2024 Midseason All-State Teams: 5A Defense

As we near the end of the month of September, he have reached the halfway point in the 2024 high school football regular season in the state of Kentucky. With that being said, I wanted to take a look back at some of the top players of the first half by releasing my Midseason All-State teams in each class. After covering 6A, I have now turned my attention to class 5A. With the offensive side of the ball already being covered, here is my Midseason 5A All-State Defense.    [player_tooltip player_id='373821' first='Austin' last='Alexander'] has continued to establish himself as one of the best overall players in the entire state. He lines up at defensive end where he is dominant off the edge as a pass rusher. Austin is able to use his impressive combination of speed, strength, and quickness to blow by opposing offensive tackles with ease. He has four sacks in five games this season. Alexander has also shown the ability to stop the run, accounting for 15 tackles and four tackles for loss so far. He also plays a key role on offense at tight end, catching 21 passes for 334 yards and four touchdowns so far this season. Alexander is committed to North Carolina where I can see him becoming a key piece of their defense once he gets there.     [player_tooltip player_id='1405986' first='Brandon' last='Gurley'] is a player who has caught my attention with a strong senior year so far. He lines up at defensive end where he is very impressive as a pass rusher. Gurley explodes out of his stance and is able to use his speed to blow by opposing offensive tackles off the edge. He has 3.5 sacks through five games. Brandon has also proven to be reliable against the run, accounting for 26 tackles and seven tackles for loss so far. Gurley currently holds an offer from Kentucky Christian and I expect more to come his way as he has the talent to play at the next level.     [player_tooltip player_id='1508085' first='Xavier' last='Conrad'] is another defensive end who has grabbed my attention this season. He is a very impressive pass rusher off the edge, showing the ability to use his speed to his advantage to shoot into the pocket before opposing offensive tackles can get their hands on him. Xavier has also shown some impressive pass rush moves which he uses to defeat blocks. Conrad has three sacks in five games this season. He has also shown the ability to fly all over the field to make tackles against the run. Xavier has 28 tackles and three tackles for loss so far this season. Conrad doesn't currently hold any offers but he should be a player to continue to keep an eye on.     [player_tooltip player_id='1211382' first='Montez' last='Trussell'] is off to a dominant start to his junior year. He has shown the versatility to play both inside the box and off the edge. When he plays off the edge, he has shown the ability to cause disruption as a pass rusher as he currently leads 5A with 6.5 sacks through the first five weeks. He is also dominant against the run, showing the ability to read his keys and come downhill to get to the ball carrier in a hurry and make the tackle in the open field. Trussell currently leads his team with 42 tackles and 12 tackles for loss. Montez doesn't currently hold any offers but he should be a player to watch over the next two seasons.     [player_tooltip player_id='1507997' first='Will' last='Rhody'] is a linebacker who has caught my attention with a strong start to his senior year. Rhody is very impressive against the run, showing the ability to read his keys quickly then flow to the ball carrier in a hurry to make the tackle before they can get going. Through the first five weeks, he leads 5A in tackles with 62 along with five tackles for loss. He has also shown the ability to rush the passer, accounting for four sacks so far. Rhody is also his team's leading rusher, running the ball 53 times for 513 yards and 11 touchdowns so far this season. Will doesn't currently hold any offers but he is a player who college coaches should be watching during his senior year.       [player_tooltip player_id='735605' first='Davion' last='Sturgis'] is a linebacker who has been high on my radar for a while now and has continued to impress this season. Sturgis lines up at outside linebacker where he is very impressive off the edge as a pass rusher. He is able to use his explosive speed and athleticism to blow by opposing offensive tackles with ease on his way to the quarterback. Sturgis has six sacks through five games this season. Davion is also very reliable against the run, leading his team with 37.5 tackles and eight tackles for loss so far. Sturgis currently holds offers from Eastern Kentucky, Morehead State, and Thomas More, and I expect more to come his way as he is a Division I caliber linebacker prospect.     [player_tooltip player_id='331755' first='Jeremiah' last='Parker'] is another linebacker who has been high on my radar for a while now and has continued to stand out this season. Parker plays outside linebacker but still mainly plays inside the box and is built more like an inside linebacker. He is dominant against the run, showing the ability to read his keys and come downhill in a hurry to get to the ball carrier. Once he gets to the ball carrier, he explodes through contact and finishes his tackles with a ton of physicality. Parker currently leads his team with 52 tackles and 11 tackles for loss in five games. He has also shown the ability to make plays against the pass, both as a rusher and in coverage, accounting for five sacks and returning one interception for a touchdown so far. Jeremiah has also blocked two punts this season. Parker currently holds offers from Eastern Kentucky, Tennessee State, Marshall, Kentucky State, and Walsh, and I expect more to come his way as he has the talent to play at the Division I level.     [player_tooltip player_id='1175817' first='Ryker' last='Campbell'] has grabbed my attention quickly this season with a strong start to his junior year. Campbell is very impressive in pass coverage at safety, showing the ability to read the quarterback and break on the ball with perfect timing to make a play. He is currently tied for the 5A lead in interceptions with four in five games. Ryker also does a great job of filling the lane to provide support against the run. He currently leads his team with 28 tackles. Campbell has also caught one touchdown pass this season. Ryker doesn't currently hold any offers but he should be a player to watch over the next couple seasons.     [player_tooltip player_id='1508089' first='Eh'Madjai' last='Badger'] is another defensive back who has jumped onto my radar this season. Badger lines up at corner where he is very impressive in man coverage, showing the ability to open up and run with receivers to mirror their routes. When the ball is thrown his way, he has shown the ability to break on the ball with perfect timing to make a play. Badger is currently tied for the 5A lead in interceptions with four int five games. He has also accounted for 10 tackles and one tackle for loss so far this season. Badger also plays a key role on offense, catching eight passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns so far. Eh'Madjai doesn't currently hold any offers but he should be a player to continue to keep an eye on.     To wrap up my Midseason 5A All-State Defense, I have [player_tooltip player_id='1508088' first='AJ' last='Joway']. Joway lines up at safety where he is very impressive in pass coverage. He does a great job of reading route combinations then covering a ton of ground quickly to put himself in a position to make a play on the ball. Through five weeks, he is tied with Campbell and Badger for the 5A lead in interceptions with four. He has also accounted for nine tackles and is Seneca's leading receiver, catching nine passes for 181 yards and four touchdowns so far this season. Joway doesn't currently hold any offers but he is definitely a player who will be worth keeping a close eye on over the next two seasons.    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Honorable Mention</h2>   Defensive Line: Marveen Moise (Boone County, 2026)   Linebacker: [player_tooltip player_id='1200577' first='Ty' last='Ashley'] (Owensboro, 2027); [player_tooltip player_id='1248480' first='Colton' last='Veltkamp'] (South Warren, 2025); [player_tooltip player_id='1577061' first='Bradyn' last='Martin'] (South Warren, 2025)   Defensive Back: Jackson Busel (North Bullitt, 2025); Jari Hardy (Collins, 2026)

As we near the end of the month of September, he have reached the halfway point in the 2024 high school football regular season in the state of Kentucky. With that being said, I wanted to take a look back at some of the top players of the first half by releasing my Midseason All-State teams in each class. After covering 6A, I have now turned my attention to class 5A. With the offensive side of the ball already being covered, here is my Midseason 5A All-State Defense.