Jalen Mitchell Louisville vs. NC State, 10-30-2021 Photo by William Caudill, TheCrunchZone.com

Louisville RB Situation

Mark BlankenbakerAugust 30, 2022

Tiyon Evans 5-11, 210, Jr.
Jawhar Jordan 5-10, 180, R-So.
Jalen Mitchell 5-10, 214, R-So. OR
Trevion Cooley 5-10, 211, So.
Maurice Turner 5-10, 186, Fr.
Grant Goodman 5-11, 195, Fr.

Louisville’s backfield is absolutely loaded. Tiyon Evans was released at the top of depth chart on Monday, but Jalen Mitchell returns as the leader of the position with 722 yards (4.66ypc) from a year ago. Mitchell is a very smart and powerful runner and an absolute chore to tackle.

General consensus in 2021 was that Trevion Cooley needed more carries. Just 1 touchdown in 86 carries, but did run for 5.01 ypc and amassed 431 yards a year ago. Cooley has nice vision and he has the burst the Cards need to break out for long gains. Wouldn’t surprise me at all to see Cooley increase his workload in 2022.

Jawhar Jordan came on after injury and really hit the hole on his few carries in 2021. Jordan did have a Kick Return for a TD in the bowl game. I think he’s a 3rd down back type but if the Cards need a change of pace Jawhar can certainly provide that. Surprisingly Jawhar was 2nd on the depth chart behind Tiyon Evans, indicating a huge leap forward.

The true wildcard for Louisville this season is Tiyon Evans. Evans is supremely talented. Tiyon transferred to Louisville from Tennessee after coming from Hutchinson CC (JUCO) as the nation’s #1 junior-college running back. Evans had 525 yards (6.48 ypc) on 81 carries and had 6 TDs for the Vols before an injury ended his 2021 season. Can Evans stay healthy and on the field? If he can, this offense has the ability to catapult a player like Evans high up an NFL Draft board.

Who We Are Watching: Freshman Maurice Turner signed with UofL in the 2022 class won a pair of autographed cleats from the NFL’s Tyreek Hill after running step for step with “The Cheetah”. He’s fast. I’d look for Turner on Special Teams in 2022 and maybe in the rotation or in the kick return game at some point this season.