2024 Midseason Defensive Player of the Year Watchlist

As we approach the end of the month of September, we are now at the halfway point in the 2024 high school football season in the state of Kentucky. While there have been a lot of standout performers so far this season, some have stood out above the rest. With that being said, I wanted to take some time to recognize my midseason Player of the Year watchlists. After already covering the offensive side of the ball, here is my midseason Defensive Player of the Year watchlist.    [player_tooltip player_id='1149630' first='Javeon' last='Campbell'] has continued to prove that he is one of the best overall players in the state of Kentucky. He lines up at defensive end where he is a force off the edge as a pass rusher. Campbell explodes out of his stance and uses his combination of strength and speed to blow by opposing offensive tackles with ease. Western Hills has only posted their stats from the first three games but he accounted for five sacks in those games. He has also continued to show the ability to stop the run, finishing the first three games with 13 tackles and seven tackles for loss. Javeon is committed to Kentucky where I can see him becoming a key piece of their defensive line once he gets there.     Another 2025 defensive lineman who has continued to impress this season is [player_tooltip player_id='1149579' first='Travis' last='Moten']. Moten lines up at defensive end where he is dominant as a pass rusher. He uses his speed and athleticism to his advantage to beat offensive tackles off the edge on a regular basis to get to the quarterback. Through five weeks, he is the statewide leader in sacks with 9.5. He has also been very impressive against the run, accounting for 41 tackles and 13.5 tackles for loss so far. Moten is committed to Western Michigan where I can see him making an early impact on their defensive line.     [player_tooltip player_id='283954' first='Baron' last='Hardesty'] is another defensive lineman who has stood out so far this season. He lines up at defensive end where he is very reliable against the run. Baron does a great job of reading the play and shedding blocks quickly then using his speed to get to the ball carrier in a hurry to make the tackle before they can get going. Through five games, Hardesty leads his team with 29 tackles and eight tackles for loss. He is also a force off the edge as a pass rusher, accounting for 6.5 sacks so far. Baron doesn't currently hold any offers but I expect some to come his way soon as he has received a ton of college interest and has the talent to play at the next level.     [player_tooltip player_id='373040' first='Tucker' last='Roth'] is a player who has been high on my radar for a while now and has continued to impress so far this season. Roth lines up at inside linebacker where he is very impressive against the run. He does a great job of reading his keys then coming downhill in a hurry to close in on the ball carrier and make the tackle before they can get going. Roth is off to a great start to the season, accounting for 75 tackles and 20 tackles for loss in five games. He has also shown the ability to rush the passer, coming away with five sacks so far. Tucker currently holds offers from Eastern Kentucky, Army, Air Force, and Marshall, and I expect more to come his way as he has the talent to play at the Division I level.     After a strong offseason, [player_tooltip player_id='735605' first='Davion' last='Sturgis'] has continued to stand out during his senior year. Sturgis lines up mainly at outside linebacker where he is very reliable against the run. He does a great job of reading the play quickly then using his speed to run all over the field to make tackles in the open field. Sturgis has a team-high 37.5 tackles and eight tackles for loss through the first five weeks. He has also shown the ability to wreak havoc plays as a pass rusher off the edge, accounting for six sacks so far. Davion 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 prospect.     [player_tooltip player_id='1211382' first='Montez' last='Trussell'] is another linebacker who has stood out so far this season. He is dominant against the run, showing the ability to fight through blocks with ease and flow to the ball carrier in a hurry to make the tackle in the open field. Through the first five weeks, Trussell leads his team with 42 tackles and 12 tackles for loss. He has also shown the ability to rush the passer off the edge, coming away with 6.5 sacks so far. Montez doesn't currently hold any offers but he should be a player to keep an eye on over the next couple seasons.     The final player on my midseason Defensive Player of the Year watchlist is [player_tooltip player_id='1492213' first='Jaylin' last='Craine']. Craine has been outstanding the Caverna secondary this season. He does a great job of breaking on the ball with perfect timing to make a play when it is thrown his way. Craine is the statewide interceptions leader through five weeks with five interceptions. He has shown the ability to take the ball the other way for a big play after the interception, returning one for a touchdown so far. Craine has also accounted for 11 tackles through the first five weeks. Jaylin currently holds multiple Division I basketball offers but he should still be a player to watch on the gridiron as well.

As we approach the end of the month of September, we are now at the halfway point in the 2024 high school football season in the state of Kentucky. While there have been a lot of standout performers so far this season, some have stood out above the rest. With that being said, I wanted to take some time to recognize my midseason Player of the Year watchlists. After already covering the offensive side of the ball, here is my midseason Defensive Player of the Year watchlist.