2025 PRZ KY All-State Team: 4A Defense

As we enter the new year, the 2025 high school football season has come and gone in the state of Kentucky. With that being said, I have been taking the past couple weeks to release my 2025 All-State teams to highlight the top players from this past season in each class. After already covering 5A and 6A, I have now turned my attention to 4A. With the offense already taken care of, here is my 2025 4A All-State Defense!    [player_tooltip player_id='1272160' first='Malachi' last='Brown'] continued to prove that he is the best defensive lineman in the state in his class this past season. Brown lined up at defensive end where he was very impressive against the run. He does a great job of shedding blocks quickly then using his high motor to get to the ball carrier in a hurry. Once he gets to the ball carrier, he has proven to be a very reliable tackler, recording 66 tackles and 11 tackles for loss in 14 games this season. He has also shown the ability to rush the passer, finishing his junior year with eight sacks. Malachi currently holds multiple Power 4 offers and I expect more to come his way going into his senior year.     [player_tooltip player_id='1715698' first='Brayden' last='Winchester'] caught my attention with a very impressive junior year. Winchester lined up at defensive end where he was dominant off the edge as a pass rusher. He is very explosive out of his stance and has shown the ability to use his speed to blow by opposing offensive tackles with ease. Winchester does a great job of finishing at the quarterback once he gets there, recording 14.5 sacks in 11 games this past season. He also proved to be reliable against the run, accounting for 49 tackles and eight tackles for loss as a junior. Brayden also caught two touchdown passes this season. Winchester currently holds an offer from Murray State and I can see more coming his way this offseason.     [player_tooltip player_id='1923314' first='Joshua' last='Vaughan'] is another defensive lineman who jumped onto my radar in 2025. Vaughan lined up at defensive tackle where he was very disruptive against the run. He showed the ability to use his strength to fight through blocks with ease followed by the speed to get to the ball carrier with a sense of urgency. Once he gets to the ball carrier, Vaughan has shown the ability to run his feet through contact to secure the tackle quickly. Vaughan finished his senior year with 53 tackles and nine tackles for loss in 12 games. He was also very effective as a pass rusher, recording 12 sacks this past season. Joshua is committed to Mississippi Valley State where I can see him having a successful collegiate career.     [player_tooltip player_id='2079596' first='Darryl' last='Yancey'] played a key role in Boyle County's 4A state title run this season. He lined up at defensive end where he proved to be very reliable against the run. Yancey does a great job of using his quick first step and speed to burst into the backfield before opposing offensive linemen have a chance to block him. Once he gets to the ball carrier, Yancey finishes the tackle quickly. He finished this past season with 84 tackles and 22.5 tackles for loss in 15 games. Darryl has also shown the ability to get to the quarterback, finishing his senior year with 10 sacks. He also played a key role on offense, carrying the ball 67 times for 359 yards and eight touchdowns. Yancey doesn't currently hold any offers but he deserves an opportunity to play somewhere at the next level where he will be likely best suited at linebacker.     [player_tooltip player_id='1638819' first='Darian' last='Bryant'] had a true breakout year as a sophomore. He lined up at inside linebacker where he asserted his dominance against the run. Bryant does a great job of reading the play quickly then using his speed to flow to the ball carrier in a hurry while also showing the ability to fight through blocks in his path. He proved to be a very reliable tackler in the open field, leading 4A with 183 tackles in 12 games along with 29 tackles for loss. Bryant also recorded 7.5 sacks this past season and made an impact on offense, carrying the ball 127 times for 703 yards and 11 touchdowns. Darian has received some college interest and I expect a lot of eyes to be on him heading into his junior year.     [player_tooltip player_id='1954897' first='Carson' last='Carlock'] jumped onto my radar with a very strong junior year. He lined up at inside linebacker where he was very impressive against the run. Carlock reads his keys quickly then explodes out of his stance to burst through the gap before the opposing offensive line can react. He does a great job of running his feet through contact once he gets to the ball carrier, securing the tackle without allowing any extra yards to be gained. Carlock finished this past season with a team-high 127 tackles and 21.5 tackles for loss in 13 games. He also proved to be an effective blitzer, timing the snap count perfectly to burst through his gap untouched. Carson recorded 11.4 sacks as a junior. He also scored one rushing touchdown this past season. Carlock is a player who college coaches should have on their radar heading into his senior season.     [player_tooltip player_id='2067272' first='Jax' last='Crowe'] finished his high school career on a high note with a strong senior year. He showed very impressive versatility, playing both inside linebacker and defensive end throughout the season. Against the run, Crowe has shown the ability to use his bend and speed to avoid blocks with ease on his way to the ball carrier. He is a very good open field tackler once he gets to the ball carrier, recording 102 tackles and 21 tackles for loss in 15 games as a senior. Crowe also finished the year with seven sacks and caught one touchdown pass. Jax doesn't currently hold any offers but I wouldn't be surprised to see some come his way soon as he has the talent to play at the next level.     [player_tooltip player_id='1870104' first='Shalom' last='Moore'] is a player who caught my attention with a very impressive senior season. Moore lined up at safety where he proved to be a ball hawk in pass coverage. He does a great job of reading route combinations then covering ground effectively to put himself in position to make a play. When the ball was thrown in his direction, he showed impressive ball skills, coming away with a team-high seven interceptions in 15 games, returning three of them for touchdowns. He also showed the ability to fill the lane in a hurry to provide run support, finishing the year with 89 tackles and two tackles for loss. Moore doesn't currently hold any offers but he is a player who has definitely proven that he has the talent to play somewhere at the next level.     [player_tooltip player_id='1655656' first='Jakeem' last='Ray'] played a key role in Boyle County's 4A State Championship run this season. On defense, he lined up at corner where he proved to be 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, he reacts with perfect timing to make a play. He finished his senior year with four interceptions in 15 games, returning one of them for a touchdown. Ray also recorded 27 tackles this season and played a key role on offense, catching 21 passes for 445 yards and seven touchdowns. Jakeem holds offers from Southern Mississippi and Kentucky Wesleyan, and I can see him finding success wherever he decides to play at the next level.     [player_tooltip player_id='971570' first='Bubby' last='McPherson'] is another member of the Boyle County secondary who stood out to me this past season. He lined up at corner where he was very impressive in coverage. McPherson does a great job of dropping into his zone and reading route combinations then reacting accordingly to put himself in position to make a play. When the ball is thrown in his direction, he does a great job on breaking with perfect timing to make a play on the ball, finishing this past year with two interceptions in 15 games. He also recorded 48 tackles, three tackles for loss, and a sack as a senior. Bubby holds offers from Kentucky, Louisville, Eastern Kentucky, Southern Mississippi, Rhode Island, Thomas More, Mercyhurst, and Kentucky Wesleyan, and I can see him being an impact player wherever he ends up continuing his career.     To wrap up my 2025 4A All-State Defense, I have [player_tooltip player_id='1857212' first='Kaleb' last='Kelley']. Kelley had a strong senior year at safety where he was very impressive in coverage. He does a great job of reading the quarterback and route combinations then flowing through the secondary accordingly. Once the ball is in the air, Kelley does a great job of using his speed to break on the ball quickly then ball skills to come away with the interception. He finished his senior year with a team-leading four interceptions in 11 games. Kelley also accounted for 60 tackles and two tackles for loss as a senior and played a huge role on offense, leading his team in receiving with 50 catches for 719 yards and four touchdowns while also scoring one rushing touchdown. He also returned a punt for a touchdown this season. Kelley currently holds an offer from Muskingum and I wouldn't be surprised to see more come his way soon as he has received a good amount of college interest.    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Honorable Mention:</h2>   Defensive Line: [player_tooltip player_id='1200573' first='Elijah' last='Luna'] (John Hardin, 2027); [player_tooltip player_id='1703774' first='Ian' last='Aloo'] (Shelby County, 2028)   Linebacker: Jordan Keith (Valley, 2026); Jacob Olds (Franklin County, 2026); Brody Castle (Boyd County, 2026); [player_tooltip player_id='1665532' first='Maddix' last='Vaughn'] (Taylor County, 2029)   Defensive Back: [player_tooltip player_id='283957' first='Cam' last='Estep'] (Corbin, 2026); [player_tooltip player_id='1923320' first='Blake' last='McPherson'] (Franklin-Simpson, 2026); Paxton Dewitt (Breckenridge County, 2027)

As we enter the new year, the 2025 high school football season has come and gone in the state of Kentucky. With that being said, I have been taking the past couple weeks to release my 2025 All-State teams to highlight the top players from this past season in each class. After already covering 5A and 6A, I have now turned my attention to 4A. With the offense already taken care of, here is my 2025 4A All-State Defense!