2023 All-Junior Team: Defense

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Now that the 2023 high school football season is behind us and we are in a new year, I wanted to take the time to look back at some of the top players from this past season. As we have already done a lot of coverage on the senior class, I wanted to focus on the top players in the 2025, 26, and 27 classes from this past season. I've kicked this off with my 2023 All-Junior Team. After already covering the offense, here is my All-Junior Defense for the state of Kentucky from the 2023 season. </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'] established himself as the top overall player in the state in his class after another impressive season. Alexander lined up at defensive end where he was very impressive as a pass rusher. He explodes out of his stance and shows the ability to use his combination of speed, strength, and quickness to blow by opposing offensive tackles off the edge. Austin finished his junior year with 19 sacks in 15 games. He also showed the ability to use his high motor to run sideline to sideline to make tackles against the run, finishing this past season with 81 tackles and eight tackles for loss. Alexander also came away with one interception this past season. He also played a key role on offense as a tight end, catching 67 passes for 1,138 yards and 19 touchdowns. Alexander holds a long list of Division I/Power 4 offers and I expect that list to continue to grow as he is a truly special talent.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["1149630"],"_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":"[player_tooltip player_id='1149630' first='Javeon' last='Campbell'] is a player that caught a ton of attention with an impressive 2023 season. He is a big, athletic defensive end that is dominant off the edge as a pass rusher. Campbell plays with a high motor, and is able to use his speed and strength to blow by opposing offensive tackles with ease and get to the quarterback. He finished this past season with 12.5 sacks in nine games. Campbell has also shown the ability to stop the run, reading the play quickly and getting to the ball carrier in a hurry to make tackles in the open field. Javeon currently holds offers from Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, West Virginia, Western Kentucky, Purdue, Cincinnati, Minnesota, and Eastern Kentucky, and I expect more to come his way as he is a true Power 4 caliber prospect.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["919067"],"_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='919067' first='Camron' last='McDaniels'] is a player that has been high on my radar for a while now and continues to impress this past season. McDaniels lined up at defensive end where he was very impressive as a pass rusher. Camron explodes out of his stance and is able to use his speed to blow by offensive tackles and get to the quarterback. He finished his junior season with 15 sacks in 11 games. Camron also came away with two interceptions this past season. McDaniels also showed the ability to stop the run, finishing the season with 52 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, and two fumble recoveries returned for touchdowns. He also played a role on offense, catching 26 passes for 445 yards and eight touchdowns. Camron currently holds offers from Eastern Kentucky and Southern Illinois, and I expect more to come his way as he has the talent to play at the Division I level.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["373041"],"_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":"Another junior defensive lineman that stood out to me this past season was [player_tooltip player_id='373041' first='Cameron' last='Jessee']. Cameron lined up at defensive end where he was dominant off the edge as a pass rusher. Jessee has explosive speed out of his stance which he uses to blow by opposing offensive tackles with ease. He finished this past season with 11 sacks in 12 games. Jessee also showed the ability to cause disruption against the run, finishing the season with 77 tackles and eight tackles for loss. He also came away with one interception which he returned for a touchdown and returned one fumble recovery for a touchdown. Jessee also played a role on offense as a tight end, catching nine passes for 169 yards and a touchdown. Cameron currently holds an offer from Eastern Kentucky and I expect more to come his way as he is a Division I caliber prospect.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["373781"],"_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='373781' first='Vincent' last='Carrico'] was one of the most productive defensive players in the state this past season, regardless of class. He lined up at inside linebacker where he was very impressive against the run. Carrico showed the ability to read his keys and flow to the ball carrier quickly to make tackles in the open field. He finished his junior year with 197 tackles and 13.5 tackles for loss in 15 games. Vincent also showed the ability to make plays against the pass, finishing the season with four sacks and one interception. Carrico currently holds an offer from Kentucky Wesleyan and I expect more to come his way as he has the talent to be a very productive linebacker at the next level.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["373040"],"_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='373040' first='Tucker' last='Roth'] is a linebacker that has been high on my radar for a while now and continued to stand out this past season. He lined up at middle linebacker where he was dominant against the run. Roth does a great job of reading his keys and coming downhill in a hurry to meet the ball carrier before they can get going. Once he gets there, he finishes his tackles with a ton of physicality. Tucker finished his junior year with 120 tackles and six tackles for loss in 11 games. He also showed the ability to blitz in passing situations, finishing the season with 2.5 sacks. Roth also caught one touchdown pass on offense. Tucker currently holds an offer from Eastern Kentucky and I expect more to come his way as he is a Division I caliber linebacker prospect.