2026 PRZ KY Preseason All-State Teams: 4A Defense

<p>As we get deeper into the month of August, the 2026 high school football season is officially underway in the state of Kentucky. With that being said, I will be continuing to release my Preseason All-State Teams over the next week or so. After already covering class 6A & 5A, I have now turned my attention to 4A. With the offense already taken care of, here is my 4A Preseason All-State Defense. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Defensive Line:</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1272160' first='Malachi' last='Brown'] is one of the top returning players in the entire state. Brown lines up at defensive end where he causes a ton of disruption against the run. He is very explosive out of his stance and uses his strength to fight through blocks with ease followed by his speed to run down the ball carrier before they can get going. Brown is a very reliable tackler, finishing last season with 66 tackles and 11 tackles for loss in 14 games. He has also proven to be a skilled pass rusher, recording eight sacks as a junior. Malachi is committed to Kentucky where I can see him becoming a key contributor for their defense. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='2209124' first='Jonny' last='Lind'] jumped onto my radar with a strong junior year. He is a versatile defensive lineman who can line up and both tackle and end. Against the run, Lind uses his strength to his advantage to fight through blocks with ease. Lind has shown the speed to get to the ball carrier in a hurry to make the tackle before they can get going, finishing last season with 58 tackles in 13 games. He also recorded four sacks as a junior. Jonny is committed to Army where I can see him playing on either side of the line as he also starts on the offensive line for Covington Catholic. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1200563' first='Griffin' last='Benke'] is one of the top edge defenders in the state. He is a very tough matchup for opposing offensive tackles as a pass rusher, using his combination of speed and strength to blow by them with ease. Benke does a great job of finishing at the quarterback, recording seven sacks in 12 games as a junior. He also finished last season with 39 tackles and 17 tackles for loss. Griffin is committed to Ohio where he is listed as a tight end prospect but he could easily play on the defensive side of the ball as well if asked to do so. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">To round out the defensive line, I have [player_tooltip player_id='1200562' first='Cooper' last='Benke']. Cooper lines up at defensive end where he is very impressive against the run. He uses his strength to stack blocks with ease while reading the play then sheds the block quickly once he sees where the ball is going. Benke plays with a high motor, showing the ability to run sideline to sideline to make tackles in the open field. Cooper finished last season with 50 tackles and 13 tackles for loss in 11 games. He also recorded five sacks as a junior. Benke is committed to Ball State where I can see him becoming a productive player at the next level. </p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Linebackers:</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1638819' first='Darian' last='Bryant'] has been very productive in his first couple seasons of high school football. He lines up at inside linebacker where he is dominant against the run. Bryant has a great nose for the football, diagnosing the play quickly then using his speed to get to the ball carrier with a sense of urgency. Once he gets to the ball carrier, he explodes through contact to finish the tackle quickly, recording a team-high 183 tackles and 29 tackles for loss in 12 games last season. He also recorded 7.5 sacks as a sophomore and played a key role on offense, running the ball 127 times for 703 yards and 11 touchdowns. I fully expect a lot of college coaches to have Darian on their radar this season. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='652507' first='Brody' last='Simpkins'] is another linebacker who has impressed over the past couple seasons. He lines up mainly at inside linebacker where he is very reliable against the run. Simpkins reads his keys effectively then comes downhill in a hurry to meet the ball carrier. He does a great job of running his feet through contact to secure the tackle quickly, not allowing for extra yards to be gained. Last season, Simpkins led his team in tackles with 106 along with eight tackles for loss in 13 games. Simpkins also came away with one interception as a junior and made an impact on offense, carrying the ball 77 times for 576 yards and six touchdowns while also catching a touchdown pass. Brody currently holds multiple offers and I expect more to come his way throughout his senior year. