
No all-state team is complete. Every all-state team has glaring omissions. One just can’t possibly get them all. We have divided up our All-State team into Small School and Big School divisions. The Small School is the 1A, 2A, & 3A team and the Large School is the 4A, 5A, & 6A team. Without any more fanfare this is our Large School, All-State Defensive Football Team. Congratulations to those players selected. To the worthy players we missed, we’re truly sorry; we did our best.
HB Lyon, Scouting Director, KPGFootball
Friday Night Fletch's Large School Coach of the Year: Sean Thompson, Tilghman High (Paducah); Defensive Player of the Year: Colton Veltkamp, '25 DE, South Warren High School (Bowling Green, KY)

We would point out that many of these kids are committed to play in college already and most of them are being recruited even if they haven’t committed. However, this isn’t the All-College Prospect team. Those teams exist and are published by periodicals which regularly focus on recruiting.
We didn’t list height and weight for anyone. We wanted the production to rise or sink on its own merit.
This team is comprised of the players we believe to be the best Friday-nighters, at their level of competition, throughout the Bluegrass. This is our defensive, large-school, all-state football team:
The Defensive Front or First Level:
4A Classification
Xavier Cleary, ’25 OG/DT, Tilghman High (Paducah); Cleary is a two-way guy, also running at OL. Cleary was a stalwart on one of the better defensive units in Kentucky at any level of competition. Cleary registered 59-tackles, 13-TFLs, and 6-sacks. He had a fine year.
Will Richardson, ’25 TE/DE, Rowan County, Richardson was one of the better ends in the 4A classification. Richardson tallied 67-tackles, 19-TFLs, 14-sacks, and 5-FFs. That “forced fumble” number (5) is particularly high. You are buying your offense a ton of extra possessions when you are able to force 5 fumbles in a season.
Nicholas Krallman, ’25 DL, Covington Catholic, Krallman was a steady hand for the “Blue Colonel Defense” this past season and Catholic sure had a fine year, though probably not by Catholic standards. Krallman registered 50-tackles, forced a pair of fumbles, recovered one, and tallied 8-sacks. Where Krallman was position, he made consistent incursions into the opponent’s offensive backfield this season. Disruptive is the term for which I am searching.
Richardson, from Rowan County, registered 19-TFLs and 14-sacks while forcing 5-fumbles
KHSAA Statistical Website
5A Classification
Colton Veltkamp, ’25 DE/TE, South Warren, VeltKamp caught 42-balls at TE for 584-yards and 11-TDs. He might be one of the better TEs in KY. On defense, where we have him, he registered 79-tackles, 31-TFLs, 19-sacks, picked off a pass, both forcing and recovering a fumble. This guy could have made this team on either side of the ball or as an “Athlete.”
Austin Alexander, ’25 DE/TE, Cooper High, Alexander (like Veltkamp) caught 45-passes for 706-yards and 13-TDs at TE. On defense he recorded 68-tackles, a TFL, forced 3-fumbles, recovered 2, and picked a pair of passes. This guy is an athletic freak considered by many Kentucky’s top-rate college prospect in the ’25 class.
6A Classification
Bailey Vance, ’25 DE, Trinity High (Lou.), Vance registered 56-tackles, 10-TFLs, and 9.5-QB sacks. Get this, the big boy picked a pass and carried it 15 yards to the end zone for a “pick-six.” Rumble, young man, rumble!
Dominic Storer, ’25 DL, Dixie Heights; In only 11-games, and for a team which struggled this season (3-8), Dominic was “dominating.” Storer registered 70-tackles, 13-TFS, 8.5-sacks, and a FF.
Travis Moten, ’25 DE, Fern Creek (Lou.), Production-wise, Moten may be the most prolific end rusher in all of Kentucky at any level of competition. Moten registered 92-tackles, 30-TFLs, 19.5-sacks, and a forced fumble. Don’t know where he will end up collegiately, but this guy has done this HS thing as well as it can be done.
Baron Hardesty, ’26 DE, Bullitt East, How good was Hardesty at DE in ‘24? Good enough opponents ran away from him all year. In spite of this, Hardesty registered 61-tackles, 20-TFLs, 15-QB sacks, and recovered a pair of fumbles.
The Second Level, the ‘Backers
4A Classification
Jimmy Mooney, ’25 LB, Tilghman High (Paducah), Mooney registered 73-tackles, 8-TFLs, and 3-sacks, to go along with his INT.
