Kentucky Future Stars: Class of 2027 Offensive Standouts

An assortment of talented middle school football players from all across the Bluegrass State teamed up to take on the Volunteer State this past weekend at Austin Peay University in the Kentucky vs. Tennessee Future Stars Game. The two states competed in a trio of competitive football matchups with Kentucky claiming two out of the three games. After breaking down some standouts from the 6th grade and 7th grade games, it's time to look at the top performers from the 8th grade game. Without any further ado, here's my list of the top offensive performers from the class of 2027.    Making a huge impact on the offensive side of the ball was [player_tooltip player_id='378829' first='Zane' last='Johnson'], a highly versatile and explosive quarterback on Team Kentucky's roster that made his presence known against Team Tennessee in the 8th grade contest. Johnson was one of two gunslingers to contribute on the field last weekend. Johnson kickstarted the Bluegrass State's offense at the beginning of the contest and had good offensive production throughout the game. In addition to excellent size and speed, what stands out about Johnson is his toughness and ability to withstand defensive pressure. Johnson additionally showcased his arm strength, pin-point accuracy in the air and his ability to punch through defenders on the ground.    I was also impressed by [player_tooltip player_id='378830' first='Gavin' last='Johnson'], an extremely efficient wide receiver for Team Kentucky that made a considerable offensive impact on the field against Team Tennessee in the 8th grade game last weekend. In addition to overwhelming defenders with his athleticism and versatility in coverage, Johnson made several big catches that contributed to the commanding win over the Volunteer State. What stands out most about Johnson is his size, speed, durability and physical playstyle, matching up well against the defense. Johnson also showcased impressive strength on the receiving core, pushing the defensive backs out of his way down the stretch and in the endzone.    Another player that made a huge difference on the offensive side of the ball was [player_tooltip player_id='838431' first='Jemari' last='Hayden'], an incredibly physical and durable running back talent on Team Kentucky's roster that made an impact on the ground against Team Tennessee last Saturday. Hayden was crucial in third-down scenarios, using his explosiveness and physicality to muscle past the defense and pick up yards when it mattered most. What stood out about Hayden is his size, speed and physicality in the pocket. He additionally showed off his ability to muscle past the defense into the open field, breaking free of the defense at several points in the game.    The Bluegrass State additionally benefitted on the offensive side of the ball from [player_tooltip player_id='871920' first='Austyn' last='Lawless'], an impressive offensive lineman and defensive lineman talent for Team Kentucky that proved to be a challenging matchup for Team Tennessee's defense in the 8th grade game last weekend. In addition to solid size, speed and overall strength, Lawless managed to contain the defense at multiple points in the contest, buying his teammates time to pick up yards and put touchdowns on the board. Another aspect of his game that contributed to his team's offensive success is his ability to contain and push defenders back behind the line of scrimmage as well as prevent the defense from applying pressure.    Also catching my attention on the offensive side of the ball was [player_tooltip player_id='378836' first='Gunner' last='Holbrook'], an impressive quarterback talent on Team Kentucky's roster that quickly surprised Team Tennessee's defense during the 8th grade contest last weekend. Holbrook was the second quarterback on the team to get playing time last Saturday, making significant contributions to the score board, including an impressive pass into the endzone to give Kentucky the lead before halftime. Holbrook showcased impressive arm strength and pin-point accuracy. In addition to several solid deep passes into the backfield, Holbrook impressed me with his size, speed and overall versatility.    Making a strong impression on the offensive side of the ball was [player_tooltip player_id='378831' first='Kade' last='Goodin'], an incredibly athletic wide receiver talent for Team Kentucky that hauled in several important passes against Team Tennessee in the 8th grade game last weekend. Goodin was a crucial piece of the Bluegrass State's receiving core last Saturday, keeping the offense in the game with his solid production down the stretch and in the endzone. Goodin showcased excellent durability and strength in coverage, using his physicality to push off defenders to make receptions. Goodin additionally had impressive size, speed and could elevate himself off the ground or dive to make catches.    I was also impressed on the offensive side of the ball by [player_tooltip player_id='871926' first='Nicholas' last='Ranson'], an explosive wide receiver talent on Team Kentucky's roster that proved to be too much for Team Tennessee to handle in the 8th grade game last weekend. Ranson caught my attention in the second half of the game, making an impressive catch and a significant pickup of yards to put his team in scoring position. What impresses me about Ranson is his size, speed and overall durability, showcasing his quickness off the snap, his ability to get in good position down the field and his ability to consistently break tackles and overwhelm defensive backs down the stretch.

An assortment of talented middle school football players from all across the Bluegrass State teamed up to take on the Volunteer State this past weekend at Austin Peay University in the Kentucky vs. Tennessee Future Stars Game. The two states competed in a trio of competitive football matchups with Kentucky claiming two out of the three games. After breaking down some standouts from the 6th grade and 7th grade games, it's time to look at the top performers from the 8th grade game. Without any further ado, here's my list of the top offensive performers from the class of 2027.