Team Kentucky’s Carson Wright; Is he 2023’s very best LB in the commonwealth? Maybe…

Photo: Mike Smith Photography

There is a raging debate in Kentucky about whom the best LB in the commonwealth is in the Class of 2023. Most have the candidates down to two. It’s either Carson Wright from Pikeville, Kentucky or Oscar “JT” Adams from Hopkinsville, Kentucky.

We may not be able to settle anything with today’s article, however, we will thoroughly settle why Carson Wright is in the discussion. KPGFootball is sure it will circle back around to JT before too long and then people can make up their minds thereafter.

We will begin the analysis with something rather simple. Coaches and recruiters use is all the time. It is called the “eye-ball test.” Eye-ball Carson Wright and you will notice he stands 5-11 inches tall and weighs nearly 190-pounds. Carson’s image, provided by Mike Smith Photography, appears to the left of the first two paragraphs. In addition to the Smith photograph, our friends, David & Darryl Sports, the number one source for sports information in the Mountains, has permitted us to use its photograph on the front page of our on-line magazine.

Now, after looking at both, is there anything about this kid which indicates he’s just leaving 8th grade? No? Well there is nothing about his athleticism which would clue you in either, you can count on that.

For one, Carson has been timed at 4.52-seconds in the 40-yard sprint. Before anyone dismisses the time, you should be equally aware the kid has a vertical of 34-inches and a squat of 365-pounds, with a 9’8″ broad-jump, all of which collaborates his 40-time. For those new to this site, we have many times explained the correlation between vertical explosion and running speed so use the search engine and make yourself familiar with that concept if you aren’t already.

Carson is powerful (365-squat/245-bench), explosive (34-inch vertical/116-inch broad jump), fast (4.52-40), and changes direction quickly making his ability to transition off-the-charts elite for his age, or any other if we are being honest (7.0-second L-Cone/4.10 (a.k.a. 5-10-5) short-shuttle). One of the top national publications in the game, Youth1.com, called Carson a “…[s]trong tackler and…relentless in pursuit of the ball from the Outside Linebacker position.” We would agree with that.

As for highlights, Carson’s season in 2018 was so exceptional his highlights have been bifurcated. Here are his offensive highlights should you be in a hurry and here are his season highlights but you might pop some corn as it may take a while.

So, in the final analysis who’s better, JT Adams or Carson Wright? We aren’t weighing in on that and, as huge fans of Team Kentucky Future Stars as we are, we aren’t sure it matters. All of that being said, both Adams and Wright bring much of the same physical attributes and skills to Kentucky’s defensive second level. What that does mean to us, and a call we are willing to make, is we wouldn’t want to be Team Tennessee this summer looking to either run or throw the ball at those two.

This is Coach HB Lyon, reporting for KPGFootball, and we’re JUST CALLING IT LIKE WE SEE IT!

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About Henry Lyon 1210 Articles
Have coached at the high school and middle school level. Have worked in athletic administration. Conceal my identity to enable my candor on articles published by this magazine. Only members of the editorial board are aware of my true identity.

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