Darius Akal Darius Akal 6'0" | 155 lbs | DB Harlan | 2025 State KY is a player that has been high on my radar for a while now and continued to stand out this past season. He is a very skilled ball carrier on offense, showing the speed to break away on long runs and elusiveness to make defenders miss in the open field. Akal finished this past season with 186 carries for 960 yards and 10 touchdowns in nine games. He also is a very reliable corner on defense, showing the man coverage skills to lock down opposing receivers on the outside. Darius finished this past season with 25 tackles, two tackles for loss, and several pass breakups. Akal should be a player to keep an eye on going into his senior year as he has received some college interest and has the talent to play on either side of the ball at the next level.

I am additionally impressed with Darius Akal Darius Akal 6'0" | 155 lbs | DB Harlan | 2025 State KY , an athlete at Harlan High School. What makes Akal so explosive defensively is his ability to lock down receivers in coverage and utilize his wing span to knock the pass out of the air. Offensively, Akal impresses me with his efficiency on the ground, showcasing his ability to maneuver the pocket and break tackles on his way to the house.

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After finishing his sophomore season as the Green Dragons’ #2 rusher and one of their most reliable defenders, Akal has made impressive technical strides and increased his overall productivity on both sides of the ball this fall. In Harlan’s most recent 32-25 win at Lynn Camp, he topped the century mark in rushing yardage for the fifth time this season, completing the night with 105 yards, 3 touchdowns and 1 successful two-point conversion on 19 carries. The Dragons’ 6th leading tackler from his cornerback position, he also added 2 solo tackles and 5 assists, giving him 22 total stops and 2 tackles for loss on the year. Scoring 2 fourth quarter touchdowns to secure the comeback road win, Akal currently ranks 8th in Class A rushing with 108.2 yards per game, and he stands 19th among all Class A scorers (8.5 points per game). A physically explosive performer with exceptional acceleration, he and his squad will next host rival Williamsburg to determine second place in Class A, District 7 (and homefield advantage for round 1 of the playoffs).

Wrapping up our top five ATH in the class of 2025 is Darius Akal Darius Akal 6'0" | 155 lbs | DB Harlan | 2025 State KY from Harlan. Akal is a very talented running back on the offensive side of the ball, finishing this past season with 101 carries for 664 yards and eight touchdowns. He has very impressive vision, showing the patience to let his blocks set up and the ability to find cut back lanes quickly. Once he gets into the open field, Akal has the speed to run away from the defense and elusiveness to make defenders miss. On defense, Darius is a lock down corner on the outside. He has tremendous man coverage skills, playing with a nice amount of physicality and showing the ability to mirror receivers’ routes. When the ball is thrown his way,  Akal does a great job of fighting across the receiver’s body to make a play on the ball. Darius currently holds offers from Eastern Kentucky and Union College, and I expect more to come his way as he is a Division I caliber athlete that could play multiple positions at the next level.

Akal firmly established himself as a reliable two-way contributor for the 8-4 Green Dragons and reflects a trajectory to assume even more responsibilities this upcoming fall.  While averaging over 6.5 yards per rush on 101 carries, he reached the end zone 8 times by running with good forward lean, a consistently low pad level, and an aptitude for running through contact in short-yardage situations. Moreover, exhibits patience beyond his years on many stretch/perimeter runs and the ability to put his foot in the ground and accelerate quickly, proving very difficult to tackle one-on-one in the open field. A starter in the defensive secondary as well, Akal exhibits the speed to play press/coverage and the athleticism to walk up and play off the edge, enlisting active hands/escapes to both reroute receivers and separate from blockers.