2026 Rankings Release: Linebackers
In this article:
With the 2023 high school football season being officially underway, it is the time of the year where initial rankings for the current season are being finalized. After releasing our initial 2024 and 2025 rankings updates for this season, we…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingWith the 2023 high school football season being officially underway, it is the time of the year where initial rankings for the current season are being finalized. After releasing our initial 2024 and 2025 rankings updates for this season, we have now turned our attention to a class debut in our rankings. The 2026 class is loaded with several talented players but some stood out above the rest to make our initial Top 100. With those rankings being officially posted, I will now be breaking them down by position. After covering the offensive side of the ball, I have now turned my attention to defensive side of the ball. With the defensive line already being covered, I will now focus on our top linebackers in the class of 2026 in the state of Kentucky.
Isaac Estrada Isaac Estrada 5’10” | 220 lbs | LB Shelby County | 2026 State KY is a linebacker that is coming off a very impressive freshman year. Estrada led his team last season with 111 total tackles along with six tackles for loss. Isaac lines up at middle linebacker where he does a great job of reading his keys and flowing to the ball in a hurry. He has shown the ability to fight through blocks on his way to the ball carrier and is a very reliable open field tackler once he gets there. Isaac doesn’t currently hold any offers but he is definitely a player to keep an eye on as he continues to develop.
Wyatt Raney Wyatt Raney 5’11” | 205 lbs | LB Meade County | 2026 State KY is another linebacker that caught my attention as a freshman. Last season, Raney finished with 101 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and one sack. Raney has shown the versatility to play inside and outside linebacker, and is very reliable agains the run. He does a great job of reading his keys and flowing to the ball quickly to make tackles in the open field. Raney is also a reliable blitzer, showing the ability to time the snap count and burst into the backfield to get to the ball carrier before the opposing offensive linemen can react. Through his first two games this season, Raney has 12 tackles. Wyatt doesn’t currently hold any offers but he is a player for college coaches to keep an eye on over the next few seasons.
Highlights
Dalton Matney Dalton Matney 6’0″ | 190 lbs | LB Johnson Central | 2026 State KY is a player that has recently jumped onto my radar. Matney is coming off a solid freshman year in which he finished with 51 tackles, two tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. Dalton lines up at middle linebacker where he does a great job of reading his keys and coming downhill in a hurry to meet the ball carrier in the gap on inside runs. On outside runs, Matney takes great angles to the ball and is a very reliable tackler in the open field. Matney is off to a strong start to his sophomore season as he has 19 tackles and two tackles for loss through the first two weeks. Dalton doesn’t currently hold any offers but he is a player that college coaches will want to pay attention to over the next few seasons.
Another linebacker that has recently jumped onto my radar is Austin Tremblay Austin Tremblay 6’3″ | 250 lbs | LB Madison Central | 2026 State KY . After mainly playing in a reserve role last season, Tremblay has stepped into a starting role this year. Tremblay is a big, physical linebacker that is very impressive against the run. He comes downhill in a hurry and has shown the ability to meet the ball carrier in the gap to stop them in their tracks before they can get going. Austin also does a great job of flowing to the ball on outside runs and fighting through blocks on his way to the ball carrier, and is a very reliable open field tackler once he gets there. While Austin doesn’t currently hold any offers, he is definitely a player to keep an eye on as his role in the Madison Central defense continues to grow.
To wrap up our top five linebackers in the class of 2026 in the state of Kentucky, I have Stryker Davidson Stryker Davidson 6’0″ | 190 lbs | LB George Rogers Clark | 2026 State KY from Montgomery County. Davidson is coming off a strong freshman year in which he finished with 80 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. Stryker lines up at outside linebacker where he is very impressive against the run. He does a great job of reading the play and flowing to the ball quickly to make tackles in the open field. Davidson has also shown the ability to use his speed off the edge to burst into the backfield to cause disruption before opposing offensive tackles have a chance to block him. Stryker doesn’t currently hold any offers but he should be a player for college coaches to keep an eye on as he continues to develop.
Highlights
Best of the Rest (Players Included in Top 100):
6. Chapman Russell Chapman Russell 6'0" | 205 lbs | LB Christian Academy Of Louisville | 2026 State KY (Christian Academy of Louisville)
7. Cooper Mobley Cooper Mobley 6'1" | 210 lbs | LB Caldwell County | 2026 State KY (Caldwell County)
8. Mac Darland Mac Darland 6'2" | 220 lbs | LB Lexington Christian Academy | 2026 State KY (Lexington Christian Academy)
9. Eli Hampton Eli Hampton 6'0" | 185 lbs | LB Owensboro | 2026 State KY (Owensboro)
10. Caden Caldwell Caden Caldwell LB Leslie County | 2026 State KY (Leslie County)
11. Kadin Thompson Kadin Thompson 6'0" | 180 lbs | LB West Carter | 2026 KY (West Carter)
12. Zackary Carroll Zackary Carroll 5'11" | 165 lbs | LB Knox Central | 2026 KY (Knox Central)