SEKY Defensive Linemen Poised for Breakout Seasons in 2023

<!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63cec4ad28c23"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Most successful high school programs in southeastern Kentucky traditionally have taken great pride in building team cultures on the foundations of toughness and physicality. And typically, those traits are most evident in teams' emphasis on consistently stopping their opponents' run game. Thus, when considering some of this area's top under-the-radar prospects returning for the 2024 season, it seems only logical to begin with assessments of some of the top small school programs' most talented and promising frontline defenders.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63cec4ad28c44"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63cec4ad28c4c"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63cec4ad28c54"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Hayden Dameron","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Bell County","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Starting all 13 games for Dudley Hilton's 10-3 Bobcats in 2022, this quick-twitch sophomore finished with an eye-popping stat line of 71 solos, 21 assists, 19 TFLs and 9 QB sacks. Typically aligning as a 4-or-5 technique with his hand on the ground, Dameron proves most disruptive as an edge/speed player but also exhibits a quick inside slant step and exceptional pad level when asked to occupy/penetrate B-gap. This rising junior's athleticism also allows coaches to play him upright and off the LOS versus spread formations or in obvious passing situations, where he demonstrates disciplined reads and instinctive balls skills that resulted in 2 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries this past season. While often outweighed by 75-100 pounds versus opposing offensive linemen, his explosiveness, blow delivery and leverage skills make him a defender that opposing offensive coaches simply must account for in all situations.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"Alex Gamble","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"Williamsburg","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_1_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Although not a full-time defensive starter until nearer the mid-point of the Yellow Jackets' 7-3 season, Gamble's final 2022 stat line of 16 solos, 11 assists, 6 TFLs, 1 sack and 1 forced fumble proved impressive enough to warrant the 13th Region Media Network's u0022Defensive Lineman of the Yearu0022 award. This 300-pound interior player poses a strong, formidable challenge for any opposing lineman as either a 4-or-4I-technique (B-gap) disrupter and when occasionally aligning on the opposing center's frame, he demonstrates the tenacity and pad-level to stalemate or defeat double-team blocks. Perhaps most impressive, however, are Gamble's exceptional hand placement/separation skills and his clear understanding of gap-responsibility defense. He consistently displays patience in executing his assignments and seems never to free-lance or try to make plays that would undermine his unit's collective defensive concept.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"Trey King","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"6'5u0022","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"Middlesboro","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_2_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"When viewing game film on King, the first trait to jump off the screen is this Yellow Jacket's tall, long frame and exceptional wingspan. While possibly most effective from a loose, edge alignment, his impressive hip and ankle flexibility nevertheless enable him to play behind his shoulder pads, strike and separate from opposing blockers and play underneath trap/counter blocking schemes to great effect. His final 2022 stat line of 40 assists, 4TFL, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery was primarily generated from his base alignment as a 4-technique/B-gap defender, but his eyes, separation skills and intelligent pursuit angles enable him to also play contain responsibilities from a loose, edge alignment as needed.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"Noah Kirby","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"Harlan Independent","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_3_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Primarily a 3-technique (B-gap) defender, Kirby's considerable defensive contributions to the Green Dragons' 2022 resurgence included 22 solos, 19 assists, 7 TFLs, 1 sack, 2 forced fumbles, 1 interception and 1 safety. Clearly a disruptive defensive presence with a nose for the football, his coaches also will occasionally move him inside to a 0 or shade technique, where he consistently displays the ability to stuff and defeat double-team blocks from either alignment. In addition to his sheer strength in pressing out/defeating base blocks, Kirby also possesses the skill to squeeze inside releases without over penetrating—making him very effective against trap and counter schemes.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"Davion Strode","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"Hazard","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_4_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Powerfully built and exceptionally explosive, Strode started 13 games for the 8-5 Bulldogs and collected totals of 54 solos, 2 TFLs and 1 sack—earning him an honorable mention of the Louisville Courier-Journal's All-State team. Playing primarily from a 2-point stance and often aligned on the outer edge of opposing tackles or tight ends, his speed and athleticism make him a dangerous edge defender, while his size and hip flexibility give him the ability to work under blockers to an inside gap responsibility with exceptional leverage and a consistently high motor.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63cecc7578479"} /-->