2023 Regular Season All-State Team: 5A Defense

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As we begin the month of November, one of the most exciting times of the year is finally here, playoff football! With the 2023 high school football season in the state of Kentucky behind us, I wanted to focus on some of the top players from this past season. In order to do this, I will be releasing my Regular Season All-State teams in each class. With class 6A out of the way, I have now turned my attention to class 5A. After already covering the offensive side of the ball, here is my 5A Regular Season All-State Defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["373821"],"_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='373821' first='Austin' last='Alexander'] has continued to prove that he is one of the top players in the entire state this season. Alexander lines up at defensive end where he is a force off the edge as a pass rusher. He uses an impressive blend of speed and strength, along with some nice pass rush moves, to blow by opposing offensive tackles and get to the quarterback. Austin finished the regular season with 14 sacks. Alexander also showed the ability to make plays in pass coverage, coming away with one interception. He has also shown the ability to read the play and shed blocks quickly then get to the ball carrier in a hurry to make tackles against the run, finishing the regular season with 58 tackles and five tackles for loss. Austin also was one of the team's leading receivers at tight end but he still stood out the most on defense. Alexander currently holds several Power 5 offers and I expect more to come his way as he is a truly special talent.","_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":"[player_tooltip player_id='1121532' first='Layton' last='Starks']","_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":"6'5u0022","_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":"Woodford County","_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":"[player_tooltip player_id='1121532' first='Layton' last='Starks'] is another high caliber defensive end that stood out to me this season. Starks is a long, athletic pass rusher that is very impressive off the edge. He explodes out of his stance and has shown the ability to use his speed to his advantage to blow by opposing offensive tackles on his way to the quarterback. Starks finished his final regular season with eight sacks. He also proved to be reliable against the run. Starks plays with a high motor and has shown the ability to get to the ball carrier in a hurry to make tackles in the open field before they can get going. He finished the regular season with 45.5 tackles and 16.5 tackles for loss. Starks also played a role on offense as a receiver but he still looked his best on defense. Layton is committed to Ball State where I can see him developing into a productive pass rusher for them once he gets there.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["283960"],"_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='283960' first='Cole' last='Rose'] is a young defensive lineman that jumped onto my radar this season. He lines up at defensive end where he has been very impressive against the run. Cole does a great job of stacking blocks and reading the play then shedding them quickly once he sees where the ball is going. He uses his speed to get to the ball carrier in a hurry and is a very reliable tackler in the open field once he gets there. Rose finished the regular season with 81 tackles and 14 tackles for loss. He has also shown the ability to use his speed to his advantage off the edge as a pass rusher, finishing the regular season with 8.5 sacks. Cole doesn't currently hold any offers but he is a player that college coaches should definitely keep an eye on heading into his final two seasons of high school football.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["490012"],"_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":"My final defensive lineman to make this team is [player_tooltip player_id='490012' first='Austin' last='Johnson'] from North Laurel. Johnson caught my attention last season and continued to impress as a senior. He lines up at defensive end where he has been very impressive against the run. Johnson explodes out of his stance and uses his strength and speed to fight through and blow right by offensive linemen to get to the ball carrier to make the tackle before they can get going. He finished the regular season with 86 tackles and four tackles for loss. Austin also showed the ability to use his speed to blow by opposing offensive tackles off the edge as a pass rusher, finishing the regular season with seven sacks. Johnson currently holds an offer from Union College and I  wouldn't be surprised to see more come his way as he has the talent to play at the next level.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["438173"],"_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":"[player_tooltip player_id='438173' first='Brach' last='Rice'] has been one of the most dominant defensive players in the entire state this season. The senior linebacker has been very impressive against the run, showing the ability to read his keys and flow to the ball carrier quickly. Once he gets to the ball carrier, he does a great job of exploding through contact and finishes his tackles with a ton of physicality. Rice finished the regular season with 145 tackles and 31 tackles for loss. He also showed the ability to come off the edge and cause disruption as a pass rusher. Brach finished the regular season with 13 sacks. He also played a role on offense as a ball carrier but he definitely does the most damage on defense. Rice is committed to Miami (OH) and I can see him developing into a key piece of their defense once he gets there.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["423659"],"_player_evaluations_5_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='423659' first='Jack' last='Lonaker'] is a linebacker that has been high on my radar for a while now and has continued to impress as a senior. He lines up at inside linebacker where he does a great job of reading his keys and flowing to the ball in a hurry to stop the run. Lonaker plays with a high motor and has shown the ability to run sideline to sideline to make tackles in the open field. He finished the regular season with 105 tackles and six tackles for loss. Lonaker has also shown the ability to blitz and get to the quarterback, showing the ability to time the snap count perfectly to burst through his gap before opposing offensive linemen can react. He finished the regular season with four sacks. Jack also showed the ability to make plays in pass coverage, finishing the regular season with one interception. Lonaker currently holds offers from Lindsey Wilson, Massachusetts Maritime, Thomas More, Baldwin Wallace, and Mount Saint Joseph, and I could see more coming his way as he has the talent to be a productive linebacker at the next level.