6 Bearcats invited to the Senior Bowl, which is a big feather in UC's cap. Ahmad Gardner not there, but doesn't need to be, since he's a likely first round pick:
Desmond Ridder (QB, Louisville, Ky.)
Desmond Ridder (QB, Louisville, Ky.)
- Finalist for Johnny Unitas Golden Arm finalist, semifinalist for Maxwell and Walter Camp Awards
- PFF's AAC Offensive Player of the Year; also named league's Player of the Year last season
- No. 1 in school history for passing touchdowns (84) and total yards (12,072) and tops in AAC annals with 113 total touchdowns and in total offense
- Only active quarterback with 9,000 passing and 2,000 rush yards for his career
- Winningest active quarterback in college; one of three all-time to record 43-plus wins (Kellen Moore and Colt McCoy)
- Thrown for 3,000 yards on 66 percent passing with 27 touchdowns in 2021; also team's second-leading rusher with 352 yards and six scores
Alec Pierce (WR, Glen Ellyn, Ill.)- Leads the Bearcats in catches (48), yards (802) and touchdowns (6) for an average of 16.7 yards per catch in 2021
- Had 100-yard plus receiving games against Notre Dame (6-144), Tulsa (5-113) and East Carolina (8-136) this season
- Has 12 catches for 20-plus yards this season, including four for 40 or more
- Earned "Gorilla Glue Toughest Player" honors from the Rich Eisen Show following the Notre Dame win
- Has 5.5 TFL, two sacks and a team-high 10 quarterback hurries despite double-teams and chips from offensive lines
- Instrumental behind UC ranking second nationally in defensive pass efficiency (95.88) and eighth in total defense (303.2 ypg).
- Semifinalist for Bednarik Award last season, also earned First-Team All-AAC honors
Bryan Cook (DB, Cincinnati, Ohio)- Fourth on team with 76 tackles (47 solo), his 4.5 TFL leads UC DBs
- Second on team with seven PBUs while recording an interception at Indiana
- Had 26 tackles last season and two in 2019 upon transferring from Howard
- Recorded career-high 14 tackles in Tulsa win
- Finalist for Jim Thorpe Award
- Named Lott Trophy Impact Player of the Week following win at Notre Dame
- Combined with Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner to form the best cornerback tandem in the country
- Intercepted three passes, including a 74-yard touchdown return against UCF, to go with team-high three forced fumbles
- His 11 passes defended rank 16th nationally
- Dick Butkus Award finalist
- Second on Bearcats with 82 tackles and 9.5 TFLs
- Has also forced and recovered two fumbles to go with two pass breakups and an interception
- UC's second-leading tackler as a junior with 58 stops