2022 All-Northern Kentucky Team: Defense

<!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"15px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:15px">As the 2022 high school football season has come and gone, it's time to take a look back at some of the most impressive players from the past year. Northern Kentucky has been an area of the state that has had an abundance of talent for a while now and this season was no exception. With that being said, I wanted to focus on some of the best players from the area for my 2022 All-Northern Kentucky Team. After already covering the offense, here are my top defensive players from this past season from Northern Kentucky.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["373821"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='373821' first='Austin' last='Alexander'] is a player that has been very high on my radar since this past off-season and continued to impress during his sophomore year. Alexander had a very impressive season from the defensive end spot, finishing the year with 85 tackles, two tackles for loss, and eleven sacks. He is a very dangerous pass rusher with the speed to blow right by offensive tackles. Alexander also has a nice variety of pass rush moves to defeat blocks. He is also very reliable against the run, showing the patience to squeeze the edge and read the play. When the play is away from him, he has shown the ability to run down the line and make tackles from the back side. He also showed some skills in pass coverage, coming away with one interception and returning it for a touchdown this season. Alexander currently holds offers from Miami (OH), Maryland, Akron, Eastern Kentucky, and Liberty, and I expect more to come his way over the next couple seasons as he is a Power 5 caliber talent.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["423621"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Another defensive lineman that I've been high on for a while that continued to impress this season is Beechwood's [player_tooltip player_id='423621' first='Xavier' last='Campbell']. Beechwood hasn't posted their full defensive statistics from the 2022 season but Campbell did finish the year with 11 sacks. Campbell plays with a very high motor off the edge, showing the speed to blow by opposing offensive tackles while also showing the strength to fight through blocks on his way to the quarterback. Once he gets to the quarterback, Campbell does a great job of exploding through contact to finish the sack. Against the run, Campbell does a great job of reading the play and has shown the ability to run sideline to sideline to make tackles in the open field. Xavier doesn't currently hold any offers but I expect some to come his way going into his senior season as he has been receiving a nice amount of college interest and has the talent to play at the next level.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["438173"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='438173' first='Brach' last='Rice'] is a player that played all over the defensive front during his high school career. During his junior year, he mainly played in an off-ball linebacker role and finished the season with 126 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and five sacks. Rice has shown a great ability to read his keys and come downhill in a hurry to fill his gap against the run. Once he gets to the ball carrier, Rice does a great job of running his feet through contact and finishing his tackles with a ton of physicality. Rice also saw some snaps off the edge as a pass rusher. As a pass rusher, he was able to use his speed to his advantage to run by opposing offensive tackles and get to the quarterback. Brach currently holds offers from Eastern Kentucky, Miami (OH), and Toledo, and I expect that list to grow going into his senior year as he has received a ton of college interest and has the talent to be a very good player at the next level.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["386765"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='386765' first='Josh' last='Bowling'] has been a player that has consistently stayed on my radar over the past few seasons and continued to impress during his senior year. Bowling had an outstanding final season of high school football, finishing with 88 tackles, four tackles for loss, five sacks, once forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries. He returned one of those fumble recoveries for a touchdown. Bowling does a great job of reading his keys and reacting quickly to put himself in a position to make a play. He flows to the ball very well, taking good angles to the football and showing that he is a reliable open field tackler. Bowling also has shown some ability in pass coverage, coming away with an interception this season. Josh currently holds offers from Morehead State, Lindsey Wilson, Georgetown College, Wittenberg, Trinity International, Union College, Lawrence Tech, and Thomas More, and I can see him developing into a very productive linebacker at the next level.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["423659"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='423659' first='Jack' last='Lonaker'] is another linebacker from the NKY area that caught my attention during the off-season and continued to stand out this year. Lonaker had an impressive junior season, finishing with 148 tackles and three forced fumbles. Jack plays inside linebacker and does a great job of reading his keys and coming downhill in a hurry against the run. Once he gets to the football, Lonaker is a very reliable open field tackler and finishes his tackles with a ton of physicality. Jack has also shown the ability to drop into coverage and read route combinations to put himself in position to make plays on the ball. Lonaker doesn't currently hold any offers but I expect some to come his way going into his senior year as he has received a nice amount of college interest and has the talent to play somewhere at the next level.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["386752"],"_player_evaluations_5_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='386752' first='Aiden' last='Jones'] is a big, physical linebacker that has been very impressive over the past couple seasons. Jones had a strong senior year, finishing with 63 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. As an off-ball linebacker, Jones does a great job of reading his keys and flowing to the football. He plays with a very high motor, coming downhill in a hurry against the run and showing the ability to run sideline to sideline to make tackles. Once he gets to the ball carrier, he explodes through contact and finishes his tackles with a ton of physicality. He has also shown the ability to come off the edge and put pressure on the quarterback as a pass rusher. Aiden is committed to Army where I see him developing into a key piece of their defense down the road.