KY ‘27 Position Rankings Breakdowns: EDGE

With the month of July coming to an end, we are just weeks away from the start of the 2026 high school football season. As we approach the season, we have begun a new round of rankings updates. The latest class to be updated in Kentucky is the incoming senior class of 2027. With our newest Top 250 being released for the class, I will be taking some time to break them down by position. After already covering the offensive side of the ball, I have now turned my attention to the defensive side of the ball. With the defensive line already covered, here are our top edge defender in the class of 2027 in the state of Kentucky.    [player_tooltip player_id='1610711' first='Sebastian' last='Blue'] has established himself as one of the top defensive players in the state over the past couple seasons. He is a matchup nightmare for opposing offensive tackles as a pass rusher. Blue uses his speed to blow by opposing offensive tackles with ease while also showing the bend to dip below their blocks. He does a great job of finishing at the quarterback once he gets into the pocket, recording nine sacks in 15 games as a junior. Sebastian also accounted for 39 tackles and seven tackles for loss last season. Blue is committed to Louisville where I can see him developing into a productive player at the next level.     [player_tooltip player_id='1200563' first='Griffin' last='Benke'] is a player who truly started to gain some attention with a strong junior year. He is a skilled pass rusher off the edge, showing the ability to use his strong hands and length to create extension then drive straight through opposing offensive linemen on his way to the quarterback. Benke finishes the job quickly once he gets to the quarterback, finishing his junior year with seven sacks in 12 games. He was also disruptive against at the run as a junior, recording 39 tackles and 17 tackles for loss. Griffin is committed to Ohio where he is actually listed as a tight end prospect but I can see him having a successful collegiate career on either side of the ball.     Highlands has an impressive duo off the edge on their defensive line with Griffin being joined his twin brother, [player_tooltip player_id='1200562' first='Cooper' last='Benke']. Cooper has proven to be very reliable against the run as he does a great job of reading the play then using his strength to shed blocks quickly once he sees where the ball is going. Once he gets rid of the block, he has shown the speed to run down the ball carrier in a hurry to make the tackle in the open field. Cooper finished his junior year with 50 tackles and 13 tackles for loss in 11 games. He has also shown some promise as a pass rusher, recording five sacks last season. Cooper is committed to Ball State where I can see him eventually becoming a key contributor for their defense.     [player_tooltip player_id='1907204' first='Lincoln' last='Weaver'] caught my attention with a strong junior season. Weaver is a very impressive pass rusher off the edge. He is very explosive out of his stance and uses his speed to blow by opposing offensive tackles with ease. When offensive linemen are able to get their hands on them, he has shown the ability to use his strength to drive straight through them on his way to the quarterback. Weaver finished his junior year with 9.5 sacks in 10 games. He was also dominant against the run last season, accounting for 51 tackles and 18.5 tackles for loss. Lincoln currently holds offers from UT-Martin, Butler, Eastern Kentucky, and Southeast Missouri State, and I fully expect more to come his way this upcoming season.     To wrap up our top five edge defenders in the class of 2027 in the state of Kentucky, I have [player_tooltip player_id='2074542' first='Kobe' last='Pullom']. Pullom plays with a high motor and is able to use his speed to his advantage to pose as a difficult matchup as a pass rusher for opposing offensive tackles. He can either run right by offensive tackles off the edge or shoot the inside gap before they have a chance to get their hands on him. Kobe is also dependable against the run, showing the ability to read the play then run sideline to sideline to make tackles in the open field. While he was only able to play in three games as a junior, he was very productive when on the field, finishing the year with 29 tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack, and several quarterback pressures. Kobe holds offers from Troy, Campbellsville, and Kentucky Wesleyan, and I expect a lot of eyes to be on him heading into his senior year.