2025 Preseason All-State Team: 2A Defense

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The time has finally come, Week 1 of the 2025 high school football season is officially here! With this in mind, I wanted to highlight the top players in each class in the state of Kentucky with my Preseason All-State Teams. After already covering classes 3A-6A, I have now turned my attention to class 2A. With the offense already taken care of, here is my Preseason All-State 2A defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["401709"],"_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-68a8ce57e0b2b"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='401709' first='Jackson' last='Whitten'] is a player how has been high on my radar for a while now. Whitten line up at defensive end where he is a dominant force against the run. He explodes out of his stance and uses his strength to fight through blocks with ease on his way to the ball carrier. Once he gets to the ball carrier, Jackson is a very reliable tackler in the open field. He causes a ton of disruption as a junior, finishing the year with 82 tackles and 30 tackles for loss. Whitten has also shown the ability to use an impressive combination of strength and speed to blow by opposing offensive linemen as a pass rusher, finishing last season with 9.5 sacks. Jackson has also spent some time at quarterback but he will be moving to offensive tackle this season to help out on the line. Whitten currently holds offers from Dayton, Cornell, Colgate, Penn, Morehead State, and Butler, and I expect more to come his way as he has the talent to play at the Division I level. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1706091"],"_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-68a8cf850cb2c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1706091' first='Brandin' last='Woods'] jumped onto my radar with a very impressive junior year. Woods lines up at defensive end where he creates havoc in the backfield both against the run and as a pass rusher. Brandin is very explosive out of his stance, using his speed to blow by opposing offensive linemen before they have a chance to block him. When linemen are able to get their hands on him, Woods has shown the ability to shed blocks with ease. Once he gets to the ball carrier, he does a great job of running his feet through contact to secure the tackle. Brandin currently holds offers from Bowling Green Stats, Bethune-Cookman, Eastern Kentucky, and UT-Martin, and I expect more to come his way this season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["401711"],"_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-68a8d09ab57d8"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='401711' first='Jakob' last='Bartley'] is another defensive end who is coming off a strong junior season. He is very impressive against the run, using his speed to burst into the backfield before opposing offensive linemen have a chance to block him. Bartley does a great job of finishing the tackle quickly once he gets to the ball carrier. He finished last season with 94 tackles and six tackles for loss. Jakob has also shown the ability to use his speed and bend off the edge to blow by opposing offensive tackles as a pass rusher, finishing his junior year with seven sacks. He also came away with one interception last season which he returned for a touchdown. Jakob currently holds offers from Thomas More, Muskingum, Colby, Pikeville, and Hanover, and I expect this list to continue to grow during his senior year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["971511"],"_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-68a8d2801b1da"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='971511' first='Mac' last='Darland'] is a player who has been high on my radar for a while now and continued to make a big impact as a junior. Darland lines up at inside linebacker where he is at his best against the run, showing the ability to read his keys quick then flow to the ball carrier with a sense of urgency. He is a very reliable tackler in the open field, finishing last season with 79 tackles and two tackles for loss. Darland also finished his junior year with one sack and made an impact on offense, rushing for over 300 yards and six touchdowns. Mac doesn't currently hold any offers but I wouldn't be surprised if some come his way soon as he has received some college interest. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1174159"],"_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-68a8d3a9e8d0b"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Another LCA linebacker that has stood out to me is [player_tooltip player_id='1174159' first='Thomas' last='Sizemore']. Sizemore played a key role at inside linebacker as a freshman last season. He does a great job of reading the play quickly then using his speed to get to the ball carrier before opposing offensive linemen can get their hands on him. Once he gets to the ball carrier, Thomas does a great job of exploding through contact to secure the tackle, finishing last season with 67 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss. Sizemore also came away with three interceptions as a freshman and scored one rushing touchdown. Thomas currently holds offers from Kentucky and Marshall, and I expect more to come his way as he continues to develop over the next few years .