2024 Rankings Update 2.0: Linebackers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the 2023 high school football season quickly approaching, it is time for some rankings updates! For the state of Kentucky, the updated Top 200 rankings for the talented 2024 class have been posted. With that being said, I will be taking the next couple weeks to breakdown these updated rankings by position. After already covering the offensive side of the ball, I have now turned my attention to the defensive side of the ball. With the defensive line already being covered, I will now turn my attention to our top linebackers in the class of 2024 in the state of Kentucky.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["408041"],"_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='408041' first='Jason' last='Hocker'] is a linebacker that has been high on our radar for a while now. He is coming off an impressive junior year in which he finished with 90 tackles and 10 tackles for loss. Hocker lines up at inside linebacker where he is very reliable against the run. He does a great job of reading his keys and flowing to the ball quickly. Once he gets to the ball carrier, he is a very reliable tackler, whether it is a run between the tackles or in the open field. He has also shown the ability to be a very reliable blitzing linebacker in passing situations. Hocker does a great job of timing the snap count to burst through his gap before opposing offensive linemen can react. Jason is committed to Akron where I see him becoming a key piece of their defense once he gets there.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["408043"],"_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":"Joining Hocker on the very talented Bryan Station defense is [player_tooltip player_id='408043' first='Dahvon' last='Frazier']. Dahvon is coming off a strong junior year of his own in which he finished with 42 tackles, eight tackles for loss, three sacks, and one fumble recovery returned for a touchdown. Frazier lines up as an off-ball outside linebacker where he is a very dangerous pass rusher. He is able to use his speed and impressive pass rush moves to blow by opposing offensive tackles off the edge. Frazier is also reliable against the run, showing the ability to run sideline to sideline to make tackles in the open field. He has also shown some reliability in pass coverage, coming away with one interception this past season. Dahvon currently holds offers from Army, Navy, Akron, Marshall, Austin Peay, West Virginia, Ohio, Eastern Kentucky, and Miami (OH), and I expect more to come his way as he is a true FBS caliber linebacker prospect.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["423658"],"_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='423658' first='Jack' last='Chappell'] is another linebacker that has remained consistently high in our rankings. He had a solid junior season, finishing with 52 tackles, five tackles for loss, and two sacks. Jack is a big, physical outside linebacker that is very dangerous as a pass rusher. He plays with a very high motor, showing an explosive first step out of his stance and running straight through opposing offensive tackles on his way to the quarterback. Against the run, he does a great job of reading the play and bursting into the backfield quickly before opposing offensive linemen have a chance to block him. Chappell has also shown some ability in pass coverage, showing the ability to line up in a hybrid safety role at times. He finished this past season with one interception. Chappell currently holds an offer from Marshall and I expect more to come his way as he has received a lot of Division I interest and has the talent to play at the FBS level.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["422904"],"_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":"[player_tooltip player_id='422904' first='Darion' last='Neal'] is a linebacker that jumped onto our radar quickly this past season. He played a key role in the Broncos winning their first state championship last season, finishing with 69 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and two sacks. Darion lines up at middle linebacker and does a great job of reading his keys against the run. He reacts quickly and flows downhill to the football in a hurry. Neal meets the ball carrier in the gap and explodes through contact to finish the tackle with a ton of physicality. He has also shown the ability to be used on blitzes in passing situations. Neal does a great job of timing the snap count to burst through his gap before the opposing offensive linemen can react. Darion currently holds  an offer from Eastern Kentucky and I expect more to come his way as he has the talent to play at the Division I level.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["313820"],"_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":"To wrap up our top five linebackers in the class of 2024 in the state of Kentucky, I have [player_tooltip player_id='313820' first='DeAndre' last='Malone']. Malone had a strong junior season, finishing with 98 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, and seven sacks. He lines up as a stand up outside linebacker where he is a very dangerous pass rusher. Malone explodes out of his stance and uses his speed to blow by opposing offensive tackles off the edge. He plays with a very high motor, showing the ability and determination to keep working to get to the quarterback. Against the run, Malone does a great job of reading the play and getting to the ball quickly to make tackles in the open field. DeAndre doesn't currently hold any offers but I expect some to come his way soon as he definitely has the talent to play at the next level.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64b1cd8dd5ea8"} /--> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Best of the Rest (Players Included in Top 200):</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>6. [player_tooltip player_id='490002' first='Bryce' last='Pugh'] (Leslie County)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>7. [player_tooltip player_id='381930' first='Major' last='Brown'] (Lexington Christian Academy)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>8. [player_tooltip player_id='423659' first='Jack' last='Lonaker'] (Cooper)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>9. [player_tooltip player_id='381911' first='Gray' last='Price'] (Greenwood)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>10. [player_tooltip player_id='316808' first='Davon' last='Rudolph'] (Ballard)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>11. [player_tooltip player_id='381912' first='Elijah' last='Hawkins'] (Logan County)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>12. [player_tooltip player_id='653370' first='Logan' last='Julian'] (Tates Creek)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>13. [player_tooltip player_id='381933' first='Kenyatta' last='Hardge'] (Lexington Christian Academy)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>14. [player_tooltip player_id='653504' first='Phoenix' last='Eddington'] (Perry County Central)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>15. [player_tooltip player_id='653368' first='Ben' last='Fay'] (Conner)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>16. [player_tooltip player_id='653502' first='Carter' last='Howard'] (Harlan County)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>17. [player_tooltip player_id='653481' first='Cain' last='Grim'] (Paintsville)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>18. [player_tooltip player_id='381935' first='Hayden' last='Kiser'] (Madison Central)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>19. [player_tooltip player_id='653387' first='Madden' last='Miller'] (Martin County)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>20. [player_tooltip player_id='495304' first='Landon' last='Colvin'] (Campbellsville)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>21. [player_tooltip player_id='653485' first='Bo' last='Patterson'] (Casey County)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->