2022 Preseason All-Eastern Kentucky Team: Defense

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Now that the 2022 high school football season is in full swing, it's time to make some predictions. Over the past few weeks, I have been highlighting the top high school football players in specific regions in the state of Kentucky. After covering Lexington and Northern Kentucky, I am covering the eastern part of the state where there is a long history of great football teams and players. With offense already being covered earlier this week, here are my top defensive players in Eastern Kentucky this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_631bc0bad4486","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["287560"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='287560' first='Byron' last='May'] is a player that I have been high on for quite some time now. He is coming off an outstanding junior year in which he finished second in the state in sacks with 15.5. May dominates off the edge, using a great combination of strength and speed to win. He has an explosive first step off the line of scrimmage and has the speed to run right by opposing offensive tackles. May also has a strong bull rush, driving his blocker into the pocket. I also like May's ability in the run game to read the play and react quickly to get to the ball. Byron currently holds an offer from Morehead State but I expect more to come as he has the skill set to be a talented defensive end at the next level.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["287576"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='287576' first='Izack' last='Messer'] is another defensive end that I've had my eye on for a while. Messer bursts out of his stance and does a great job of shooting the inside gap as a pass rusher. He has smooth inside pass moves to get through the offensive lineman's inside shoulder before they can react. Once he gets to the quarterback, he explodes through contact and makes sure his presence is felt even when he doesn't get the sack. Messer doesn't currently hold any offers but I believe that college coaches will be keeping a close eye on him over the next two seasons.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["381939"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='381939' first='Chase' last='Correll'] is a defensive line prospect that has jumped onto my radar lately. He lines up in the defensive tackle spot and is very dangerous as a pass rusher. He explodes out of his stance before offensive guards have a chance to react. Correll also plays with a high motor, showing great effort to run down the quarterback. Once he gets to the quarterback, he does a great job of securing the sack. I also like his ability to shed blocks with ease on his way to the ball carrier. Correll doesn't have any reported offers but he is a player to watch over the next two seasons as he has the talent to play at the college level.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["287567"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Joining Correll on the Raceland defensive line is senior defensive end [player_tooltip player_id='287567' first='Ben' last='Taylor']. Taylor is an athletic pass rusher off the edge with a quick first step and solid pass rush moves which he uses to beat the opposing offensive tackle. He also does a great job of not slowing down and finishing at the quarterback. I also like that he keeps fighting to shed blocks and get to the ball carrier. He always seems to have a good sense of where the ball is and how to get there the quickest as he is able to make plays all over the field. Ben currently holds an offer from Kentucky Christian and I expect more to come as he has been receiving a solid amount of college interest.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["423658"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='423658' first='Jack' last='Chappell'] is a player that we are very high on at Prep Redzone Kentucky as he is our top ranked linebacker and 12th overall player in the class of 2024. He is also my selection for Preseason Eastern Kentucky Defensive Player of the Year. Chappell is a big, physical outside linebacker that comes off the edge with a full head of steam and runs through any blocker in his path. Once he gets to the quarterback, he explodes through contact, making sure that his presence is felt. He has also shown the ability to drop back in a hybrid role at safety and make plays on the ball in coverage. While Jack doesn't currently hold any official offers, I see some big ones coming in the near future as he has been receiving a ton of Division 1 interest and has the talent to play at that level.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["386751"],"_player_evaluations_5_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"Another linebacker that I am very high on is Corbin senior [player_tooltip player_id='386751' first='Brody' last='Wells']. He is our top ranked linebacker in the class of 2023. Brody lines up at outside linebacker but I believe he could play a true inside linebacker if asked to. He does an excellent job of reading his keys and reacting quickly to come downhill and make plays. When the ball is away from him, Wells does a great job of taking the right angles to get to the ball and is an excellent open field tackler. Wells is also very reliable in coverage as he is fluid in his drops and has the ability to turn and run with tight ends and receivers out of the slot in man coverage. Brody is committed to Eastern Kentucky and I believe that he can be a very successful player for them.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["145764"],"_player_evaluations_6_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='145764' first='Carson' last='Wright'] is another senior linebacker that has made quite the name for himself in his high school career. He has been a key part of two 1A State Championship teams in his time at Pikeville. The biggest thing that sticks out to me when watching Wright is his football IQ. He reads the play very well and reacts quickly to put himself in a good position to make a play. Wright also does a great job of shedding blocks with ease on his way to the ball carrier and is a very good open field tackler. Carson currently holds offers from Eastern Kentucky and Pikeville and I expect more to come as he has been receiving a ton of college interest.