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["627636"],"_player_evaluations_6_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='627636' first='Xavier' last='Gregg'] is a player that jumped onto my radar this past season. The senior inside linebacker had a solid final season of high school football, finishing with 86 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, and two sacks. Against the run, Gregg does a great job of reading his keys and coming downhill in a hurry. He flows to the ball smoothly and takes great angles to the ball carrier. Once he gets to the ball carrier, he does a great job of running his feet through contact to secure the tackle in the open field. Gregg also showed the ability to blitz effectively against the pass, timing the snap count perfect to burst through his gap before the opposing offensive linemen had a chance to react. Xavier is committed to Mount Saint Joseph where I can see him developing into a solid linebacker at the next level.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_7_player":["386917"],"_player_evaluations_7_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"After moving to the Northern Kentucky area from Florida, [player_tooltip player_id='386917' first='Antonio' last='Robinson'] quickly established himself as one of the most talented football players in the entire state. While he played a key role on both sides of the football for Beechwood, I really liked what I saw from him on the defensive side of the ball at corner. He is an athletic corner that does a great job of opening up and running with receivers in man coverage, mirroring their routes and staying in their hip pocket. When the ball is thrown his way, he does a great job of timing his breaks perfectly to make a play on the ball. He also has shown the ball skills to come away with the interception, finishing the season with two. Robinson also showed the ability to come downhill and provide support against the run, finishing the year with two forced fumbles. He also played a key role on offense as a receiver and was an electric returner on special teams, returning one kickoff for a touchdown this season. Antonio is committed to Wake Forest where I see him finding a key role on their defense.","_player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_8_player":["599019"],"_player_evaluations_8_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_8_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_8_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"Joining Robinson in the Beechwood secondary was senior [player_tooltip player_id='599019' first='Carson' last='Craycraft']. Craycraft had an impressive senior year, finishing with eight interceptions and a sack. He lined up on the outside at corner and showed the ability to play both man and zone coverage. In man coverage, he showed the ability to turn and run with receivers to mirror their routes. When asked to play zone coverage, he showed the ability to read route combinations and put himself in a position to make a play. When the ball was thrown his way, Craycraft showed the ability to time his breaks perfectly to catch interceptions in stride. After the interception, he used his speed to take the ball the other way for big plays, returning two for touchdowns this season. Carson doesn't currently hold any offers but deserves some attention from college coaches as he definitely has the talent to play somewhere at the next level.","_player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_9_player":["505841"],"_player_evaluations_9_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_9_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_9_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_9_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_9_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_9_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='505841' first='Quincy' last='Barber'] is another senior defensive back that stayed on my radar throughout the whole 2022 season. He had an impressive senior year, finishing with five interceptions. Barber lined up at free safety and did a great job of reading both the quarterback's eyes and route combinations from receivers to put himself in a good position to make plays on the ball. Once the ball was thrown in the air, Barber showed the ability to break on the ball and cover a ton of ground to come away with the interception. After the interception, he was able to take the ball the other way for big plays, returning one interception for a touchdown this season. Barber currently holds an offer from Aces Elite Academy but should be on the radar of more college coaches as he has the talent to play multiple positions at the next level as he also played a key role as a receiver and return specialist at Newport.","_player_evaluations_9_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_10_player":["627896"],"_player_evaluations_10_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_10_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_10_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_10_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_10_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_10_evaluation":"Wrapping up my 2022 All-Northern Kentucky Defense is senior defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='627896' first='Adam' last='Dunn'] from Highlands. Dunn had an outstanding final season of high school football, finishing the year with 91 tackles, seven tackles for loss, and three interceptions. He lined up at safety and was very impressive against the run. Dunn did a great job of coming downhill and filling the lane to make tackles in the open field. He is also very reliable in pass coverage, showing the ability to drop into zone coverage and read route combinations. When the ball is thrown in his direction, he has shown the ability to go up and attack the ball at its highest point to come away with the interception. Dunn has also shown the ability to come downhill and lay hits on receivers in the short passing game to knock the ball loose. Adam doesn't currently hold any offers but deserves some attention from college coaches as he definitely has the skill set to play somewhere at the next level.","_player_evaluations_10_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":11,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63d9be40d5f53"} /--> <!-- wp:heading {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <h2 class="has-medium-font-size">Honorable Mention:</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"15px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:15px"><strong>Defensive Lineman: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='331757' first='Drayden' last='Pavey'] (Cooper, 2025)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"15px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:15px"><strong>Linebacker: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='386759' first='Jake' last='Harmeyer'] (Cooper, 2023); Tate Kruer (Covington Catholic, 2025); Ben Fay (Conner, 2024); [player_tooltip player_id='401710' first='Jacob' last='Savage'] (Ryle, 2023)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"15px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:15px"><strong>Defensive Back: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='431966' first='Mason' last='Stanton'] (Cooper, 2025); Lukas Colemire (Ryle, 2023)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->