Bryson Johnson, ’28 LB, Perry County Central, The class of ’28 notation was NOT a misprint. Bryson Johnson is nicknamed, “Mr. B” in the mountains and is called that by family and friends alike. Appalachians don’t call you “Mister” unless you have earned their trust and respect. Johnson is a ninth grader and he has already earned both from teammates and opponents alike. Johnson is a hit-machine, heat-seeking missile of a down-hill linebacker whose plays in the O-backfield will only increase as he grows more comfortable in the scheme. Mr. B has been rated at the top of his graduating class since middle school. Johnson led Perry County Central with 106-tackles and had 3-TFLs. To give you an idea about his movement, Johnson played offense too and averaged nearly 6-yards a carry (5.84). There are maybe three ’28 players on the small and large school teams combined. That is just how good this kid is.
Jonah Mahan, ’25 LB, Corbin High, Mahan had 109-tackles, 8-TFLs, 2-sacks, and an interception for one of the better defenses throughout Kentucky. Corbin opponents scored 237-points on the year. Corbin finished 12-2. That is under 17-points allowed a game, not bad considering Corbin played Pikeville, North Hardin, Lexington Catholic, Frederick Douglass, Johnson Central, Paul Blazer (Ashland), and Paduah Tilghman.
Tate Kruer from Covington Catholic tallied 96-stops, carried a 4.425-GPA, and has a registered 36 on his ACT
Friday Night Fletch, with information provided through “Twitter” and the KHSAA statistical website
Michael Hinton, ’25 LB, Tilghman High (Paducah), Hinton had 76-tackles, 10-TFLs, 4-sacks, 1-FF, 2-FRs, and a six-yard pick-six.
Tate Kruer, ’25 LB, Covington Catholic, Kruer tallied 96-stops, forced a pair of fumbles and recovered a pair, and led the team with 3-INTs. Kruer has a 4.425-GPA and an ACT of 36. Those stats don’t get touted enough but intelligence like that, at MLB, is very coveted by HS and college coaches alike.
Brock Driver, ’25 LB, Boyle County, Driver had 85-tackles, 3-TFLs, 4-sacks, and a “scoop and score” he recovered and carried 28-yards to pay dirt.
Gage Feltner, ’25 LB, Boyle County, Feltner had 100-tackles, 7-TFLs, and 3-sacks, while forcing a fumble
5A Classification
Montez Trussell, ’26 LB, Bowling Green, Trussell registered 121-tackles, 27.5 TFLs, 16-sacks, 3-FFs, and a FR. Want to know how to stack consecutive 5A titles? Having second level defenders like Trussell is a fine start.
Keyon Johnson was a holy terror this season, with 17.5-TFLs, 5.5-sacks, 2-INTs, 1-FF, and 1-FR
KHSAA statistical website
Keyon Johnson, ’25 MLB, Moore (Lou.), Coach McKay’s Moore Mustangs had a very respectable season. Seven wins playing 5A football around the “Derby City” is nothing at which to sneeze. Factor in that three of the five losses were by a combined 12-points and you see the ‘Stangs are headed down an appropriate path. Johnson had a monster season of productivity. Johnson had 147-tackles, 17.5-TFLs, and 5.5 sacks. Johnson picked a pair of passes, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble. Playmaker, right here!
Jeremiah Parker, ’25 LB, Atherton, Parker registered 128-tackles, 34-TFLs, 17-sacks, 4-FFs, 2-FRs, and picked off a pass he housed for six from 25-yards out. Quite simply, this is why Atherton has been winning so many games or late. Coach Nino White has significantly upgraded the talent on the Big A-Train. All aboard!
6A Classification
Logan Busson, ’25 LB, Frederick Douglass (Lexington), Busson registered 76-tackles, 18-TFLs, 4-sacks, while picking a pair of passes.
Cameron Jesse, ’25 LB, duPont Manual (Lou.), Jesse registered 47-tackles, 16-TFLs, 15-QB sacks, 1-FF, and 1-FR. Manual had a heck of a year and looked like the beast team in 6A this season, for much of the season. Having talent on hand like the players we have distinguished this postseason is a reason why. duPont Manual will always stock elite talent on a roster. Think about this for a second, 31 of his 47-tackles were in the offensive backfield. I can’t speak for what you want at LBer, but a “downhiller” who consistently putting offenses behind the down and distance markers is my kind of ‘backer!
The Back Line of Defense, The guys often left on an Island
4A Classification
Cameron Davis, ’26 DB, Paul Blazer High (Ashland), 47-tackles, 6-picks, 93-IRNYs, on offense registered 35-receptions for 615-yards and 8-TDs receiving, rushed for 502-yards and 9-TDs in 54 attempts, returned a kick for a TD and accumulated 1,414-yards all-purpose. This is a kid who could have made the offensive team and could have been an “Athlete.” We chose him here for our team!
