AJ GREEN #17
Height: 6’6”
Weight: 250lb
Position: DL
Class: RS Junior
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
Summary: One of the biggest recruiting wins of the offseason was the breaking news that AJ Green was going to run it back at Louisville. Sometimes overshadowed by the All-American edge on the other side of the line, AJ did plenty to draw the eyes of opposing coordinators and QBs alike, gathering four sacks, four QB hurries, a forced fumble, and a blocked kick in 2025. Of course that doesn’t include his six tackles
for loss, a portion of his 31 total tackles last year. He was a menace, and his presence on that line again in 2026 will be huge.
Forecasting how this line will look as we kick off the season here soon is an exciting game called “who gets to the QB first” with pressure coming not only from Green but his partners in crime as well. The significance of an edge who can not only apply pressure but also set the edge for stopping the run is tough to measure. A weak exterior defensive line allows the offense to do so many things in the flats so having players like Green is why the Cards think this line, and defense in general, is one of the best in the country. Kudos to the staff for holding onto Green and kudos to AJ for wanting to run it back here at Louisville and go win some bigger hardware.
*****
RYAN ZIMMERMAN #17
Height: 6’6”
Weight: 225lb
Position: QB
Class: RS Sophomore
Hometown: Carmel, IN
Summary: The 6’6” play caller from Carmel, IN is tough to miss on the sidelines, and tough to miss on the practice field. The gunslinger from just north of Indy joined the Cards a couple years back and has been a big piece of the offense, even if you don’t see him on the field all that often. Zimmerman, usually rocking a neon colored vest on gameday, along with some of his buddies, is not a traffic cop, but he is helping direct the offense, signaling in play calls and information to help the man on the field running the show. With helmet comms finally making their way to the college game a guy does his best third base coach impression may seem obsolete, but we’ve seen firsthand how often the comms break, and how you have a better sense of reliability from the good old fashioned hand signals as a Plan B.
Zimmerman is not predicted to get significant reps this year at the QB position, but his contributions do not go unnoticed by the diehards and sickos who know it takes a lot more than the eleven on the field to get the machine rolling. Even if we don’t see him in game action in 2026, no question Zimmerman will be a big reason why this offense is successful.
