Louisville's defensive line faces questions after transfer portal haul

The Cardinals' edge rushers are among the best in the country, but the interior defensive line has major holes to fill.

Jan. 30, 2026 at 11:47am

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The Louisville defensive line has a mix of strengths and weaknesses after a busy offseason in the transfer portal. While the edge rusher group led by Clev Lubin and AJ Green is among the best in the nation, the interior defensive line lost significant depth and is looking to new faces to step up. Head coach Jeff Brohm brought in several transfers to try and solidify the middle of the defensive line, but their lack of game experience raises questions about how well they will perform.

Why it matters

Louisville's defensive line was a bright spot in 2025, helping the team average 2.38 sacks per game and force 14 interceptions. However, the loss of several key interior defensive linemen puts pressure on the new transfers to quickly adapt and provide quality depth behind the star edge rushers. The performance of the defensive line will be crucial in determining how the Cardinals' defense fares in 2026.

The details

Led by edge rushers Clev Lubin and AJ Green, the Louisville defensive line was productive in 2025, ranking 36th nationally in sacks per game. Lubin had a breakout season with 7 sacks, leading the team. Defensive tackles Rene Konga and Jordan Guerard also played well against the run. However, Louisville lost much of its defensive line depth, including Konga, Guerard, and backups Denzel Lowrey, Justin Beadles, and Jerry Lawson. To replace them, Brohm brought in several transfers, including Purdue's Demeco Kennedy, Houston's Joshua Donald, Miami's Daylen Russell, and Eastern Kentucky's Tommy Ziesmer. The new interior linemen will be tasked with stepping up and providing quality depth behind Lubin and Green on the edges.

  • In the 2025 season, the Louisville defensive line averaged 2.38 sacks per game and helped force 14 interceptions.
  • Clev Lubin led Louisville with 7 sacks in 2025, ranking him among the top juniors in the country.

The players

Clev Lubin

An edge rusher who had a breakout season in 2025, ranking among the top juniors in the country with 7 sacks.

AJ Green

An edge rusher who will pair with Lubin to form one of the best duos in the nation.

Demeco Kennedy

A Purdue transfer defensive tackle who is the highest-ranked of the new interior linemen Louisville brought in.

Joshua Donald

A Houston transfer defensive tackle who is looking to bounce back after being removed from football last year.

Jeff Brohm

The head coach of Louisville who had to work the transfer portal to try and fill the holes left on the defensive line.

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What’s next

Louisville's defensive line will be a key focus during spring practice and fall camp as the new interior linemen look to establish themselves and provide quality depth behind the star edge rushers.

The takeaway

While Louisville's defensive line has star power on the edges, the interior defensive line is a major question mark heading into the 2026 season. The Cardinals will need several of their new transfer additions to step up and solidify the middle of the defensive line in order for the unit to maintain its high level of production from 2025.