Offensive Standouts From Round 2 of the 2025 Playoffs

As we approach the end of November, postseason play is in full swing the state of Kentucky. Round 2 of the playoffs provided many intriguing matchups filled with very impressive individual performances. However, some players stood out above the rest last week. With that being said, here are my offensive standouts from Round 2 of the playoffs in the state of Kentucky.    [player_tooltip player_id='1701052' first='Charlie' last='Ellison'] led Scott County to an impressive win over Cooper last week, completing 9/10 passes for 308 yards and four touchdowns. Ellison was very effective with play fakes which is an essential part of the Cardinals' offense, showing the ability to draw the attention of opposing defenders with ease. He also showcased an impressive ability to throw the deep ball, using his arm strength to stretch the field and ball placement to put the pass in a spot where only his intended receiver could catch it. Charlie currently holds an offer from Eastern Kentucky and I can see more coming his way as he continues to develop over the next few years. Ellison and the Cardinals have an intriguing quarterfinal matchup ahead of them this week against a talented Woodford County team.     Another sophomore quarterback who stood out in the second round was [player_tooltip player_id='1701057' first='Jackson' last='Burke']. Burke led CAL to a dominant victory over DeSales, completing 14/15 passes for 245 yards and four touchdowns. He showed impressive accuracy, getting the ball out of his hands quickly to hit his receivers out of their breaks. Burke also showed a great feel for pressure, showing the ability to maneuver in the pocket and escape when needed while keeping his eyes down the field to find the open receiver. Jackson currently holds an offer from UT-Martin and I expect more to come his way over the next few seasons. Burke will look to continue to lead CAL on their quest to their fourth-straight state title in a quarterfinal matchup against Union County this week.     [player_tooltip player_id='500831' first='Darrian' last='Tomlin'] has been high on my radar for a while now and continued to stand out last week. He was very impressive out of the backfield in Woodford County's second round win over Collins, running the ball 28 times for 267 yards and three touchdowns. Tomlin showed the ability to explode out of his stance and get downhill in a hurry once the running lane opened up. Once he hit the open field, he showed the speed to run away from the defense and contact balance to break tackles with ease. He also caught one pass for two yards. Tomlin currently holds offers from Eastern Kentucky and Toledo, and I expect more to pile up for him over the next couple years. Darrian and the Yellow Jackets will look to keep their State Championship hopes alive in a tough matchup against Scott County this week.     [player_tooltip player_id='2058497' first='DeMarcus' last='Ganaway Jr'] jumped onto my radar with a very impressive second round performance. He led Owensboro to a win over Greenwood, completing 19/23 passes for 353 yards and five touchdowns. DeMarcus showcased impressive accuracy, putting the ball where only his intended receiver had a chance to catch it. He also showed impressive mobility, showing the ability to either escape the pocket to make throws on the run or tuck the ball and pick up yards as a ball carrier. Ganaway carried the ball eight times for 56 yards. DeMarcus is a quarterback who college coaches should have on their radar for the remainder of the playoffs and going into his senior year. Ganaway will be looking to help Owensboro continue their impressive season in a quarterfinal matchup against Fairdale this week.     [player_tooltip player_id='1157497' first='Dre'mail' last='Carothers'] is another junior quarterback who put together a strong performance in Round 2 of the playoffs. He led his team to a convincing win over Crittenden County, completing 18/27 passes for 292 yards and five touchdowns. Carothers showed an impressive ability to go through his progressions and scan the field to find the open receiver. When pass rushers were able to get to him, he showed the ability to escape the pocket and keep his eyes down the field to make throws on the run. Carothers currently holds offers from Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky, and Kentucky Wesleyan, and I expect more to come his way as he is a true Division I caliber quarterback prospect. Dre'mail and the Aces will look to continue their dominance against a tough Somerset team this week.     For the second-consecutive week, [player_tooltip player_id='445546' first='Kris' last='Hughes'] finds himself on my top performer list. Hughes was very impressive in Somerset's second round victory over Danville. He continued his role as their starting quarterback where he was at his best as a ball carrier, running the ball 27 times for 272 yards and four touchdowns. Hughes proved to be a strong runner, showing the ability to lower his shoulder and keep his legs churning through contact to break tackles with ease. He also showed the speed to run away from the defense on long runs. As a passer, Hughes completed 2/5 passes for 21 yards and he also came away with an interception on defense. Kris currently holds offers from Kentucky Wesleyan, Thomas More, and Muskingum, and I wouldn't be surprised to see more come his way. Hughes and the Briar Jumpers will be looking to play spoiler against Owensboro Catholic this week.     [player_tooltip player_id='2058498' first='Alex' last='Johnson'] caught my attention with a dominant performance in Prestonburg's Round 2 victory over Knott County Central last week. Johnson lined up at quarterback where he did most of his damage as a ball carrier. He was very impressive on designed quarterback runs and option keepers, using his speed to breakaway from the defense on long runs. Johnson also showed the elusiveness to make defenders miss in the open field. He finished the game as his team's leading rusher, carrying the ball 10 times for 247 yards and five touchdowns. Alex also threw one touchdown pass. Johnson currently holds an offer from Midway and I can see more coming his way over the next two years. Alex and the Blackcats have a tough task ahead of them this week with a road quarterfinal matchup against the defending 2A state champion Beechwood Tigers.     My final offensive standout from Round 2 of the playoffs in the state of Kentucky is [player_tooltip player_id='1701926' first='Eddie' last='Bivens']. Bivens had the most impressive statistical performance of the week, carrying the ball 25 times for 348 yards and six touchdowns in the Thoroughbreds' win over Bishop Brossart. He showcased very explosive speed which he used to hit the running lane with a sense of urgency then run away from the defense on long runs. When defenders were able to catch up to him, he showed the strength and contact balance to breakaway tackles without losing stride. Eddie currently holds an offer from Capital and I can see more coming his way this year as he has the talent to play at the next level. Bivens will be looking to help his team keep their season alive in a road quarterfinal matchup against a very talented Campbellsville team this week.

As we approach the end of November, postseason play is in full swing the state of Kentucky. Round 2 of the playoffs provided many intriguing matchups filled with very impressive individual performances. However, some players stood out above the rest last week. With that being said, here are my offensive standouts from Round 2 of the playoffs in the state of Kentucky.