2023 Team MVP Predictions: 4A (Part 1)
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As we approach the end of June, the 2023 high school football season is quickly approaching. With that in mind, it is time to start previewing the upcoming season. As I begin to preview some top players and teams to…
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Continue ReadingAs we approach the end of June, the 2023 high school football season is quickly approaching. With that in mind, it is time to start previewing the upcoming season. As I begin to preview some top players and teams to watch in the 2023 season, I wanted to focus on which player I believe will make the biggest impact for each individual team. After already covering 6A and 5A, I will now turn my attention to class 4A in my “Team MVP” series. With that being said, here is my first group of 4A MVP predictions.
Boyle County: The Rebels will be looking to defend their 4A State Championship this season and have a very impressive group of returning players that make their title defense look very possible. Among these returning players, incoming junior Montavin Quisenberry Montavin Quisenberry 5'9" | 160 lbs | ATH Boyle County | 2025 State KY stands out to me the most. Quisenberry is electric with the ball in his hands on offense, showing the ability to make plays as both a receiver and running back. As a junior, he caught 57 passes for 833 yards and 13 touchdowns while running the ball 96 times for 1,009 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also returned three kickoffs and three punts for touchdowns. Montavin also plays a key role on defense as a defensive back, finishing this past season with 36 tackles, three tackles for loss, and three interceptions. Quisenberry currently holds offers from Ole Miss, Kentucky, Louisville, and Michigan, and I expect more to come his way as he is a special talent.
Corbin: Corbin will be coming into this season with a ton of motivation following a close loss in the 4A State Championship Game last season. If they want to return to Kroger Field, incoming junior quarterback Kade Elam Kade Elam 5'11" | 170 lbs | QB Corbin | 2025 State KY will lead the way. Elam is coming off a strong sophomore season in which he completed 158/219 passes for 2,455 yards, 33 touchdowns, and only three interceptions. He throws a very impressive deep ball, showing the ability to lead his receivers down the field and place the ball where only his intended receiver can catch it. Elam has also shown the ability to make plays with his legs, running the ball 79 times for 520 yards and 14 touchdowns this past season. Kade is currently committed to play baseball at Louisville but also has a football offer from Eastern Kentucky and definitely has the talent to play quarterback at the next level if he were to have a change of heart.
Bardstown: The Tigers will make the jump to 4A this season after making it all the way to the 3A State Championship Game last season. If they want to have success in their first season in the class, they will be relying heavily on incoming senior Tyleeq Williams Tyleeq Williams 5'5" | 145 lbs | ATH Bardstown | 2024 State KY . Williams had an outstanding junior year at running back for the Tigers, running the ball 210 times for 1,882 yards and 25 touchdowns. He has impressive vision and once he gets through the running lane, he has the speed and elusiveness to break away for long runs. Williams also caught 32 passes for 475 yards and six touchdowns, and returned two punts and one kickoff for touchdowns last season. Tyleeq also played a key role on defense last year, finishing with 58 tackles, six tackles for loss, two sacks, and four interceptions. Williams currently holds and offer from Judson University and a preferred walk-on offer from Eastern Kentucky, and I expect more to come his way as he definitely has the talent to play at the next level.
Paducah Tilghman: Paducah Tilghman is another program making the move up from 3A this season. If they want to have some success in their new class, they will be looking for a big year out of incoming junior quarterback Jack James Jack James 6'0" | 190 lbs | QB Paducah Tilghman | 2025 State KY . James had a very impressive sophomore season, completing 160/293 passes for 2,185 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He has a very strong arm, showing the ability to lead his receivers down the field and hit them in stride in the deep passing game. James also has shown the ability to zip passes into tight windows in the short/intermediate passing game. Jack currently holds offers from Miami (OH), Troy, Eastern Kentucky, and Old Dominion, and I expect more to come his way as he is a true Division I caliber quarterback prospect.
