’29 CB/WR looks to expand his game to the offensive side of the ball in 2026
Joshuah (Josh) Dredge is a young guy entering his sophomore season who played quite a bit (12-games) as a freshman on one of Kentucky’s more loaded rosters. Dredge (6’2,” 165) even won the “Scout Team Player of the Week” for his efforts during the third week of the playoffs preparing for “Mighty Mayfield.” The Eagles are coming off a championship season and getting additional reps from young player like Dredge will be key to repeating last season’s championship run. Dredge is a shut down, back third defender who has the speed, athleticism, twitch, and explosion to be a weapon at WR too. Expect to see much more of Dredge on the offensive side of the scrimmage line in 2026.
HB Lyon, Scouting Director, “KPGFootball”
eCampus.com was built on a simple idea: make textbooks affordable, convenient, and accessible for every student. Founded in 1999 in Lexington, KY and backed by visionary investors like Wendy’s founder Dave Thomas, the company has grown into a premier online textbook retailer for high school and college students nationwide.
Their mission has always been supporting student success both on and off the field through affordable access to the course materials they need. eCampus.com is excited to invest in our student-athletes through Kentucky Prep Gridiron (KPGFootball) which was founded to promote and assist young high school football players get promoted to “next level,” college football opportunities.
That is why eCampus.com sponsors the KPGFootball, Big Man on the eCampus series. This week’s Big Man on the eCampus feature is a guy we have before featured. Daven Hood proved himself a reliable and steady performer a year ago and was right spectacular when the title was on the line. Hood is among the very best multi-phase threats on any small school roster and almost assuredly will be a big star for the Eagles going forward.
We have no doubt there are Eagles we missed on our all-state team last year, other LCA players who should have made our all-state roster. No all-state team is flawless. Dredge is a guy on whom we may well have missed. We will have our eyes fixed on him this coming season.
Lexington Christian Academy (LCA) perennially competes for KHSAA championships at its level of play. Players developing into stars, like Dredge, have a ton to do with the program’s progression.
Small School All-State Reveal Show
Lexington, KY: Joshuah Dredge was a freshman in 2025 who got 12-games of run under the “Friday Night Lights.” Dredge has been equally known, throughout the Bluegrass, as a promising athlete competing in the Long Jump and as a sprinter on the Track & Field team in addition to what he has done as a football player.
Dredge made quite a contribution both on the play roster and the scout team for the Eagles during its championship run a season ago. Dredge is a guy from whom much more will be expected in 2026.
For the Eagles in 2025, Dredge was more of a factor on defense and special team’s units than Dredge was offensively. On defense, Dredge registered six (6) stops and some PBUs in addition to his contributions to the special team’s units.
Going forward, it is anticipated the sprinter will become a factor in the downfield passing game. Dredge will develop into a three-phase threat.
We don’t know what Dredge will post in the 100-meter and 200-meter sprints this spring. Dredge ran a 12.63-second 100-meter in middle school. That is pretty fast for a middle school kid. Track times are fully automated.
There is something to be said about guys who show up with one of their best performances of the season when the team needs it most. There is a name for such guys…Big Timers!
Dredge showed out in practice during one of the team’s more critical weeks of its championship run. Dredge had an incredible week of practice on the “Scout Team” in the third round of the KHSAA playoffs against Mayfield. Dredge’s efforts helped prepare the Eagles to vanquish the storied program, 35-16, in the regional championship game in Lexington.
While Dredge doesn’t quite have the heft some of his teammates possess, it hasn’t impacted his performance. At 6’2,” 165-pounds, Dredge has the height and length coaches crave patrolling the back-third of the defense.
Dredge also has the speed, athleticism, and frame to make for an attractive offensive target either split wide or working from the slot. Monitoring this situation going forward should be quite entertaining.
Dredge, thus far, has primarily been a defender and special teams contributor who doubles up in track & field
Friday Night Fletch
Like so many of his LCA teammates, Dredge has a strong academic standing. Athletically, Dredge has demonstrated the versatility to play both multiple sports and contribute to the football team in multiple phases.
We see this kid, next level, as either a corner or safety on defense, depending on his speed development, or as a slot or WR offensively. Dredge’s next level deployment will rely heavily on how his frame finishes and how he times and competes at summer combines and prospect camps from this point henceforth.
Dredge has the intelligence, burst, and twitch to play a ton of different places in college on either side of the line. Dredge, as he ages and develops, will add additional power, strength, and size.
For now, Dredge is one other thing in addition to all the other skills and assets we have highlighted. Dredge is our eCampus.com Big Man on the eCampus Feature of the Week!
This is Friday Night Fletch, reporting for KPGFootball, reminding you to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE!
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