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["381911"],"_player_evaluations_6_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='381911' first='Gray' last='Price'] is another linebacker that has been high on my radar for a while and has continued to stand out this season. Price lines up at inside linebacker where he is very reliable against the run. He does a great job of reading his keys and coming downhill in a hurry to get to the ball carrier. Price has shown the ability to fight through blocks on his way to the ball carrier and is a very reliable tackler once he gets there. Gray finished the regular season with 106 tackles and eight tackles for loss. He also played a role on offense as a running back but was at his best on defense. Price doesn't currently hold any offers but he deserves some attention from college coaches as he has the talent to play somewhere at the next level.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_7_player":["735611"],"_player_evaluations_7_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"My final linebacker on this team is [player_tooltip player_id='735611' first='Josh' last='Lainhart'] from Collins. Lainhart lines up at inside linebacker where he does a great job against the run. He does a good job of reading his keys and flowing to the ball carrier in a hurry. Once he gets to the ball carrier, Lainhart is a very reliable tackler, showing the ability to run his feet through contact to secure the tackle. Josh finished the regular season with 117 tackles and four tackles for loss. He also showed the ability to make plays in pass coverage, coming away with one interception and returning it for a touchdown. Lainhart doesn't currently hold any offers but he should be a player for college coaches to keep a close eye on going into his senior year.","_player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_8_player":["401715"],"_player_evaluations_8_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_8_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_8_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='401715' first='Juelz' last='Davila'] is a young defensive back that has jumped onto my radar this season. He lines up at safety where he has been very impressive in pass coverage. Davila has shown the ability to read the quarterback and route combinations to break on the ball with perfect timing to make a play. He finished the regular season with four interceptions, returning two of them for touchdowns. Juelz has also shown the ability to come downhill and fill the lane to provide support against the run. He finished the regular season with 86 tackles. Davila doesn't currently hold any offers but he is a player for college coaches to keep a close on eye as he continues to develop over the next two seasons.","_player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_9_player":["1076928"],"_player_evaluations_9_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_9_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_9_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_9_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_9_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_9_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='1076928' first='Brayden' last='Hall'] is another young defensive back that has stood out to me this season. Hall lines up on the outside at corner where he is very impressive in man coverage, showing the ability to open up with receivers to mirror their routes. When the ball is thrown his way, Hall does a great job of breaking on the ball to make a play, finishing the regular season with seven interceptions. He has also shown the ability to come downhill and make tackles against the run, finishing the regular season with 40 tackles and one tackle for loss. Hall also played a key role on offense at receiver but looked his best in the secondary. Brayden doesn't currently hold any offers but he should be a player to keep an eye on as he continues to develop over the next couple seasons.","_player_evaluations_9_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_10_player":["468474"],"_player_evaluations_10_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_10_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_10_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_10_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_10_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_10_evaluation":"To wrap up my 5A Regular Season All-State Defense, I have [player_tooltip player_id='468474' first='Beni' last='Mwamba'] from Dixie Heights. Mwamba is a lock down corner on the outside that is very impressive in man coverage. He has shown the ability to play press man, showing the ability to jam receivers at the top of their routes then open up and run with them while staying in their hip pocket. When the ball is thrown his way, he does a great job of reacting with perfect timing to make a play. He finished the regular season with three interceptions. Mwamba has also shown the ability to come downhill and provide support against the run, finishing the regular season with 39 tackles and one tackle for loss. He also played a key role on offense as a receiver and returned one kickoff return for a touchdown on special teams. Beni currently holds Lehigh, Butler, Dayton, Thomas More, and Dartmouth, and I expect more to come his way as he is a Division I caliber prospect at corner.","_player_evaluations_10_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":11,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-654b137cd88cb"} /--> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Honorable Mention</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Defensive Line: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1175834' first='Jacob' last='Sutton'] (Graves County, 2024); [player_tooltip player_id='401702' first='Deven' last='Leclercq'] (Southwestern, 2026)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Linebacker: </strong>Blake Dodds (Dixie Heights, 2024); [player_tooltip player_id='311506' first='Preston' last='Williams'] (Madison Southern, 2025)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Defensive Back: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1149574' first='Kwame' last='Anderson'] (Fairdale, 2025)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->