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1665532' first='Maddix' last='Vaughn'] is coming off a very impressive freshman year. He has shown the versatility to play both inside the box and on the outside. Vaughn is at his best against the run where he is able to read the play quickly then use his impressive speed and lateral movement to get to the ball carrier with a sense of urgency. Maddix is a sure tackler in the open field, finishing last season with a team-high 155 tackles along with 10 tackles for loss in 11 games. He also came away with one interception as a freshman. Vaughn will definitely be a player worth keeping an eye on over the next few years. </p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Defensive Backs: </h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1665343' first='Larron' last='Westmoreland'] is one of the top returning players in the entire state. Westmoreland lines up at safety where he is a skilled playmaker in the secondary. He does a great job of reading both routes and the quarterback then breaking on the ball with perfect timing to make a play once it is in the air. Larron finished his junior year at Jeffersontown with three interceptions in 10 games, returning one of them for a touchdown. He has also shown the ability to fill the lane to provide run support, recording 67 tackles and three tackles for loss last season. Westmoreland also played a key role on offense last year, catching 33 passes for 459 yards and six touchdowns while also carrying the ball 39 times for 287 yards and nine touchdowns. Larron is committed to Kentucky where I can see him having a successful career but first he will be looking to make a state title run after transferring to Corbin for his senior year. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1089873' first='Andrew' last='Davis'] is a player who has been high on my radar over the past couple years. He is a versatile defensive back who has shown the ability to line up at safety, nickel, and corner. Davis has great instincts, showing the ability to read routes then react accordingly to put himself in position to make a play. When the ball is thrown in his direction, he has shown impressive ball skills, coming away with two interceptions in 13 games last season. He is also reliable against the run, recording 45 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss as a sophomore. Andrew also recorded half a sack last year and made an impact on offense, catching 32 passes for 593 yards and six touchdowns. Davis currently holds offers from Akron and Bowling Green State, and I expect that list to continue to grow over the next couple seasons. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">To wrap up my 4A Preseason All-State Defense, I have [player_tooltip player_id='1658406' first='Dominic' last='Foreman Jr']. Dominic is a talented defensive back who can line up all over the secondary, showing the ability to thrive at strong safety, nickel, and corner. Foreman is very reliable in man coverage, showing the ability to open up and use his speed to run with opposing receivers to mirror their routes with ease. When the ball is thrown his way, Foreman reacts with perfect timing to make a play, finishing last season with one interception and several pass breakups in 11 games. He has also shown the ability to stop the run, leading his team with 69 tackles as a junior along with two tackles for loss. Dominic currently holds offers from Campbellsville and Kentucky Wesleyan, and I wouldn't be surprised to see more come his way this season. </p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Honorable Mention:</h2>   <p><strong>Defensive Line: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1200573' first='Elijah' last='Luna'] (John Hardin, 2027); [player_tooltip player_id='2092965' first='Keegan' last='Woolverton'] (Paducah Tilghman, 2027); [player_tooltip player_id='1715698' first='Brayden' last='Winchester'] (Calloway County, 2027)</p>   <p><strong>Linebacker: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1288478' first='Maddox' last='Hawkins'] (Taylor County, 2028); [player_tooltip player_id='871298' first='Isaac' last='James'] (Paducah Tilghman, 2028); [player_tooltip player_id='988065' first='Wyatt' last='Gower'] (Paducah Tilghman, 2028); [player_tooltip player_id='1638815' first='JJ' last='Keyes'] (Ashland Blazer, 2028)</p>   <p><strong>Defensive Back: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1200655' first='JaKain' last='Logan'] (Boyle County, 2027); [player_tooltip player_id='988053' first='John' last='Jones'] (Paducah Tilghman, 2028)</p>   <p></p>

As we get deeper into the month of August, the 2026 high school football season is officially underway in the state of Kentucky. With that being said, I will be continuing to release my Preseason All-State Teams over the next week or so. After already covering class 6A & 5A, I have now turned my attention to 4A. With the offense already taken care of, here is my 4A Preseason All-State Defense.