Noah Paxton Noah Paxton 6'1" | 220 lbs | LB/RB Craig County | 2027 State VA was an absolute thumper at linebacker for Craig County, while also showing off his versatility as a running back on offense as a junior. He totaled a whopping 107 tackles, 19 TFL, 6 sacks, 859 rushing yards, and 8 touchdowns in 9 games last fall. Paxton ended up winning the district DPOY award as well in 2025.

He’s an incredibly sound tackler, moves very well in short areas, and does a great job of staying true to his keys as a linebacker. He rarely bites on play-action and takes great angles to the football.

Paxton currently has offers from schools like Ferrum College and Southern Virginia, but if he has another big year as a senior, higher-level programs are going to come knocking.

Arguably the most physical player on the Rockets, Noah is a force at Linebacker and Running Back. He can hit the hole with power and burst, will run through opponents and then outrun them. With the graduation of Carter Calfee, expect Noah to have an even bigger role next season.

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Noah is poised for a break out season and is one we are watching as a possible rankings riser in next year’s update. Of all the returning players, Noah’s play could have the biggest impact as the starting Middle Backer and Tailback. As a focal point on both sides of the ball, he displays the physical toughness to match up with anyone. He has put in a lot of work this offseason in honing his technique and learning his positions. Be sure to have an eye on him this fall.

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We very well could be looking at the best player at Craig County by the time he is a senior. He is an impact player that must be accounted for on every play from his Middle Backer Position, and teams are better off running away from him. I recently featured him in one of my Mid-Season Highlight articles and he has also made his mark from the Running Back position with his physical running style. I am excited to see Noah’s development over the next couple seasons and he will be key to Craig County’s continued growth.

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Noah is a sophomore making his mark. He is a powerful runner with the ball on offense, playing in the Wing-T offense of Craig County. Just take a look at the first clip of his mid-season tape below and you will see his physical toughness, strength, and contact balance. On defense, he proves to be a tough player to block and comes downhill quickly to fill his gap. He is a good tackler who drives through the ball carrier.

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A tough outside linebacker for Craig County who is making plays is sophomore Noah Paxton. Good speed and range he had a nice outing in their tough loss to Montcalm last week. If you follow our site you know my colleague Cole Laing is high on Paxton’s work at running back and with good reason. I am bullish on his ability at linebacker, his speed and range are fun to watch him operate.