2025 KY Stock Up Showcase: LB Standouts

This past Sunday, our Prep Redzone Stock Up Showcase tour made a stop in Elizabethtown, KY. It was a great camp with a ton of talent on display from the classes of 2025-28. However, some players did stand out above the rest and I will be taking the next few days or so to highlight those top performers at each position. After already covering the offensive side of the ball, I have now turned my attention to the defensive side of the ball. With the defensive line already taken care of, here are the top linebackers who caught my attention at Sunday's camp.    [player_tooltip player_id='1610710' first='Shawn' last='Taylor'] quickly caught my attention with an impressive performance at Sunday's camp. Taylor was named LB MVP of the camp. He was very impressive during position drills, showing good lateral agility and the ability to come downhill with a sense of urgency while staying under control. Taylor also stood out during 1v1 passing drills against the running backs, showing the ability to open up and use his speed to mirror their routes. Shawn is a player who college coaches should definitely have their eyes on over the next couple seasons.     [player_tooltip player_id='1184435' first='Ariyon' last='Stills'] is another 2027 linebacker who stood out on Sunday as he was named one of the top three linebackers at the camp. He was very impressive during the 1v1 competition, showing the ability to mirror routes then break on the ball with perfect timing to breakup the pass. Stills also impressed during position drills, showing the ability to flow to the ball quickly while keeping a good angle on the ball carrier. Ariyon doesn't currently hold any offers but he should be a player to keep an eye on heading into his junior year.     [player_tooltip player_id='1617507' first='Isaac' last='James'] was the final linebacker who was named to the top three at Sunday's camp. He impressed during the 1v1 competition, showing the ability to open up and mirror routes with ease, staying in his man's hip pocket the whole way. James also stood out during the open field competition, showing the ability to keep a good angle on the ball carrier and not fall for moves in the open field. Isaac should be a player to continue to watch as he continues to develop over the next few years.     [player_tooltip player_id='1602049' first='Charlie' last='Higdon'] jumped onto my radar this past season and continued to impress at Sunday's camp. Higdon is a bigger linebacker who moves very well for his size, showing great lateral movement along with the ability to flow over the top with a sense of urgency when the play is away from him. Charlie was very impressive during the open field drills, showing the ability to close in on the ball carrier quickly while keeping good inside position. Higdon is a player who college coaches should have their eyes on heading into the upcoming season.     The final linebacker who stood out to me at Sunday's camp was [player_tooltip player_id='1176926' first='Michael' last='Hammonds']. Hammonds was very impressive during the open field competition, keeping good inside position against the running backs while also showing the ability to close in on them quickly. He also stood out during position drills, showing the ability to read his keys quickly then flow to the ball carrier in a hurry. Hammonds doesn't currently hold any offers but he should be a player to watch heading into his senior year.

This past Sunday, our Prep Redzone Stock Up Showcase tour made a stop in Elizabethtown, KY. It was a great camp with a ton of talent on display from the classes of 2025-28. However, some players did stand out above the rest and I will be taking the next few days or so to highlight those top performers at each position. After already covering the offensive side of the ball, I have now turned my attention to the defensive side of the ball. With the defensive line already taken care of, here are the top linebackers who caught my attention at Sunday's camp.