</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1200723"],"_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-68a8d49e4b1de"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1200723' first='Crayson' last='Lafferty'] was one of the more productive linebackers in the state last season, finishing the year with 189 tackles and 18 tackles for loss. Lafferty lines up at inside linebacker where he does a great job of reading his keys then using his lateral agility to move sideline to sideline to get to the ball carrier. He has also shown the strength to fight through blocks with ease. Lafferty also finished his sophomore season with 2.5 sacks and an interception, and made an impact on offense, rushing for 155 yards and a touchdown. Crayson doesn't currently hold any offers but he is a player who I expect college coaches to have their eyes on heading into his junior year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["871920"],"_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-68a8d633ac012"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='871920' first='Austyn' last='Lawless'] has been high on my radar since his freshman year. Lawless lines up at outside linebacker where he is very reliable both against the run and as a pass rusher. Against the run, he does a great job of using his strength to stack/shed blocks quick then use his speed to get to the ball carrier in a hurry to make the tackle in the open field. He finished his sophomore year with 100 tackles and 13 tackles for loss. When rushing the passer off the edge, Lawless explodes out of his stance and uses his speed to blow by opposing offensive tackles with ease on his way to the quarterback. Austyn finished last season with 10 sacks. Lawless doesn't currently hold any offers but he will definitely be a player to keep an eye on over the next couple seasons. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1715702"],"_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-68a8d633ac06f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1715702' first='Earnest' last='Perry'] is a player who caught my attention with impressive sophomore year film. Perry lines up on the outside at corner where he is very reliable in man coverage. He does a great job of opening up and running with receivers to mirror their routes with ease, staying in their hip pocket the whole way. When the ball is thrown his way, Perry has shown the ability to break with perfect timing to make a play. Perry currently holds an offer from Eastern Kentucky and I expect more to come his way as he is a Division I caliber prospect. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1697792"],"_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-68a8d7f16adb9"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1697792' first='Jude' last='Cecil'] is another corner who jumped onto my radar last season. He is at his best in man coverage where he uses his speed to run with opposing receivers with ease to mirror their routes. When the ball is thrown his way, he reacts with perfect timing and has shown impressive ball skills, coming away with a team-high four interceptions as a junior. He has also shown the ability to provided support against the run, finishing last season with 47 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. Cecil doesn't currently hold any offers but he deserves some attention from college coaches as he definitely has the talent to play somewhere at the next level. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["401921"],"_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-68a8d7f16ae44"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='401921' first='Malik' last='Kirby'] is a player who has been high on my radar for a while now. Kirby lines up at corner where he is very impressive in zone coverage, showing the ability to read routes and flow through his zone to put himself in a position to make a play. When the ball is thrown his way, he breaks on the ball with a sense of urgency and has shown impressive ball skills, leading his team with six interceptions as a junior, returning one of them for a touchdown. Kirby also finished last season with 37 tackles and three tackles for loss , and also made a huge impact on offense, catching 42 passes for 674 yards and nine touchdowns. Malik currently holds an offer from Georgetown (KY) and I expect more to pile up for him this season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1517158"],"_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-68a8d9054db75"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">To wrap up my Preseason 2A All-State defense, I have [player_tooltip player_id='1517158' first='Devan' last='Maynard']. Maynard lines up at safety where he is a true ballhawk in coverage. He does a great job of reading the quarterback and flowing through the secondary to put himself in a good position to make a play. When the ball is in the air, he has shown the ability to cover ground quickly to get to the ball along with very impressive ball skills, coming away with a team-high eight interceptions as a junior, returning two of them for touchdowns. He has also shown the ability to fill the lane to provide run support, finishing last season with 79 tackles and five tackles for loss. Maynard also played a huge role on offense last season as his team's starting quarterback, throwing for over 800 yards and 12 touchdowns while also leading his team with 1,189 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns. Devan also returned two kickoffs for touchdowns as a junior. Maynard currently holds offers from Saint Mary of the Woods, Pikeville, Midway, Kentucky Christian, and Kentucky Wesleyan, and I expect that list to continue to grow during his senior season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Honorable Mention</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Defensive Line: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='283981' first='Zac' last='Carter'] (Somerset, 2026); [player_tooltip player_id='734299' first='Gavyn' last='Combs'] (Betsy Layne, 2027)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Linebacker: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1562071' first='Logan' last='Stumbo'] (Prestonsburg, 2026); [player_tooltip player_id='1517151' first='Robert' last='Magalong'] (Fort Knox, 2026); [player_tooltip player_id='1691019' first='Brody' last='Aylor'] (Beechwood, 2026); [player_tooltip player_id='1200568' first='Brody' last='Calhoun'] (Trigg County, 2027)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Defensive Back: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1176958' first='Nicholas' last='Sims'] (Owensboro Catholic, 2026); [player_tooltip player_id='1665338' first='Corban' last='Cimala'] (Somerset, 2027)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->