Colts and made the team. Over the next 14 years, Unitas won three NFL championships (1958, 1959, 1968), three MVP awards (1959, 1964, 1967) and became a 10-time Pro Bowl honoree. He was also the first player in NFL history to reach 40,000 passing yards. When he retired, Unitas ranked first all time in the NFL for pass attempts (5,186), pass completions (2,830), passing yards (40,239) and touchdown passes (290).

Unitas was selected to the NFL’s All Decade team of the 1960s. He died in 2002.

Less than a decade after becoming Louisville’s first Heisman Trophy winner, Lamar Jackson has helped to usher in a new era of NFL quarterback play. The Baltimore Ravens selected the dual-threat signal caller with the 32nd pick of the 2018 NFL Draft. During his second year in the league, the Floridian became the NFL’s second unanimous MVP. That season, he led the league in touchdown passes (36) and set a league record for most rushing yards by a QB in a season (1,206).

Jackson won the MVP award again in 2023 while helping the Ravens reach the AFC championship game for the first time since 2012. It was a busy year for Jackson, who became the highest-paid NFL player after securing a five-year, $260 million contract with Baltimore.

Wide receiver Deion Branch spent his final two years of college at Louisville and was a second-round pick in the 2002 NFL Draft, going to the New England Patriots. He enjoyed plenty of success with the Patriots, winning two Super Bowls (2004-05). Branch was named the 2005 Super Bowl MVP after recording 133 yards on a Super Bowl record-tying 11 catches in the 24-21 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Branch also played for the Seattle Seahawks and finished his pro career with 6,644 yards and 39 touchdowns on 518 receptions in 140 games played.

Elvis Dumervil, the Cardinals’ record-setting defensive lineman, went to the Denver Broncos with the 126th pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. He spent six of his 11 years in the NFL with the Broncos. He also played for the Ravens (2013-16) and San Francisco 49ers (2017).

In 2009, Dumervil led the league with 17 sacks, earning his first of five Pro Bowl honors, and also was named to the All-Pro team. He earned All-Pro again in 2014, when he matched his career high of 17 sacks to go along with 38 tackles, 15 for loss.

Dumervil ended his NFL career with 366 total tackles, 105 ½ sacks and 23 forced fumbles over 162 games.

The 49ers made a wise choice in taking Ted Washington with the 25th overall pick in the 1991 NFL Draft. The former Cardinal's rookie season included 21 tackles and a sack. His time in the Bay Area only lasted three seasons before he became a Bronco in 1994.

Washington also played for the Buffalo Bills (1995-2000), Chicago Bears (2001-02), Patriots, where he won a Super Bowl in 2004, Oakland Raiders (2004-05) and the Cleveland Browns (2006-07). Despite being an NFL journeyman, the Florida native was a four-time Pro Bowl selection and totaled 763 tackles, eight forced fumbles and 34 ½ sacks over 236 games in his 17-year career.

Reach Louisville football, women's basketball and baseball beat writer Alexis Cubit [email protected] and follow her on X at @Alexis_Cubit.