2025 Region Championships Defensive Top Performers

As we approach Thanksgiving weekend, we have now entered the state semifinals in the state of Kentucky. Last week's Regional Championship action had a ton of excitement filled with close games and impressive individual performances. However, some players did stand out above the rest in last week's games. After already covering the offensive side of the ball, here are my defensive top performers from the Regional Championship round in the state of Kentucky.    [player_tooltip player_id='1200577' first='Ty' last='Ashley'] continued to show why he is our top-ranked linebacker in the 2027 class in Owensboro's Regional Championship win over Fairdale. He lined up at inside linebacker where he was very impressive against the run, showing the ability to read his keys quickly then flow downhill to the ball carrier with a sense of urgency. Once he got to the ball carrier, he did a great job of running his feet through contact to secure the tackle and not allow for any extra yards to be gained. Ashley finished the game with a team-high 10 tackles along with one tackle for loss. He also came away with an interception in the win. Ty currently holds multiple Division I/Power 4 offers and I expect that list to continue to grow. Ashley and the Red Devils have an intriguing semifinal matchup ahead of them this week against Woodford County.     [player_tooltip player_id='2067272' first='Jax' last='Crowe'] caught my attention with a very impressive performance in Boyle County's win over Covington Catholic last week. Crowe is a versatile linebacker who has proven to be effective both off the ball at inside linebacker and off the edge. He does a great job of diagnosing the play quickly then using his speed to run sideline to sideline get to the ball carrier. Once he gets to the ball carrier, Crowe finishes his tackles with a ton of physicality. Crowe finished the game tied for the team lead with 12 tackles along with one tackle for loss and a force fumble. He also recorded a sack in the win. Jax doesn't currently hold any offers but he is a player who deserves some attention from college coaches. Crowe and the Rebels will look to keep their season rolling in a tough semifinal matchup against Corbin this week.     [player_tooltip player_id='283959' first='Chapman' last='Russell'] played a key role in CAL's dominant win over Union County last week. He lines up at outside linebacker where he is very reliable against the run, showing the ability to read the play quickly then use his speed to get to the ball carrier before they can get going. Chapman is a very reliable tackler in the open field, finishing last week's win tied for the team lead in tackles with 12 along with two tackles for loss. He also showed the ability to rush the passer, finishing the game with one sack. Russell doesn't currently hold any offers but he is a player who college coaches should be paying close attention to moving forward. Chapman and the Centurions will be looking to continue their quest for their fourth-consecutive 3A state title in a semifinal matchup against Bell County this week.     [player_tooltip player_id='401928' first='Stone' last='Perkins'] is another member of the CAL defense who stood out in last week's win. Perkins lines up at corner where he is very reliable in coverage. He does a great job of reading routes in zone coverage and flowing through the secondary to put himself in position to make a play. When the ball is thrown his way, he does a great job of breaking on the ball with perfect timing to make a play, coming away with an interception in the win and returning it for a touchdown. He also showed the ability to provide support against the run, finishing the game with seven tackles and returning a fumble recovery for a touchdown. Stone is committed to Ball State where I can see him becoming a key piece of their secondary once he gets there.     [player_tooltip player_id='1652072' first='Lincoln' last='Tomlinson'] has had a strong sophomore season and he continued to impress in his team's win over Russell last week. Tomlinson lined up at inside linebacker where he was very impressive against the run. He showed a true nose for the football, showing the ability to read his keys quickly then use his speed to get to the ball carrier in a hurry. Once he got to the ball carrier, he proved to be a very good tackler in the open field, leading his team with 18 tackles along with two tackles for loss. He also recorded a sack in the win and made an impact on offense, running the ball six times for 30 yards while also catching two passes. Lincoln is a player who college coaches should definitely keep their eyes on over the next few years. Tomlinson and the Juggernauts have a battle of two undefeated teams ahead of them this week against Murray.     [player_tooltip player_id='1176958' first='Nicholas' last='Sims'] put together a strong performance in the Aces' Regional Championship win over Somerset last week. Sims lined up at free safety where he was very impressive in coverage. He did a great job of reading the quarterback and route combinations then flowing through the secondary to put himself in a good position to make a play. When the ball was thrown in his direction, he showed great ball skills, coming away with an interception in the win. He also showed the ability to fill the lane and provide run support, finishing the game with 10 tackles and two tackles for loss. Sims currently holds an offer from Kentucky Wesleyan and I wouldn't be surprised to see more come his way before the season is over. Nick will be looking to help Owensboro Catholic continue their impressive season in an intriguing semifinal matchup against Beechwood this week.     [player_tooltip player_id='1299937' first='Julian' last='Smith'] has had a very impressive sophomore year and he continued to stand out in Campbellsville's win over Newport Central Catholic last week. Smith lined up at defensive tackle where he was very disruptive as a pass rusher. He showed the ability to explode out of his stance and use his speed to shoot the inside gap before the opposing offensive line had a chance to react. Smith did a great job of finishing at the quarterback, recording four sacks in the win. He also showed the ability to stop the run, finishing the game with nine tackles and a forced fumble. Julian will be a player to keep a close eye on as he continues to develop moving forward. Smith and the Eagles have a tough test ahead of them this week in a road semifinal matchup against Kentucky Country Day.     My final defensive top performer from last week's Regional Championship action in the state of Kentucky is [player_tooltip player_id='378839' first='Garyon' last='Hobbs']. Garyon played a key role in Atherton's victory over Bowling Green. Hobbs lined up in a linebacker/strong safety role where he was very reliable against the run. He showed the ability to read the play quickly then explode out of his stance and use his speed to get to the ball carrier and make the tackle before they can get going. Hobbs led Atherton with 12 tackles along with one tackle for loss. He also showed the ability to make plays in pass coverage, coming away with an interception and returning it for a touchdown. Garyon also made his presence felt on offense, catching five passes for 66 yards while also running the ball five times for 50 yards. Hobbs currently holds several Power 4 offers and I expect them to continue to pile up for him. Garyon and the Ravens will be looking to continue their very impressive season in a road semifinal matchup against Pulaski County this week.

As we approach Thanksgiving weekend, we have now entered the state semifinals in the state of Kentucky. Last week's Regional Championship action had a ton of excitement filled with close games and impressive individual performances. However, some players did stand out above the rest in last week's games. After already covering the offensive side of the ball, here are my defensive top performers from the Regional Championship round in the state of Kentucky.