2026 PRZ KY Preseason All-State Teams: 5A Defense

<p>The time we have been waiting for all offseason is finally here as the 2026 high school football season officially kicks off today 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, I have now turned my attention to 5A. With the offense already taken care of, here is my 2026 5A Preseason All-State Defense.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Defensive Line: </h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1610654' first='Zai'Vion' last='Meads'] is one of the most talented defensive players in the state of Kentucky. He causes a ton of disruption from the defensive tackle spot. Meads uses his strength to fight through blocks with ease then uses his speed and high motor to get to the ball carrier in a hurry to make the tackle before they can get going. As a junior, Meads led Atherton with 72 tackles and 17 tackles for loss in 14 games. He has also shown promise as a pass rusher, recording nine sacks last season. Zai'Vion is committed to West Virginia where I can see him having a very successful collegiate career. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1375202' first='Josiah' last='McKee'] has consistently been one of the top defensive linemen in the state over the past couple seasons. He is a long, athletic defensive end who is very difficult to block off the edge as a pass rusher. McKee uses his combination of impressive pass rush moves and speed to blow by opposing offensive tackles with ease to get to the quarterback. He recorded five sacks and several quarterback pressures in 13 games last season. Josiah has also shown the ability to run sideline to sideline to make tackles against the run, finishing his junior year with 51 tackles and 21 tackles for loss. McKee is committed to Oregon State where I can see him being a productive player at the next level. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='2047511' first='Chaz' last='Tutt'] will be looking to build off a very successful junior year. Tutt lines up at defensive end where he has proven to be very reliable against the run. He uses his speed to shoot the gaps before opposing offensive linemen can block him. Chaz gets to the ball carrier with a sense of urgency and is a very good open field tackler once he gets there, finishing last season with 82 tackles and 15 tackles for loss in 13 games. He also recorded five sacks as a junior. Tutt holds offers from Southern Illinois, Ball State, and Midway, and I expect more to come his way this upcoming season. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">To wrap up the defensive line, I have [player_tooltip player_id='2074542' first='Kobe' last='Pullom']. Pullom lines up as a stand-up defensive end/outside linebacker off the edge where he is very tough for opposing offensive tackles to block. He uses his explosive speed to his advantage to blow by opponents, whether it is shooting the gap against the run or rushing the passer off the edge. Pullom has also shown the ability to fight with his hands to defeat blocks with ease. While he was only able to play in three games last season, Kobe was very productive when on the field, finishing the year with 29 tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack, and more than 25 quarterback pressures. Kobe currently holds offers from Troy, Kentucky Wesleyan, and Campbellsville, and I expect that list to grow throughout his senior year. </p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Linebackers:</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1200577' first='Ty' last='Ashley'] has established himself as one of the top players in the state over the past couple seasons. He lines up at inside linebacker where he is dominant against the run. Ashley diagnoses the play quickly and bursts downhill out of his stance with a full head of steam to meet the ball carrier before they can get going. Ty finishes his tackles quickly, not allowing for any extra yards to be gained. Ashley recorded a team-high 148 tackles along with 10 tackles for loss in 15 games. He has also shown the ability to make plays against the pass, finishing his junior year with three sacks and four interceptions (tied for team lead). Ty also scored one rushing touchdown and caught a touchdown pass as a junior. Ashley is committed to Kentucky where I expect him to have a great career at the next level but first he will be looking to help Owensboro defend their state title. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1701896' first='Corbin' last='Wells'] is coming off a strong junior year at inside linebacker for Barren County. He has a great nose for the football against the run, showing the ability to read his keys effectively then use his speed to get to the ball carrier before opposing offensive linemen can block him. Once he gets to the ball carrier, he does a great job of running his feet through contact to secure the tackle. Wells finished last season as his team's leading tackler with 116 tackles in 11 games along with 6.5 tackles for loss. Corbin also recorded 2.5 sack as a junior and made an impact on offense, leading his team in rushing with 81 carries for 675 yards and four touchdowns while also returning a punt for a touchdown. Wells holds an offer from Mount Saint Joseph and I expect several college coaches to have their eyes on him this season. </p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Defensive Backs:</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1638813' first='Grayden' last='Reid'] has established himself as one of the best defensive backs in the entire country in his class. He lines up at corner where he is very impressive in man coverage. Reid uses his physicality and length to redirect receivers at the beginning of their routes then uses his speed and change of direction ability to stay in their hip pocket. When the ball is thrown his way, Reid does a great job of reacting with perfect timing to make a play on the ball, finishing his sophomore year with one interception and several pass breakups in 14 games. Reid also recorded 48 tackles, two tackles for loss, and a sack last season, and played a role on offense, catching five passes for 145 yards and two touchdowns. Grayden currently holds several Power 4 offers and I expect that list to continue to grow moving forward. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='2116003' first='Kalil' last='Shemwell'] played a key role in Owensboro's state title run last season. He lines up at corner where he is very impressive in zone coverage. Kalil does a great job of reading routes then flowing through his zone to put himself in position to make a play. When the ball is thrown in his direction, he breaks with perfect timing to make a play on the ball, coming away with two interceptions (one returned for a touchdown) and multiple pass breakups in 15 games last season. He also recorded 48 tackles as a junior and returned two punts for touchdowns. Kalil is committed to Illinois State where I can see him being a true impact player in their secondary. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='2225327' first='Jalen' last='Dantzler'] is a player who has been high on my radar for a while now. He is a versatile defensive back who has shown the ability to play both corner and safety. Dantzler has great instincts, showing the ability to read routes then cover ground quickly when the ball is in the air to break up the pass. He recorded six pass breakups in 11 games last season. Jalen has also shown the ability to fill the lane to provide run support. He recorded 56 tackles as a junior. Dantzler also returned two kickoffs for touchdowns last season. Jalen currently holds offers from Tulsa, Lindenwood, Miami (OH), and Eastern Kentucky, and I expect him to be receiving a lot of attention next season after transferring from Central to a powerhouse Scott County program for his senior year. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">To wrap up my 5A Preseason All-State Defense, I have [player_tooltip player_id='408628' first='Jordan' last='Holman']. Holman plays mainly in a strong safety role but has shown the versatility to play nickel and outside linebacker as well. He is very reliable against the run, showing the ability to read the play quickly then explode downhill to fill the lane in a hurry. Once he gets to the ball carrier, he has proven to be a very good open field tackler, recording a team-high 77.5 tackles along with eight tackles for loss in 14 games last season. Jordan also recorded 2.5 sacks last year and showed the ability to thrive in both zone and man coverage. Holman currently holds multiple Power 4/Division I offers and I expect that list to continue to grow this upcoming season. </p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Honorable Mention:</h2>   <p><strong>Defensive Line: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1652351' first='Jayden' last='Beavin'] (Apollo, 2028)</p>   <p><strong>Linebacker: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1200651' first='Leron' last='Jackson'] (Fairdale, 2027); [player_tooltip player_id='1908439' first='Javier' last='Diaz'] (Boone County, 2027)</p>   <p><strong>Defensive Back: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1715668' first='Jason' last='Briscoe'] (Atherton, 2027); [player_tooltip player_id='1200645' first='Wyatt' last='Peters'] (Woodford County, 2027); [player_tooltip player_id='1909841' first='Asher' last='Brewer'] (Scott County, 2027); [player_tooltip player_id='2156981' first='Jacobi' last='Watts'] (East Jessamine, 2028)</p>

The time we have been waiting for all offseason is finally here as the 2026 high school football season officially kicks off today 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, I have now turned my attention to 5A. With the offense already taken care of, here is my 2026 5A Preseason All-State Defense.