’26 RB/LB is built for success
🎶Jesse was a man, a friend to the poor
He'd never rob a mother or a child
There never was a man with the law in his hand
That could take Jesse James alive...🎶
Songwriters: Bruce Springsteen / Billy Gashade, 2006
Jaxon James passes the “eye test” pretty easily. The 6’0,” 200 pounder is a linebacker/running back combo who played in 10-games for Senior High (Owensboro High) as a sophomore. It is easy to just shower ooh’s and aahh’s all over Evan Hampton. Hampton isn’t headed to the University of Louisville on a full-ride, FBS, power four (4) football scholarship because he can’t play good football. To the contrary… However, there will always be plenty of prospects littering the Red Devils lineup and roster. That is why they are the Red Devils. We believe James is destined for a breakout year. We believe there will be some mighty attractive next level opportunities in his near future.
HB Lyon, Scouting Director, “KPGFootball”
Owensboro, KY: They were called the Dalton-James gang. Sometimes they were the Dalton-James-Younger gang; but, everyone knew the James boys (Frank & Jesse) were the headliners of this, or any, gang.
The gang was a group of outlaws in the American Old West known for bank and train robberies. The “headliner,” Jesse James, is a name with which you, the readers, are probably still pretty familiar.
There is a well known gang playing football in the KHSAA’s 5A classification. They aren’t outlaws per se, but they are Devils. Red Devils to be exact.
Owensboro High is the seventh (7th) winningest football team in KHSAA history. The Red Devils have won close to 800-ball games over its illustrious history. The Red Devils claim four (4) titles.
Jaxon James is entering his senior season. His performance, thus far, has been overshadowed by Evan Hampton, a bone fide All-State RB who should figure in the “Mr. Football” race this coming season.
Don’t forget James. James is a well put together six-footer who weighs close to 200-pounds. James can play RB. James can play LB.
The official statistics don’t have James playing any snaps his junior season. We wouldn’t dare to guess why. We can tell you James saw run in 10-games as a sophomore playing on one of the commonwealth’s. more stocked rosters.
James has been doing quite a bit of offseason work in the weight room. We have seen him hit 235 on the bench press four (4) reps. According to the Bench Press (online) Calculator, that comes out to a one-rep max around 265-pounds.
We have James’s current bench press at around 265
Muscleandstrength.com “Bench Press Calculator”
There aren’t a ton of prep players around the KHSAA who bench press 265 and struggling to get on the field. We don’t believe James will struggle to play this coming season.
Like we have before said, James passes the “eye test.” That is a formal way of saying James looks the part of high school football star.
Owensboro (Senior) High is coming off an 8-4 record. Jay Fallin retired at the end of last year and Owensboro has hired DaMarcus Ganaway to take the reins. Ganaway was a star player at Kentucky Wesleyan University and played a few years in the NFL.
Ganaway is well aware of the job ahead of him. Ganaway is aware it will be harder to keep Owensboro trending as it has been, as a legitimate, yearly contender for a 5A title, than it would be to “build it.”
The Red Devils should challenge for the 5A title in ’25. Having guys like Jaxon James will only help.
Senior High isn’t planning a bank robbery in ’25, but turning to this particular “James” for some quick-draw, playmaking seems to be a right capital idea. Then again, what the heck do we know?!
🎶Well it was Robert Ford, that dirty little coward
I wonder now how he feels
For he ate of Jesse's bread and he slept in Jesse's bed
Then he laid poor Jesse in his grave
Well Jesse had a wife to mourn for his life
Three children now they were brave
Well that dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard
He laid poor Jesse in his grave...🎶
Songwriters: Bruce Springsteen / Billy Gashade, 2006
This is Friday Night Fletch, reporting for KPGFootball, reminding you to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE!
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