’28 Edge Defender, and All-Stater, getting ready for his junior year
If it is even possible for a defensive edge threat to have a bigger couple of seasons than what Bode Darland has turned in the last two seasons, I would probably like to see it. Darland was credited with 55-tackles, 15-TFLs, 5-sacks, a pair of passes broken up (PBUs), a FF, a pair of FRs, and a pair of “scoop and scores.” Not a ton of defenders are ever credited with being among the ball club’s more prolific scorers. One usually has to play some offense for that. Darland is 6’0,” weighs 225-pounds, is a member of LCA’s stellar ’28 graduating class, and sports a 3.75-GPA. Coming into the season, this kid promises to be a big piece of the puzzle in the team’s bid to repeat as KHSAA champions.
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 is Bode Darland. One reason we are featuring him here is Darland is on our preseason watch list to make our (Big Ass Fans) Small School All-State Football Team.
Perhaps he should have made it in 2025. No all-state team is flawless.
Lexington Christian Academy (LCA) perennially competes for KHSAA championships at its level of play. Players developing into stars, like Bode Darland, have a ton to do with any football program’s success.
Lexington, KY: Lexington Christian Academy runs one of the more successful and prestigious high school football programs across the commonwealth. One reason is the excellent coaching student-athletes benefit from receiving. Another is the roster talent which annually ladens the team’s play rotation.
The ’28 graduating class is particularly laden with talent. LCA has one of the better classes of ’28s in Kentucky.
Matthew Montgomery is among the finest in the class at the OL position, Kentucky-wide. Nash Whelan is a dual-threat guy who has gotten better and better last season. Dawson Farmer is a guy who is coming on this offseason and will be counted on as the ’26 season arrives. Nick Greer is a very strong player at the center sot.
Bode Darland‘s performance sizes up well with anyone’s. Darland was among the team’s more productive and disruptive “downhillers” on its defense a year ago.
We like defensive guys who make things happen and don’t just lay back and try to “catch” plays. Darland was a downhill, defensive threat, a year ago, who put offenses (regularly) in late down, long yardage situations and even gained possessions and points for his team.
Darland could have a better frame, particularly some more length for where he has been deployed. That aside, he is only entering his junior year so there is really no telling where his frame will finish out from a standpoint of physical development.
Darland is 6-foot, 225. Darland has incredible leg-kick, twitch, and burst, and plays with excellent leverage.
At 6-foot, 225, Darland could be longer and taller, especially for an edge guy; but, he may not be done developing
Friday Night Fletch
Darland, as a sophomore on one of Kentucky’s deeper and more talent-laden rosters (at any level of competition), registered 55-stops, 15-TFLs, 5-sacks, 2-PBUs, a FF, 2-FRs both of which were scoop and scores. Darland was among the club leaders in scoring, something defenders don’t accomplish much across the KHSAA.
Darland doesn’t list an offensive position among his primaries. He is listed purely as an “edge defender/DL.”
We could see this kid round into a nice fullback in a college system which utilizes fullbacks (this position is making a comeback by the way). We could see him utilized as an H-back leading the way in power run plays or in power formations for either short yardage or around the goal line.
We see Darland (next level) potentially on the offensive side of the ball as a short yardage/power run game specialist. Should Darland be recruited to fulfill this role, his background as a downhill defender will be a useful gauge to determine whether Darland has sufficient aggressiveness to fulfill the ball club’s needs at such an assignment.
Darland is in the midst of a big-time offseason for his future recruitment and development. Most players in HS experience their most drastic improvement and development between the sophomore and junior years.
That is a scary thing to contemplate. LCA’s sophomores seemed pretty far along, both physically and in terms of game-play, this past season.
Perhaps one of the more impressive things about Darland is his reported 3.75-GPA. This is even more impressive considering LCA’s curriculum is among the more challenging in the commonwealth at the secondary level.
Like so many of his LCA teammates, Darland has a strong academic standing. Athletically, Darland has demonstrated the versatility to play both multiple sports and contribute to the football team in multiple phases.
Small School All-State Reveal Show
Join us next week as we honor another eCampus.com, Big Man on the eCampus, furthering our offseason coverage. Until then, from any classroom to every field, eCampus.com delivers an easy, fast, and affordable way to order textbooks for students everywhere.
This is Friday Night Fletch, reporting for KPGFootball, reminding you to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE!
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