The Most Productive ’27 in the KHSAA’s 2023 Fall Season ( Leron Jackson) May Not Have Been Who You Would Have Guessed- @IroquoisHSFB @IroquoisAD @IROQUOIS_HS @minguabeefjerky @1776Bank @840WHAS @KyHighFootball @CoachKMay

’27 LB had incredible season for the Raiders

There are some ’27s across Kentucky even the casual fans can recite. Everyone is aware of ’27’s Zane Johnson, Louisville Trinity’s fine QB who led the Shamrocks to the ’23 title. Most people, even outside the Appalachia mountains, have heard of Jayden Justice (from Pikeville) and Kylen Combs (from Breahtitt). People out west are aware of Daelyn Landers, QB from Caldwell, Jack Long (Christian County), and Tristen Dillard (Hoptown High). Both Long and Dillard counted among the better athletes in the class who have thrived in both football and track. Most are aware of Leelen Vanover, the hulking 6’2,” 280-pound lineman from Madison Southern. If I were to ask you who the best ’27 in the KHSAA may be…how many of you would say Leron Jackson from Louisville’s Iroquois High? Perhaps you should…

HB Lyon, Scouting Director, KPGFootball

Leron Jackson is likely the ’27 prospect of whom you have yet to hear. It isn’t Jackson’s fault. You see, getting noticed on an 0-11 ball club is difficult for any player regardless of the player’s ability.

When we say Iroquois struggled in ’23; please, just believe us. We don’t want to have to point out the ball club scored 34-points in 11-games. We don’t want to tell you it surrendered 480-points.

You don’t need to know they rushed for 475-yards while allowing 1,937-yards rushing. You don’t need to know the team threw for 355-yards while permitting 880 (which actually isn’t too bad, if we’re being honest).

There were “other” statistics which weren’t all that bad in ’23. Matter of fact, some of them were right good. Leron Jackson, a ’27 guy approaching his sophomore season, had a tremendous statistical season.

If you were to inquire of us, at the magazine, how many freshmen linebackers have ever registered 66-tackles, or 15-TFLs, or four (4) QB-sacks over their freshman seasons, we would surmise Jackson to be in very limited company. Don’t kid yourselves, that is superlative production from a freshman LB.

While Iroquois struggled, Jackson didn’t do this in a series of intra-squad scrimmages either. Iroquois played J-Town, Fairdale, “The Big A-Train (Atherton),” Louisville Butler, and Grayson County, all of whom enjoyed solid to splendid ’23 seasons and had plenty of offensive roster talent.

Jackson is 5’11,” and weighs 180-pounds. Jackson finished 38th in the KHSAA in QB-sacks (4) in only 9-games of run. Jackson finished 44-th in tackles.

We don’t know where his prodigious TFLs would have ranked. The KHSAA doesn’t seem to rank that particular statistic (surprisingly).

Anyway you cut it, Jackson, had a tremendous year. As he continues to develop physically. We expect Jackson will continue to rank among the finest players at his position among his graduating classmates over the course of the next three (3) seasons.

From there, it is anyone’s guess…

This is Friday Night Fletch, reporting for KPGFootball, reminding you to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE!

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