Louisville senior tight end Cole Hikutini's route to Louisville wasn't easy, but it could end up paying off in a big way.

Hikutini, a Sacramento, Calif. native, originally signed with Sacramento State out of high school. He redshirted in 2012 and played nine games as a redshirt freshman in 2013, scoring five touchdowns. Hikutini transferred and played a season at City College of San Francisco before planning to transfer to Purdue for his final two seasons of eligibility.

That's when the Louisville coaching staff stepped in. Seeing his clear talent, Louisville offered him just before he planned to enroll at Purdue. He committed to the Cardinals and showed up on campus just a week or so later.

The 6-foot-5, 240-pound pass catcher made an immediate impact, appearing in 11 games and starting in three. He was Louisville's top tight end his first season on campus, catching 19 passes for 248 yards and three touchdowns.

Then, in the off-season, Hikutini wowed Louisville the coaching staff and strength stats with his remarkable agility. He had a 36.5 inch vertical leap and recorded a 360-pound Hang Clean. His strength as it relates to speed was among the best on the team at any position.

That combination of strength and speed paid off on the field. Hikutini led the team this season with eight touchdown receptions. He has 49 catches for 656 yards this season and was just named All-ACC second team in a vote of writer's this week.