Warren East: Warren East is a program that will be looking to build off a very impressive 2022 season. If they want to continue their success, incoming junior quarterback Dane Parsley Dane Parsley 6'1" | 190 lbs | ATH Warren East | 2025 State KY will be the man to lead the way. Parsley is coming off a very strong sophomore season in which he completed 124/203 passes for 1,880 yards, 30 touchdowns, and only five interceptions. He has shown very impressive accuracy as a passer, showing the ability to fit passes into tight coverage where only his intended receiver has a chance to catch it. Parsley also has a very strong arm which he uses to stretch the field in the deep passing game. Dane also finished his sophomore year as his team’s leading rusher, carrying the ball 148 times for 1,562 yards and 27 touchdowns. Parsley has yet to receive any offers but has received some interest from college coaches and has the talent to play somewhere at the next level.
Covington Catholic: Covington Catholic is making the move down to 4A from 5A this season. They will be looking to continue their success that they have traditionally had and incoming senior tight end Willie Rodriguez Willie Rodriguez 6'4" | 235 lbs | TE Covington Catholic | 2024 State KY will be one of the players leading the way. Despite only playing in six games, Rodriguez still had a productive junior season, catching 14 passes for 295 yards and five touchdowns. Willie runs routes like a true receiver and has a high catch radius. He also has the speed to pose as a very dangerous target in the deep passing game. Rodriguez has truly blown up this off-season, picking up a long list of Power 5 offers and I expect that list to continue to grow as he is a special talent at the tight end position.
DeSales: DeSales is a team that is looking to bounce back this season after a winless 2022 season. If they want to turn things around, they will need a big year out of incoming senior quarterback Peyton Molter Peyton Molter 6'2" | 185 lbs | QB DeSales | 2024 State KY . As a junior, Molter completed 96/204 passes for 1,109 yards, 10 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He has a great feel for pressure, showing the ability to escape the pocket and keep his eyes down the field to make throws on the run. Molter also throws a nice deep ball, showing the ability to lead his receivers down the field and hit them in stride. Peyton doesn’t currently hold any offers but he should be a player to keep an eye on heading into his senior year.
Jeffersontown: The Chargers are another team that is coming off a winless 2022 season. If they want to push things in that right direction, they will be looking for incoming senior Lukus McDaniels Lukus McDaniels 6'5" | 230 lbs | ATH Jeffersontown | 2024 State KY to lead the way. McDaniels makes a huge impact on both sides of the ball for Jeffersontown. On offense, he took some snaps at quarterback but is mainly known for his skill as a ball carrier. McDaniels finished his junior year as his team’s leading rusher with 65 carries for 343 yards and four touchdowns in nine games. He is a physical runner with the ability to run away from the defense once he hits the open field. McDaniels was also very impressive on defense at linebacker, showing the ability to fly all over the field to make plays. He finished his junior year with 47 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, and three interceptions. McDaniels currently holds offers from Eastern Kentucky, Liberty, and Marshall, and I expect more to come his way as he is a Division I caliber talent.
Franklin County: The Flyers are a team that has consistently been right in the mix when the playoffs come around over the past few seasons. If they want to continue their success, incoming senior Ty Taylor Ty Taylor 6'1" | 215 lbs | ATH Franklin County | 2024 State KY will be one of the players to lead the way. Taylor is a player that has played on both sides of the ball and will see his role likely increase on both sides as a senior. On defense, Taylor is a very impressive linebacker, showing the ability to read his keys and get to the ball in a hurry to make tackles in the open field. He finished his junior year with 73 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and one interception. On the offensive side of the ball, Taylor is a physical, downhill runner, finishing this past season with six carries for 114 yards and two touchdowns. Taylor doesn’t currently hold any offers but he will be a player to watch this season as he has the talent to play on either side of the ball at the next level.
