’28 IOL (Center) the seventh best & the definitive player at his position
We have all heard of Hudson Close. Close is a 6’4,” 295-pound trench-man who has four (4) FBS, Division I offers right now and an offer from Texas A&M from the SEC. That is cooking with gas for a kid coming off his sophomore season. Close isn’t alone, upfront, for Coach Harris’s crew. The Cardinals boast one of Kentucky’s best interior OL guys too. Meet Ethan Cobb the subject of today’s feature. What makes him so great? Keep reading…
HB Lyon, Scouting Director, “KPGFootball”
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This week our feature is about Ethan Cobb. Cobb played on Campbellsville’s Taylor County High School and was a star on the football team along the interior offensive line, particularly at center. He appears likely to contribute to the ’26 ball club and will be instrumental to the offense’s ability to control its A-Gap.
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Friday Night Fletch, “KPGFootball”
Campbellsville, KY: Accomplished centers are expensive commodities. We know you are familiar with the sentiment that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line.
This principle, the one about the straight line, is set forth in the definition of a line segment in Euclidean space (𝑑= (𝑥2−𝑥1)2+(𝑦2−𝑦1)). It comes from the displacement theory in physics (we think).
We are going to stop right here before we get too far into the intellectual high weeds for our powers of discernment. We are sports writers, foremost and primarily.
In any event, right up the A-Gap for an inside linebacker or blitzing safety or corner is the shortest path to the QB. That is why offenses put bad dudes in that A-Gap at guard/center.
Ethan Cobb is a very bad dude. The ’28 interior guy is 5’11,” 275-pounds with a bench press of three plates (315-lbs.) and a 505-pound back squat. Add in his 3.8-GPA and low center of gravity with an ability to sink, and you have a very recruitable player, next level, at the center slot.
Cobb played a little defense in ’25. We expect he will draw some spot-duty on defense again in ’26.
That said, teams can’t afford to wear out their centers on the defensive side of the ball. This is particularly true where your center happens to be one of Kentucky’s premier players at that particular post.
Cobb did play a little defense and was productive. Cobb registered nine (9) tackles and a pair of TFLs in ’25.
Cobb is 5’11,” 275-pounds with plenty of power, twitch, explosion, and “smarts (3.8-GPA)”
Friday Night Fletch
Most fans around the commonwealth are familiar with one of Cobb’s line-mates. Hudson Close is probably the top-ranked lineman in the KHSAA’s 2028 graduating class and is sporting four (4) Division I, FBS offers presently, including one from Texas A&M.
Close will be on everyone’s wish list. However, Cobb shouldn’t be overlooked. As a high school player Cobb is just as good as Close.
Cobb could stand to be a tad taller; but, he’s just entering his junior season and we don’t know his frame is finished. Cobb has good length in his extremities and big hands so he is a “take” at the center slot, in spite of a perceived lack of height, with his other attributes and physical characteristics.
Taylor County has plenty of roster talent. Campbellsville grows good football playing stock and has produced many next level guys through the years.
In 2025, Taylor County came out of the gate really hot, winning the first seven (7) straight before limping home 0-4. One of the four straight “Ls” was a one-pointer to LaRue.
The Cardinals have some talent returning, look out for Jaelyn Anderson (WR, ’29) as he may have been the best at his slot in the freshman class a year ago. First and foremost, the Cardinals will be tough again upfront.
Linemen like Cobb and Close can make suspect lineups appear formidable. Look for the Cardinals to get hot in 2026.
This is Friday Night Fletch, reporting for KPGFootball; reminding you to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE!
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