Eastern Kentucky Football Talent 2022 (Part 1)

As you travel south down route 23 from Ashland along the Big Sandy River deep into the heart of coal country, you will find a lot of Kentucky history. You will also find some outstanding football talent. It is true there is always a ton of talent in metropolitan Louisville and Lexington, but don’t take the hills of eastern and southeastern Kentucky for granted. Here are some of the best players from the class of 2022 that hail from that area. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="144966" first="Grant" last="Bingham"]     6’6” 300     OL     Johnson Central</strong> This future Kentucky Wildcat can do it all. He is a superb run blocker at the point of attack by mauling defensive linemen off the line of scrimmage. Bingham has excellent feet as displayed when pulling and leading on the sweep. He is also a stout pass protector who can stalemate a rusher with his ability to strike and lock into the frame. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="145546" first="Owen" last="LeMaster"]     6’1” 280     OL     Johnson Central</strong> Johnson Central might be the home of the Golden Eagles but LeMaster is a bulldog of an offensive lineman. He uses his height to his advantage by getting under the pads of his opponent and root-hogging them off the line. Owen keeps his legs moving and doesn’t quit till the whistle blows. He is also an excellent puller and trapper who is versatile enough to play either guard or center. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="145551" first="Grant" last="Rice"]     6’1” 180     QB     Johnson Central</strong> Rice is a dual threat quarterback that hurts opposing defenses with his ability to make big plays with his arm and with his feet. Quicker than fast, Rice is especially effective running the option where he makes good reads as to keep or pitch. As a passer, he is best when running play action passes where he always must be respected with his ability to tuck and go with the football. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="149081" first="Matt" last="Davis"]     6’2” 220     OL     Paintsville</strong> Davis is a valuable two-way lineman for the Paintsville Tigers. Offensively, he is a mobile zone blocker and puller who shows the ability to pick up defenders in space. Defensively, Davis is quick off the ball and can slant across the face of blockers or backdoor them to make the play due to his athleticism. This versatile football player is also a major contributor on special teams. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="149082" first="Landon" last="Dotson"]     6’4” 265     DL     Phelps</strong> Dotson is a physical defensive lineman who is quick off the ball and powers through or instantly sheds blockers to make a play on the quarterback or ball carrier. He can play a down inside middle guard or tackle position of line up as an outside rusher in a two-point stance. Dotson is a valuable field goal blocker. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="149140" first="Zayne" last="Hatfield"]     6’1” 185     DB     Belfry</strong> You never want to mess with a Hatfield from Pike County, Kentucky, and Zayne is no exception. He rules the secondary as a free safety with great range. He can cover the deep and intermediate zones with precision by breaking instantly on the pass. Hatfield also closes quickly on perimeter runs and is a physical tackler that packs a heck of a punch.