Jermaine Harmon, II,’27 DB, Western Hills; Harmon scored this year rushing, receiving, and on a pick-six. Harmon, only a sophomore, registered 49-tackles, 10-TFLs, 2-FFs, while picking 6-passes, accumulating 91-IRNYs, and housing one of the six picks. That is a ton of production from a kid who only got to play in 10-games owing to his team’s struggles.
Jayden Morris, ’25 DB/RB, Tilghman High (Paducah); Morris registered 40-tackles, 2-TFLs, forced a fumble and recovered a pair. Morris picked 4-passes and accumulated 52-IRNYs while taking opposing WRs completely out of the game. This can be a hard position to evaluate, but this guy here is top-flight.
5A Classification
Ryker Campbell, ’26 DB/WR, Cooper; These guys playing both ways at the 5A level are really special. Campbell’s doing it on a roster as loaded as Cooper’s; well, that is just otherworldly if we are being honest. Campbell caught 19-passes for 184-yards and a TD, scored 3-TDs rushing, returned 2-pick-sixes for TDs, and housed a kickoff. This is is a guy with three-phase utility on a 5A team which has played for the title on Kroger Field two years in a row. Campbell had 102-tackles, 2-TFLs, 1-FF, and 8 (yes, I said 8)-INTs. Campbell accumulated 190-IRNYs and housed a pair of “pick-sixes” along the way. Yeah, I know I have mentioned the pair of housed interceptions twice, but some things are worth reiteration.
Mathis picked 7-passes for his Graves County Squad this past season
KHSAA statistical website
Raygon Mathis, ’27 DB/QB, Graves County; Okay, Raygon plays a little QB (3 for 6, 30-yards. Now that is out of the way, Mathis was a terror as a third level guy in ’24. Mathis registered 75-tackles, 2-TFLS, forced a fumble, receiving three (3), while logging an incredible 7-INTS, one of which he housed for a “pick-six.” Mathis also had 101-IRNYs, meaning he was dangerous with the ball once he had intercepted it.
Cash Henson, ’25 DB, Marshall County; Henson’s numbers on the year transcend his team’s posting a 3-7 mark and missing the playoffs. Henson caught 52-passes and we aren’t crowing about that statistic. Henson led the team in scoring and we aren’t really talking about that. Henson had 49-tackles and 4-INTs. What is even more impressive than all of the above was his 163-IRNYs and two pick-sixes. Add it all up and what do you get? The Answer: Selected to the Big Ass Fans All-State Football Team, that’s what!
6A Classification
Caleb Ricks, ’25 DB, Trinity High (Lou.), Ricks registered 62-tackles, 5.5-TFLs, 6-INTs, a “pick-six,” while forcing a fumble. He also lead his team to the 6A title.

Aiden Blakey, ’25 DB, duPont Manual (Lou.), Blakey registered 41-tackles with 3-TFLs. Blakey led his team in passes defended and even threw in three-INTs, which also led his team. Blakey is the little brother of one of the better ball players to play in the KHSAA since I began covering this sport. Eli Blakey has been a college star at the University of Miami. Aiden, the “other Blakey,” was such a good athlete and player he got some run on offense this year too, scoring a TD both rushing and receiving. You have to be special to see meaningful action both ways at the 6A level, especially in Louisville. Blakey is a magician; he made opposing stud receivers “disappear.”
Flipping the Field, the All-State, Large School Punter
Parker Friedman, ’25 PK/P, duPont Manual (Lou.); We are quite sure some of you are staring at this selection going, “Wait a minute, shouldn’t you have put Friedman on yesterday’s team with the place-kickers? Well, we could have. Friedman rode 48-PATs and 4-FGs to 60-points scored, ranking among the Crimsons’ most prolific point producers. However, we knew we needed to hold back one PK to be our punter. Most PKs across Kentucky also punt. This is true of Friedman. There are no punting statistics kept in the KHSAA to give those of us who wish to “defend” our all-state selections a basis to prove our selection was a just one. You will just have to take our word for it. Friedman is a booming punter and will be our sole selection for this all-important position.
That is it folks, that is our small and large school, All-State Football teams. We would like to thank our sponsors, Big Ass Fans, from Lexington, Kentucky for permitting us to oversee the selection of these fine, fine athletes and students. This is Friday Night Fletch, reporting for KPGFootball, reminding all ballers out there to Play Through the Whistle!
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So stats don’t count? Stats cited in many of the bios are well under the stats produced by other athletes in the same class. This assessment is as accurate as throwing chicken bones on a trashcan lid.
No all-state team gets them all.