2025 Preseason All-State Team: 4A Offense

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 5A and 6A, I will now be turning my attention to class 4A, starting with the offensive side of the ball.    [player_tooltip player_id='401922' first='Mario' last='Litmer'] has been high on my radar for a while now. He is coming off an impressive junior year in which he threw for 2,791 yards and 33 touchdowns with eight interceptions. Litmer is an accurate passer, showing the ability to hit receivers out of their breaks with ease where they can make catches in stride. He has also shown the arm strength to stretch the field in the deep passing game. Mario has also shown the ability to tuck the ball and make plays with his legs when needed, finishing last season with 236 rushing yards and five touchdowns. Litmer doesn't currently hold any offers but I expect some to come his way soon as he has received a good amount of college interest.     [player_tooltip player_id='1489400' first='Cavalli' last='Pittman'] led the entire state in rushing last season, running for over 3,100 yards and 40 touchdowns. Pittman has explosive speed which he uses to burst through the running lane with a sense of urgency then break away from the defense on long runs. He has also shown the contact balance to break tackles without losing stride and elusiveness to make defenders miss in the open field. Cavalli surprisingly hasn't picked up any offers yet but I expect a lot of college coaches to be paying close attention to him this season.     [player_tooltip player_id='851938' first='Cameron' last='Wade'] will be one of the best players in the entire state this season after transferring to Paducah Tilghman from East Nashville (TN) for his junior year. Wade has explosive speed which he uses to blow by opposing defensive backs with ease in the deep passing game. He is also very impressive after the catch, showing the ability to use his speed and elusiveness in the open field to turn short passes into big gains. Wade currently holds multiple Power 4 offers and I expect that list to continue to grow as he is a high-caliber receiver prospect.     [player_tooltip player_id='1160198' first='Chance' last='McPike'] is another talented junior joining the Paducah Tilghman program this season, transferring in from Lutheran North (MO). McPike is a very dangerous deep threat, using his speed to create separation with ease. He is also very reliable in contested/jump ball situations, using his athleticism to attack the ball at its highest point along with the strong hands to bring in the catch through contact. McPike has also proven to be an electric returner on special teams and has seen some time at defensive back. Chance is committed to Sacramento State where I can see him making an early impact when he gets there.     The Paducah Tilghman passing game should be very explosive this season as [player_tooltip player_id='871291' first='Avery' last='Thompson'] is another talented wide receiver that they have at their disposal. Thompson had a strong freshman year, catching 36 passes for 454 yards and eight touchdowns. Avery is a skilled route runner, using smooth breaks in his routes to create separation from opposing defensive backs. He has also proven to be a dangerous deep threat, and has the athleticism and strong hands to come away with any pass thrown his way, regardless of the coverage around him. Thompson currently holds multiple Power 4/Division I offers and I expect that list to continue to grow over the next three seasons.     [player_tooltip player_id='283957' first='Cam' last='Estep'] established himself as one of the best receivers in the state with a strong junior year, catching 63 passes for 1,027 yards and nine touchdowns. Estep lines up in the slot where he is able to use his speed and sudden breaks in his routes to create separation from opposing defensive backs with ease. He has also shown the speed and elusiveness in the open field to turn short passes into big gains at any given moment. Estep also finished his junior year with two rushing touchdowns, and returned one punt and a kickoff for touchdowns last season. He will also look to continue to make an impact on defense after finishing last season with 43 tackles and a team-high five interceptions. Estep currently holds offers from Eastern Kentucky and Marshall, and I expect more to come his way during his senior year.     [player_tooltip player_id='1200686' first='Seneca' last='Driver'] has cemented himself as the top overall player in the state in his class, arguably across all classes. As a sophomore, Driver played a key role in the Boyle County passing game, catching 24 passes for 353 yards and seven touchdowns. He has explosive speed which he uses to pose as a vertical threat and to pick up yards after the catch. Driver also has a high catch radius which he uses to make catches away from his body with ease, even in tight coverage. He also scored one rushing touchdown and made an impact on defense at defensive end last season, finishing the year with 36 tackles, seven tackles for loss, and two sacks. Driver currently holds a long list of Power 4 offers and I expect that list to continue to grow over the next couple seasons.     [player_tooltip player_id='402549' first='Jarvis' last='Strickland'] is the top overall player in the state in the upcoming senior class. Strickland lines up at left tackle where he is a dominant run blocker. He explodes out of his stance and plays with a ton of physicality, showing the strong punch to knock opposing defensive linemen off their feet with ease. Jarvis has also shown the ability to pull from the tackle spot and destroy any defender in his path in the open field. In pass protection, Strickland has shown the footwork to mirror opposing pass rushers along with the ability to fight with his hands to defeat pass rush moves. Strickland is committed to Louisville where I can see him being a key piece of their offensive line unit once he gets there.     Another member of the Paducah Tilghman offensive line who has stood out to me is [player_tooltip player_id='971531' first='Ben' last='Myers']. Myers lines up mainly at right tackle but has shown the ability to play on the left side when needed. He is very impressive as a run blocker, showing the ability to run his feet through contact to create movement off the line of scrimmage with ease. Myers has also shown the ability to get to the second level with a sense of urgency and pick up blocks in the open field. He is also very reliable in pass protection, showing the ability to get into his pass sets quickly to effectively mirror opposing pass rushers off the edge. Ben currently holds offers from Troy, Eastern Kentucky, Southeast Missouri State, Dartmouth, Murray State, and Tennessee State, and I expect more to come his way this season.     [player_tooltip player_id='283977' first='Max' last='Merz'] is an offensive lineman who has been high on my radar for a while now. Merz lines up mainly at right guard but has shown the versatility to play on the left side as well. He is a mauler in the run game, showing the ability to drive his man down the field with ease and finish his blocks through the whistle, often ending with a pancake block. Merz has also impressed as a pass blocker, showing the ability to maintain a strong base while absorbing contact, now allowing much penetration into the pocket. Max is committed to Louisville where I can see him being a very reliable offensive lineman at the next level.     To wrap up my Preseason 4A All-State offense, I have [player_tooltip player_id='1584288' first='Bryten' last='Close']. Close lines up at right tackle where he is very impressive as a run blocker. He explodes out of his stance and does a great job of using his high motor to drive his man several yards down the field and finish his blocks through the whistle. Close has also shown the ability to pull from the tackle spot and pick up blocks in the open field with ease. In pass protection, he does a great job of keeping a strong base while fighting with his hands to maintain inside position. Close is committed to Louisville where I can see him developing into a key piece of their offensive line unit.    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Honorable Mention</h2>   Quarterback: [player_tooltip player_id='283961' first='Colin' last='Daniels'] (North Oldham, 2026); [player_tooltip player_id='401689' first='Baylor' last='Murphy'] (Boyle County, 2026); [player_tooltip player_id='1584313' first='Cash' last='Harney'] (Covington Catholic, 2026)   Running Back: [player_tooltip player_id='401703' first='DJ' last='Wilson'] (Paducah Tilghman, 2026); [player_tooltip player_id='1584315' first='Dylan' last='Gaiser'] (Covington Catholic, 2026); [player_tooltip player_id='876439' first='Dee' last='Parker'] (Whitley County, 2026)   Wide Receiver: [player_tooltip player_id='1311247' first='Brenden' last='Brown'] (Paducah Tilghman, 2026); [player_tooltip player_id='283976' first='Luke' last='Tompkins'] (North Oldham, 2026); [player_tooltip player_id='1269565' first='Jace' last='Hagy'] (Elizabethtown, 2028)   Tight End: [player_tooltip player_id='1200658' first='Maddox' last='Hager'] (Boyle County, 2027); [player_tooltip player_id='971545' first='Eli' last='Pietrowski'] (Corbin, 2026); [player_tooltip player_id='1715690' first='Owen' last='Pitzer'] (Covington Catholic, 2027)   Offensive Line: [player_tooltip player_id='971529' first='Colt' last='Kelly'] (Boyle County, 2026); [player_tooltip player_id='1268014' first='Christian' last='Bryant'] (Boyle County, 2028); [player_tooltip player_id='1701070' first='Grant' last='Holman'] (Boyle County, 2028); [player_tooltip player_id='871294' first='Hudsen' last='Close'] (Taylor County, 2028); [player_tooltip player_id='971532' first='Ethan' last='Pittman'] (Wayne County, 2026)

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 5A and 6A, I will now be turning my attention to class 4A, starting with the offensive side of the ball.