Defensive Players to Watch for: KHSA Class 2A

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Last post, we looked at some talented offensive players to watch for in Kentucky's 2A KHSA division class. When building the post, my assertion still stands that the pool of players in every position are all abundant in talent no matter what division class your school plays in. The same will be said for the defensive players found in the 2A class. That said, today's post will cover some high-level defensive prospects in the 2A division class for Kentucky.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["653386"],"_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":"Steven is an RB/LB athlete who can use his skills on both sides of the ball to make a significant impact on his team offensively and/or defensively. Layne, a 5'11 205lb 2024 grad from East Ridge High School, recorded a solid 2022 season stat line on the defensive side of the ball. In 8 games, he made 99 total tackles of which 70 of those were unassisted (12.4 tackles a game). What is appreciated about Steven's game is that he can directly transfer his on-field IQ and awareness from playing running back, onto the defensive side of the ball. For example, Steven is excellent at quickly reading the offense and their positioning to make a good judgment on what play they will run before the ball is snapped. By doing this, Layne has been able to develop himself as a fantastic communicator and captain on the defense and take the initiative to make defensive stops before they give up big offensive plays. Another aspect about Steven is that he has outstanding quickness in reacting to the trajectory of the Football. No matter what direction the ball takes or who possesses the football, it appears to be certain that Steven is always in the right place to make the tackle. With Steven having a year to go in high school, he still has time to grow his attributes on the gridiron and I expect to hear him receiving interest from college coaches shortly.rnrnu003ca href=u0022http://www.hudl.com/v/2KDspTu0022u003eTape:u003c/au003e","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["653387"],"_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":"Madden is an elite tackling LB prospect that specializes in quickly pinning down ball carriers and making crucial defensive plays, even forcing an offensive turnover on the ball. Miller, a 5'10, 190lb 2024 grad from Martin County High School, had an excellent 2022 season as he recorded 152 total tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and 1 interception in 12 games played (12.7 tackles per game, 4th in state 2A ball in this category). Whether being set up in a blitz situation or playing his zone, Miller is one of the premier players in 2A ball to make defensive stops. He ranked 3rd in the state for his 152 total tackles which go to show the significant impact he makes on the Martin County defense. Looking at the way he makes these plays, it all comes down to precision and a designated target for him to make the tackle. With a fast motor and leg strength, Miller can lock onto the ball carrier and get to them quickly to pin them down. One aspect I like about Madden is his ability to knock the football out of opposing runners. This is due to the tackling placement factor I mentioned previously. When making a tackle, Miller will target weak spots across the runner's body, including his elbow area that tries to hold the ball tight when running. With a strong u0022punch-likeu0022 motion that is used by NFL defenders to force fumbles, Miller implemented this in his own game which has strongly helped his case for being a top-tier defender in his class. As of now, he has held some collegiate interest and continues to receive interest from other schools. I expect this not to change at all going into the 2023 season.rnrnu003ca href=u0022http://www.hudl.com/v/2K0jXDu0022u003eTape:u003c/au003e","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["423621"],"_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":"u003cstrongu003ePast Analysisu003c/strongu003e: Xavier is an extremely hard-hitting edge rusher that is quick to get off the line and puts lots of pressure on the quarterback. The junior led the state in defensive sacks and also forced a few fumbles. What is remarkable about Xavier's playstyle is that he creates numerous ways to cut through the opposing offensive line. He can break off opposing guards with an inside-n-out or uses his great hand skills to push off the guard to get to the quarterback. All of those ways were effective enough for him to lead the entire state 2A class in sacks. His strength should not be questioned either as he can throw down ball carriers with only his upper body. I expect Xavier to continue balling out for Beechwood in his junior season.rnrnu003cstrongu003eCurrent Analysis:u003c/strongu003e My previous initial thoughts on [player_tooltip player_id='423621' first='Xavier' last='Campbell']'s talent remain perfectly accurate, and he has shown to even improve on the stature I previously gave him last summer. The 6'0, 245lb DL prospect from Beechwood High School had another terrific season, as he ended up tying for 1st in state class 2A ball in total sacks sitting at 11 in 15 games played. Xavier possesses some of the most unique techniques to get his way past the offensive line to put pressure on the quarterback. As many would say, Campbell has continued to u0022add to his bagu0022 by slipping past offensive tackles with spin moves, pushing his way past them, and even juking his way past some by faking them out in a certain direction. Along with this, Campbell is pretty quick for his size and position compared to a lot of the other higher-end defensive linemen prospects in the state. He will continue to be a problem for one more year of high school ball, but I believe his journey will not end there. With recent offers and more added collegiate interest from recruits, he most certainly will be playing at the next level somewhere in 2024.rnrnu003ca href=u0022http://www.hudl.com/v/2KHMaHu0022u003eTape:u003c/au003e","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["735559"],"_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='735559' first='Isaiah' last='Sebastian'] is another class act talent that is utilized at many different positions on the gridiron. Although he is one of the superior returners in class 2A ball, we are only going to look at his defensive skills in this analysis. Sebastian, a 6'0 170lb FS prospect from Lloyd Memorial High School, had a great 2022 defensive season as he tied 2nd for most interceptions in class 2A ball with 8 in 14 games played, while 2 of those were returned for a touchdown. Since we already know Isaiah is an amazing runner with the football, it is no surprise he ran for nearly 100 yards after the interception across the whole season. When it comes to his position plays, Isaiah can precisely read the QB's intention to throw the football and position himself in that target area at the right time to cause a contested play. In some cases, he gets there earlier than the intended target and can record an interception from that. In his 1v1 defensive assignments with an opposing receiver, Sebastian's maneuvering off quick jabs is great as he can quickly change directions and mirror the movements of the receiver to not allow him to create any separation from him. As of 2023, there has been no official interest or any posts that express recruiters' interest in Sebastian but I expect this to change by the end of the 2023 season.rnrnu003ca href=u0022http://www.hudl.com/v/2Jxj3hu0022u003eTape:u003c/au003e","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["505841"],"_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":"Quincy is another dual-athlete prospect who is a star on both sides of the ball. Barber, a 5'8, 146lb 2024 grad prospect from Newport High School, had a good season defensively as he recorded 5 total interceptions in 11 games, totaling 105 total net yards after those interceptions, and 1 of those being a pick-six. Like a lot of the other top-tier safety prospects in Kentucky, Barber utilizes his skills at tracking the trajectory of QB throws, alongside accurately reading the intended placement of the ball, to cover his ground quickly to make a defensive stop. These same plays also potentially end up in an interception for Barber and a crucial forced turnover for the Newport defense. Along with his skills as a ball hawk, Barber is also athletically gifted and can deflect incoming passes from all different heights and angles. His leaping ability should not ever be questioned, alongside the lateral quick motions that enable him to change directions instantly to cover more total ground. Finally, Barber is one of the hardest-hitting DB prospects in the state. Quincy can hit with force compared to an above-average 220+ dline prospect. The hits he has made over his high school career have been ferocious, which has helped him even record forced fumbles. Quincy is an overall amazing athlete prospect that can fit in any scheme both offensively and defensively for any collegiate school. As of now, he seems to intend to play at the University of Cincinnati after his senior season.rnrnu003ca href=u0022http://www.hudl.com/v/2KtZ6Au0022u003eTape:u003c/au003e","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6477c8f7057da"} /-->