NKY 26s to Watch: LB

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As we head deeper into the month of June, the 2025 high school football season is quickly approaching. With that in mind, I wanted to take some time to highlight some incoming seniors in specific areas of the state of Kentucky. Over the past week, I have been highlighting incoming seniors at each position in Northern Kentucky. 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 take care of, here are some notable linebackers to watch in the class of 2026 in Northern Kentucky.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1506777"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6851e9ea6b5bf"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1506777' first='Brayden' last='Schoborg'] is a player who caught my attention with a very impressive junior season. Schoborg is a versatile linebacker, showing the ability to play both inside the box and on the outside. He is very reliable against the run, showing the ability to read the play quickly then flow to the ball carrier with a sense of urgency. Once he gets to the ball carrier, he explodes through contact and finishes his tackles with a ton of physicality. Brayden finished this past season with 82 tackles and seven tackles for loss in 11 games. He also showed the ability to make plays against the pass, finishing his junior year with one sack and an interception. Schoborg currently holds an offer from Thomas More and I expect more to come his way going into his senior year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1691016"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6851e9ea6b624"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1691016' first='Dax' last='Bolen'] is another linebacker who caught my attention as a junior. Bolen lines up at middle linebacker where he does a great job defending the run. He has shown the ability to read his keys then come downhill in a hurry, showing the strength to fight through any offensive linemen in his path. Once he gets to the ball carrier, he is a very reliable tackler, finishing his junior season with 70 tackles and three tackles for loss in 15 games. Dax doesn't currently hold any offers but he should be a player to keep an eye on this season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1691015"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6851ead34bb07"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1691015' first='Max' last='Wethington'] is another talented linebacker on the Cooper defense to watch this season. Wethington lines up at inside linebacker where he is very reliable against the run. He reads his keys very effectively then uses his speed to get to the ball carrier in a hurry before opposing offensive linemen can get their hands on him. Once Wethington gets to the ball carrier, he does a great job of running his feet through contact to secure the tackle. Max finished this past season with 75 tackles and three tackles for loss in 14 games. He also came away with one interception as a junior. Wethington doesn't currently hold any offers but is a player who college coaches should keep any eye on this upcoming season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1691018"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6851eb7a05ff7"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1691018' first='Brady' last='Guard'] is a player who caught my attention when breaking down junior year film. He lines up as a stand-up outside linebacker off the edge where he is very disruptive in the backfield. Guard does a great job of diagnosing the run quickly then using his speed to come down the line in a hurry to make the tackle before the ball carrier can get going. He finished this past season with 71 tackles and eight tackles for loss in 13 games. Guard also finished his junior year with two interceptions and a sack, and made an impact on offense at tight end, catching one touchdown pass. Brady has received some college interest and I expect his recruitment to continue to heat up this summer. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1691019"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6851fb995bb6f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">My final 2026 linebacker to watch in Northern Kentucky this season is [player_tooltip player_id='1691019' first='Brody' last='Aylor']. Aylor is a versatile linebacker who has shown the ability to thrive both outside and inside the box. Brody has a true nose for the football, showing the ability to read the play quickly then use his speed to close in on the ball carrier before they can get going. Once he gets to the ball carrier, he finishes his tackles with a ton of physicality. Brody finished this past season with 59 tackles and five tackles for loss in 11 games. Aylor also finished his junior year with 1.5 sacks and has shown the ability to drop into coverage. He also made an impact on offense last season, carrying the ball 13 times for 118 yards and a touchdown while also catching one touchdown pass. Brody has received some college interest and I expect him to be a player to continue to watch this upcoming season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->