The premier edge defender in KY is our @minguabeefjerky Protein-packed Performer of the Week @bigassfans, @KyHighFootball, @hardesty_baron, @youareathlete, @BE_Chargers, @BECoachKendrick

2026 DE/LB may be premier edge guy in his Kentucky-wide class

We have been high on Baron Hardesty for quite a while. The 6’3,” 240-pounder is explosive (295-pound PC), smart (3.9 GPA), and productive (20-TFLs, 15-sacks in ’24). What will a senior year bring? Plenty of highlights would be our guess.

HB Lyon, Scouting Director, KPGFootball

Mingua Beef Jerky uses Enviro-Pac CHU-2000 equipment to cook its meat to USDA required levels for both moist or dry operation. Mingua Beef Jerky wants you to become one of its many satisfied customers by sampling its quality hand sliced, all natural beef jerky. We know you’ll love it and come back for more, again and again.     

Ronnie Mingua began experimenting with making beef jerky back in the 1990s. He shared his efforts with neighbors and friends, soon realizing he had come up with something different and superior to all other beef jerkies on the market. From these humble beginnings, Mingua Beef Jerky got its start.  

Today, the Mingua Beef Jerky Company still prides itself on using its old-fashioned, all-natural recipes which offer outstanding products to customers across the nation. The recipes are a family tradition, passed down from generation to generation.     

Our recipes and our quality ingredients, hand-cut from solid pieces of beef, are never chopped or formed like other brands, making our products superior and one of a kind. That would make our products similar to this week’s Protein-packed Performer, Baren Hardesty, ’26 DE/LB and now All-State FB player from Bullitt East High School in Mt. Washington, Kentucky. 

Mt. Washington, KY: There was a very successful football coach in Tennessee 6A who fervently believed high school football production was directly tied to one’s power clean. He claimed in years he had 25 or so players power cleaning two-plates or more (225), he challenged for the title in Tennessee. He said in years in which that wasn’t true, he didn’t.

Baron Hardesty should be super productive over the course of his senior season. He is killing the two plate power clean model. Hardesty has his power clean up to darn-near 300-pounds (295-pound power clean).

It isn’t exactly like Hardesty has been taking time off from outstanding production. He has made pretty near every All-State football team in Kentucky, including ours (Big Ass Fans All-State Large School Defense), the most expansive and prestigious team in Kentucky history!

As of the date of publishing this article, our All-State football teams, both the small school and large school variety, have garnered over 70,000-views. Around 50,000 views have been registered for our large school, defensive team, alone.

Here is what we related in our write-up. “…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.”

There are many schools after this prospect. He could land at virtually any level of college play, from the FBS, Power Four level to any other level fielding a football roster.

Hardesty is rated, by the recruiting services regularly engaged in ranking Kentucky football players, among the more coveted in the Bluegrass. If you look at his physical dimensions, together with his on-field prowess and production, it becomes easy to see just why that is.

Join us next week as we return to honor another weekly prize winner. Until then, pop some Mingua Beef Jerky in your mouth and savor the quality and flavor which sets it apart from the competition. Remember, our product is superior and one of a kind; just like Bullitt East’s Baron Hardesty.  

This is Friday Night Fletch reporting for Kentucky Prep Gridiron and reminding you to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE. Don’t forget to SAVOR THE FLAVOR!