Offensive Top Performers from Round 1 of the 2025 Playoffs

As we get deeper into the month of November, postseason play is in full swing the state of Kentucky. Round 1 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 top performers from Round 1 of the playoffs in the state of Kentucky.    Junior [player_tooltip player_id='1715678' first='Jalen' last='Del Valle'] was very impressive out of the backfield in Bethlehem's opening round victory over Fulton County. He carried the ball 17 times for 232 yards and four touchdowns. Jalen proved to be a strong runner, showing the ability to lower his shoulder and run straight through defenders to break tackles with ease. He also showed the speed to run away from the defense on long runs. Del Valle also recorded three tackles and one tackle for loss in the win. He doesn't currently hold any offers but he is a player who college coaches should be paying close attention to throughout the rest of this season and heading into his senior year. Del Valle and the Eagles have a tough task ahead of them this week with a matchup against a very talented Campbellsville team.     [player_tooltip player_id='1701057' first='Jackson' last='Burke'] continued his very successful sophomore season, leading his team to a Round 1 victory over Mercer County. He completed 16/17 passes for 285 yards and five touchdowns. Burke has shown an impressive ability to go through his progressions, scanning the secondary effectively to find the open receiver. He has also shown the accuracy to hit receivers out of their breaks where they can make catches in stride. Jackson currently holds an offer from UT-Martin and I expect more to come his way as he continues to develop. Burke will look to continue to lead his team on their journey to their fourth straight 3A state championship in a second round matchup against DeSales.     [player_tooltip player_id='1561543' first='Cameron' last='Bischoff'] is another quarterback who has impressed this season. He continued to stand out in DeSales' first round win over Garrard County, completing 13/20 passes for 247 yards and three touchdowns. Bischoff has a cannon for an arm which he uses to stretch the field in the deep passing game. He has also shown the ability to roll out of the pocket while keeping his eyes down the field to make throws on the run with ease. Cameron also showed the ability to make plays with his legs, finishing the game with seven carries for 31 yards and two touchdowns. He currently holds an offer from Saint Mary of the Woods and is also being recruited as a basketball prospect. Bischoff and the Colts will be looking to play spoiler against CAL this week.     [player_tooltip player_id='1284268' first='Connor' last='Holbrook'] has been on my radar for a while now and continued to stand out in Hazard's win over Pineville last week. Holbrook finished the game as his team's leading receiver with four catches for 142 yards and three touchdowns. Connor does a great job of using his speed and smooth breaks in his routes to create separation from opposing defensive backs with ease. He is also dangerous after the catch, using his speed and elusiveness in the open field to turn short passes into big gains. Holbrook also finished the game with two tackles. Connor doesn't currently hold any offers but he should be a player to continue to keep an eye on over the next two years. Holbrook will look to continue to make a big impact for Hazard in what should be a hard-fought second round game against an undefeated Middlesboro team this week.     [player_tooltip player_id='445546' first='Kris' last='Hughes'] is another player who has been on my radar for a while and continued to impress last week, leading his team to a Round 1 victory over Washington County. Hughes lined up at quarterback where he did most of his damage as a ball carrier, finishing the game with 21 carries for 190 yards and four touchdowns. Kris is a true big play threat on the ground, showing the speed to run away from the defense and elusiveness to make defenders miss. As a passer, he completed 5/10 passes for 103 yards and two touchdowns. Hughes currently holds offers from Thomas More and Muskingum, and I wouldn't be surprised to see more come his way soon. Kris and the Briar Jumpers have an intriguing second round matchup ahead of them this week against Danville.     [player_tooltip player_id='1268277' first='Kaleb' last='Evans'] continued his strong senior year, leading his team to a first round win over Bath County last week. Evans completed 9/9 passes for 121 yards and five touchdowns. Kaleb has a great feel for pressure, showing the ability to step up in the pocket to avoid opposing pass rushers while keeping his eyes down the field to find the open receiver. He has also shown the arm strength to hit his receivers in stride in the deep passing game. Kaleb currently holds offers from Franklin, Calumet, and Ottawa, and more could come his way as he has the talent to play quarterback at the next level. Evans will look to help Lloyd Memorial continue their undefeated season in a Round 2 matchup against Henry County this week.     [player_tooltip player_id='1694639' first='Luke' last='Fetherolf'] is another senior quarterback who had a perfect first round performance. He completed 7/7 passes for 365 yards and five touchdowns in Lawrence County's win over McCreary Central. Fetherolf has a very strong arm which he uses to lead his receivers down the field in the deep passing game. He is also very dependable in the read option game on quarterback keepers, using his speed to break away on long runs. Luke finished last week's win as his team's leading rusher with two carries for 51 yards and a touchdown. Fetherolf doesn't currently hold any offers but he deserves some attention from college coaches. Luke has a big game ahead of him this week as Lawrence County will take on a talented Rockcastle County team.     My final offensive top performer from the first round of the playoffs in the state of Kentucky is [player_tooltip player_id='378831' first='Kade' last='Goodin']. Goodin led his team to a Round 1 win over Dixie Heights, completing 28/47 passes for 344 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Kade showed the ability to put a good amount of touch on his passes, putting the ball where only his intended receiver could catch it. He also showed the ability to escape the pocket when necessary while keeping his eyes down the field to make throws on the run. Goodin also used his explosive speed to break away from the defense on long runs as a ball carrier. He led his team in rushing with 28 carries for 214 yards and four touchdowns. Kade currently holds offers from Southern Mississippi, Marshall, Bowling Green State, and Eastern Kentucky, and I expect that list to continue to grow as he is a true Division I caliber prospect. Goodin and the Titans have a tough task ahead of them this week in a Round 2 matchup against a very impressive Woodford County team.

As we get deeper into the month of November, postseason play is in full swing the state of Kentucky. Round 1 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 top performers from Round 1 of the playoffs in the state of Kentucky.