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_7_player":["331745"],"_player_evaluations_7_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"A linebacker that has jumped onto my radar very recently is Breathitt County sophomore, [player_tooltip player_id='331745' first='Kory' last='Combs']. He is coming off an impressive freshman season in which he finished with 94 tackles, seven tackles for loss, and three sacks. Against the run, Combs explodes out of his stance with zero hesitation and shoots through the gap before the offensive line can react. Once he gets to the ball carrier, he does a great job of running his feet on contact and securing the tackle. I also like Combs' ability to flow to the ball even when there is a lot of traffic in his vision. Combs is also reliable in coverage, showing fluidity in his pass drops and the ability to make plays on the ball. Combs doesn't hold any offers just yet but is going to be a fun player to watch over the next few seasons.","_player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_8_player":["381924"],"_player_evaluations_8_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_8_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_8_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='381924' first='Sam' last='Wright'] is one of my favorite safety prospects in the class of 2024 in Kentucky. He had a strong sophomore campaign, finishing the season with 7o tackles, three interceptions, and a forced fumble. Against the run, Wright does an excellent job of reading the ball carrier and filling the lane. Once he gets to the ball carrier, he is a very reliable open field tackler. In pass coverage, Wright shows great route recognition skills and reads the play to break on the ball at the right time to make a play. Sam doesn't currently hold any offers but I believe that they will come as he has the skill set to play at the next level.","_player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_9_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_9_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_9_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_9_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_9_player_details_player_name":"Cade Hatcher","_player_evaluations_9_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_9_player_details_graduating_class":"2023","_player_evaluations_9_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_9_player_details_height":"5'11u0022","_player_evaluations_9_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_9_player_details_position":"2495","_player_evaluations_9_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_9_player_details_school":"Williamsburg","_player_evaluations_9_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_9_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_9_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_9_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_9_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_9_evaluation":"Cade Hatcher is a talented senior defensive back that has jumped onto my radar recently. He has had a nice high school career so far, winning Region Defensive Back of the Year as a junior and being named First Team All-Region twice so far. Hatcher lines up at safety and does a great job of reading both the route combinations and the quarterback to put himself in position to make plays. He can cover ground in a hurry and has great ball skills, breaking on the ball at the perfect time to come away with interceptions. Cade doesn't currently hold any offers but college coaches should be giving him a look as he has the potential to be a solid defensive back at the next level.","_player_evaluations_9_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_10_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_10_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_10_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_10_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_10_player_details_player_name":"Kahlil Vaughn","_player_evaluations_10_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_10_player_details_graduating_class":"2023","_player_evaluations_10_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_10_player_details_height":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_10_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_10_player_details_position":"2495","_player_evaluations_10_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_10_player_details_school":"Ashland Blazer","_player_evaluations_10_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_10_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_10_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_10_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_10_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_10_evaluation":"Another senior defensive back that I've had my eye on lately is Kahlil Vaughn. He lines up on the outside at corner and has the speed to turn and run with receivers in the deep passing game in man coverage. When the ball is thrown his way, Vaughn does a great job of getting his head turned at the perfect time and working through the receiver to break up passes. He also does a great job of mirroring receivers and breaking on the ball. I also like Vaughn's willingness to provide run support as he comes downhill quickly and is a reliable open field tackler. Kahlil doesn't currently hold any offers but I definitely believe he has the talent to play somewhere at the next level.","_player_evaluations_10_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_11_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_11_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_11_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_11_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_11_player_details_player_name":"Jules Farrow","_player_evaluations_11_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_11_player_details_graduating_class":"2023","_player_evaluations_11_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_11_player_details_height":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_11_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_11_player_details_position":"2411","_player_evaluations_11_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_11_player_details_school":"Raceland","_player_evaluations_11_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_11_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_11_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_11_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_11_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_11_evaluation":"While he is also a key play maker on offense as a running back, I like what I've seen from Farrow on the defensive side of the ball. He lines up on the outside at corner and does a great job of opening up and running with receivers to mirror their routes. Farrow also shows good ball skills with the ability to come away with interceptions and pick up yards after. I also like his ability to come downhill once the ball has been caught to make tackles in the open field before the receiver can turn up the field. Jules doesn't currently hold any offers but I see them coming soon as he can play multiple positions at the next level.","_player_evaluations_11_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":12,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"edit"} /--> <!-- wp:heading {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"15px"}}} --> <h2 style="font-size:15px">Other Players to Watch:</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Defensive Line: [player_tooltip player_id='373801' first='Jace' last='Hatfield'] (Corbin, 2025), [player_tooltip player_id='386176' first='Jesse' last='McCoy'] (Johnson Central, 2023), Evan Biliter (Pineville, 2023)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Linebacker: [player_tooltip player_id='386755' first='Devin' last='Derossett'] (Pikeville, 2023), [player_tooltip player_id='373800' first='Mikey' last='Neal'] (Corbin, 2025), [player_tooltip player_id='386769' first='Zach' last='Watson'] (Rowan County, 2023), Braeden Waddle (Estill County, 2023)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Defensive Back: Austin Allen (Paintsville, 2023), Leelan Thacker (Boyd County, 2023)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->