2027 Rankings Release: Defensive Line
Rank Player Height High School Commitment Weight 1 Elijah Luna 6’2″ John Hardin 265 2 LaMonte Brown Jr. 6’1″ Frederick Douglass 240 3 Griffin Benke 6’4″ Highlands 200 4 Braylon Thomas 6’1″ Breathitt County 250 5 Ty Brooks 6’2″ Lawrence…
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Rank
|
Player
|
Height
|
High School
|
Commitment
|
Weight
|
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
6’2″
|
John Hardin
|
||||
2 |
6’1″
|
Frederick Douglass
|
||||
3 |
6’4″
|
Highlands
|
||||
4 |
6’1″
|
Breathitt County
|
||||
5 |
6’2″
|
Lawrence County
|
||||
6 |
6’3″
|
South Warren
|
||||
7 |
5’10”
|
Franklin County
|
||||
8 |
5’11”
|
Ballard
|
||||
9 |
6’5″
|
Betsy Layne
|
||||
10 |
6’1″
|
Ashland
|
||||
11 |
5’11”
|
Fairdale
|
||||
12 |
6’4″
|
Highlands
|
||||
WL |
5’9″
|
Rockcastle
|
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Continue ReadingAs we head into the 2024 high school football offseason, it is time for some rankings updates! After already covering the 2025 and 2026 classes, we have now officially released our initial Top 75 rankings for the class of 2027. With that being said, I will be taking the next week or so to break down these rankings by position. After already covering the offensive side of the ball, I will now turn my attention to the defensive side of the ball, starting with our top defensive linemen in the class of 2027 in the state of Kentucky.
Elijah Luna Elijah Luna 6’2″ | 265 lbs | DL John Hardin | 2027 State KY established himself as the top defensive lineman in his class with a strong freshman season. He lines up at defensive end where he is dominant against the run. Luna does a great job of fighting through blocks and getting to the ball carrier in a hurry to make tackles in the open field. He finished this past season with 71 tackles and 23 tackles for loss in 11 games. Luna also showed the ability to rush the passer, finishing the season with 10 sacks. Elijah doesn’t currently hold any offers but he is definitely a player to keep an eye on over the next few seasons.
LaMonte Brown Jr. LaMonte Brown Jr. 6’1″ | 240 lbs | DL Frederick Douglass | 2027 State KY is another defensive lineman that caught our attention as a freshman. He played a key role on the Bryan Station defense at defensive tackle. Brown is a very impressive pass rusher, showing the ability to explode out of his stance and use his speed to blow by opposing offensive linemen. He finished this past season with two sacks and several quarterback hurries in 10 games. Brown also showed the ability to stop the run, finishing the season with 14 tackles and two tackles for loss. LaMonte recently transferred to Frederick Douglass where I expected a lot of eyes to be on him over the next few seasons.
Although he played in mainly a JV/reserve role this past season, Griffin Benke Griffin Benke 6’4″ | 200 lbs | DL Highlands | 2027 State KY is a player that stood out to me on film. He is a long, athletic defensive end that is a very dangerous pass rusher off the edge. Benke explodes out of his stance and is able to use his speed to blow by opposing offensive tackles on his way to the quarterback. He has also shown the ability to read the run quickly and get to the ball carrier in a hurry to make tackles in the open field. Griffin doesn’t currently hold any offers but he is a player to keep an eye on as his role continues to grow on the Highlands defense.
Highlights
Braylon Thomas Braylon Thomas 6’1″ | 250 lbs | DL Breathitt County | 2027 State KY is a player that has been on our radar for a while now and co tinned to impress this past season. Thomas has shown the versatility to line up at both defensive end and on the inside at defensive tackle. He is a disruptive pass rusher, showing the ability to use his speed and strength to fight through blocks to get to the quarterback. Thomas has also shown the ability to stop the run, getting to the ball carrier in a hurry to make tackles in the open field. Braylon doesn’t currently hold any offers but is a player to keep an eye on as he continues to develop.
To wrap up our top five defensive linemen in the class of 2027 in the state of Kentucky, I have Ty Brooks Ty Brooks 6’2″ | 275 lbs | DL Lawrence County | 2027 State KY . Ty lines up at defensive end where he is disruptive against the run. He does a great job of reading the play and fighting through blocks to get to the ball carrier in a hurry to make tackles. Ty has also shown the ability to rush the passer, using his speed and strength to blow by opposing offensive linemen. Brooks doesn’t currently hold any offers but should be a player to keep an eye on over the next few seasons.
Other Players Included in Top 75:
6. Jaquise Smith Jaquise Smith 6'3" | 305 lbs | DL South Warren | 2027 State KY (South Warren)
7. Zander Edington Zander Edington 5'10" | 235 lbs | DL Franklin County | 2027 State KY (Franklin County)