Harrison County: Harrison County is another team looking for a redemption year following a disappointing 2022 season. If they want to turn things around, they will need a big year from incoming senior quarterback Kaydon Custard Kaydon Custard 6'2" | 180 lbs | QB Harrison County | 2024 State KY . Custard had a solid junior year, completing 135/280 passes for 2,179 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Custard has a cannon for an arm, showing the ability to stretch the field and lead his receivers away from opposing defensive backs in the deep passing game. He has also proven to be dangerous as a ball carrier. Custard finished his junior year with 157 carries for 713 yards and 14 touchdowns. Kaydon doesn’t currently hold any offers and is also a talented basketball player so it remains to be seen what his future holds but he has the talent to play quarterback at the next level if he chooses to follow that path.
Mason County: Mason County is a team that will be looking to build off an impressive 2022 season. If they want to continue their success, incoming senior quarterback Keshaun Thomas Keshaun Thomas 6'0" | 170 lbs | QB Mason Co | 2024 State KY will lead the way. Thomas had a strong junior year, completing 139/241 passes for 2,188 yards, 24 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. Keshaun has shown a great ability to escape the pocket while keeping his eyes down the field to make throws on the run. He has also shown that he has very impressive arm strength, showing the ability to lead his receivers down the field and hit them in stride in the deep passing game. Thomas is also able to use his speed and athleticism to pose as a very dangerous threat as a ball carrier, running the ball 90 times for 382 yards and 12 touchdowns this past season. While Keshaun doesn’t currently hold any offers, he is a player to keep an eye on this season as he definitely has the talent to play somewhere at the next level.
Ashland Blazer: Ashland is another program that will be looking to build off a strong 2022 season. They have a solid group of players coming back this season but incoming senior wide receiver Brandon Houston Brandon Houston 6'2" | 180 lbs | WR Ashland Blazer | 2024 State KY stands out to me the most. Houston is coming off a strong junior year in which he finished with 39 receptions for 920 yards and nine touchdowns. Brandon lines up mainly on the outside and is able to use his speed to his advantage to run right by opposing defensive backs in the deep passing game. He is also very dangerous after the catch, showing the ability to use his speed and elusiveness to make big plays in the open field. Brandon currently holds and offer from Tennessee Tech and I expect more to come his way as he is a true Division I talent at wide receiver.
Greenup County: Greenup County is a team that will be looking to take the next step after a solid 2022 season. They will be relying heavily on incoming junior Tyson Sammons Tyson Sammons 6'0" | 195 lbs | QB Greenup County | 2025 State KY to lead the way if they want to keep things moving in the right direction. Sammons had a solid sophomore year at quarterback, completing 98/162 passes for 1,395 yards, nine touchdowns, and seven interceptions. While he is impressive as a passer, he is just as dangerous, if not more dangerous as a ball carrier. Sammons showed very impressive strength and speed as a ball carrier last season, finishing with 213 carries for 1,672 yards and 25 touchdowns. He also played a key role on defense as a sophomore, finishing with 49 tackles, three tackles for loss, and one interception which he returned for a touchdown. Tyson doesn’t currently hold any offers but he will be a very exciting player to watch over the next two seasons that could play multiple positions at the next level.
Perry County Central: To wrap up my first group of 4A teams, I have Perry County Central. They are a team that will be looking to improve following a disappointing 2022 season. If they want to turn things around, incoming senior quarterback Kizer Slone Kizer Slone 6'3" | 195 lbs | QB Perry County Central | 2024 State KY will be the man to lead the way. As a junior, Slone completed 121/225 passes for 1,672 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. Slone has a great feel for the pocket, showing the ability to move around to escape pressure while keeping his eyes down the field to find the open receiver. He has also shown the ability to stretch the field and put the ball where only his intended receiver can catch it in the deep passing game. Slone has also shown the ability to tuck the ball and make plays on the ground when he needs to. He finished his junior year with 66 carries for 289 yards and seven touchdowns. While Kizer doesn’t currently hold any offers, he will be a player for college coaches to keep an eye on as a senior.