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["586098"],"_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='586098' first='Brenden' last='Anthony'] is another player that has been high on my radar for a while now that continued to impress this past season. Anthony lined up at inside linebacker where he was very impressive against the run. He does a great job of reading his keys and flowing to the ball carrier in a hurry to make tackles in the open field. Brenden finished this past season with 115 tackles and 10 tackles for loss in 12 games. He was also impressive against the pass, finishing the season with one sack and an interception, which he returned for a touchdown. Brenden also finished the season as his team's leading rusher, carrying the ball 137 times for 1,418 yards and 19 touchdowns, while also catching one touchdown pass. Anthony 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_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_7_player":["1149637"],"_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":"[player_tooltip player_id='1149637' first='Amarein' last='Atkinson'] is a player that jumped onto my radar with a very successful junior season. Atkinson lined up at linebacker where he was very impressive against the run, He does a great job of reading his keys and exploding out of his stance to get to the ball carrier before they can get going. Atkinson does a good job of running his feet through contact once he gets there, not allowing for any extra yards to be gained. Amarein finished this past season with 151 tackles and 12 tackles for loss in 14 games. Atkinson doesn't currently hold any offers but I expect some to come his way going into his senior year as he has the talent to play somewhere at the next level.","_player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_8_player":["919065"],"_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='919065' first='Jeremiah' last='Jones'] is a player that has been high on my radar for a while now and continued to stand out this past season. Jones lined up at strong safety/outside linebacker where he was dominant against the run. He showed the ability to read the play and come downhill in a hurry to make tackles in the open field. Jones finished the season with 66 tackles, four tackles for loss, and one fumble recovery returned for a touchdown in 11 games. He also showed the ability to make big plays against the pass, finishing the season with two interceptions and five sacks. Jones is also an explosive player on offense, spending time at both receiver and quarterback this past season. He finished the year with 1,173 yards of total offense and 11 total touchdowns. Jones currently holds offers from Nebraska, Louisville, Murray State, and Eastern Kentucky, and I expect more to come his way as he is a Power 4 caliber prospect.","_player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_9_player":["334645"],"_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='334645' first='Martels' last='Carter Jr'] quickly established himself as one of the top players in the state after transferring to Paducah Tilghman this past season. Carter lined up at safety where he was very impressive in pass coverage. He does a great job of reading the quarterback and route combinations, and then breaking on the ball with perfect timing to make a play. Carter finished this past season with three interceptions in 13 games. He also showed the ability to fill the lane to provide run support, finishing the season with 44 tackles and one tackle for loss. Carter also finished the season as his team's leading receiver with 43 catches for 1,066 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also ran the ball 17 times for 214 yards and three touchdowns, and returned five punts and one kickoff for touchdowns. Martels currently holds offers from Kentucky, Ole Miss, and Eastern Kentucky, and I expect more to come his way as he has the talent to play for a Power 4 program.","_player_evaluations_9_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_10_player":["735557"],"_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 2023 All-Junior Defense, I have [player_tooltip player_id='735557' first='Antonio' last='Harris']. Harris continued to impress at corner where he locks down his receiver in man coverage. Antonio does a great job of opening up and running with receivers to mirror their routes, staying in their hip pocket the whole time. When the ball is thrown his way, he breaks on the ball with perfect timing to make a play. He finished the season with two interceptions and several pass break ups in 12 games. Harris also played a key role on offense as a receiver, finishing the season with 25 receptions for 620 yards and 11 touchdowns. Antonio currently holds multiple Division I/Power 4 offers and I expect more to come his way as he is a talented prospect on both sides of the ball.","_player_evaluations_10_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":11,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65bae5f380cf3"} /--> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Honorable Mention:</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Defensive Line: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='496965' first='Preston' last='Cowan'] (Paris); [player_tooltip player_id='735673' first='Luke' last='Toothaker'] (Franklin County); [player_tooltip player_id='1149579' first='Travis' last='Moten'] (Fern Creek); [player_tooltip player_id='735671' first='Dillon' last='Smith'] (Ryle)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Linebacker: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='311506' first='Preston' last='Williams'] (Madison Southern); [player_tooltip player_id='725010' first='Ryan' last='Rayhill'] (Bullitt East); [player_tooltip player_id='422907' first='Hunter' last='Adams'] (Lexington Christian Academy); [player_tooltip player_id='735552' first='Brock' last='Driver'] (Boyle County); [player_tooltip player_id='735611' first='Josh' last='Lainhart'] (Collins)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Defensive Back: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='919064' first='Buddy' last='Collins'] (Scott County); [player_tooltip player_id='502745' first='Demauriah' last='Brown'] (Boyle County); [player_tooltip player_id='373792' first='Ethan' last='Moore'] (Madison Southern)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->