Top Linebackers in NKY for 2018

Who are some of the top linebackers this coming season in NKY?

Highlands- this will be the strength of the team. Loaded with speed and athleticism. Huddleston and Bowman will be the leaders, but Starkey, delgrange, and schwalbach also come back with starting experience. The birds are about 8-10 deep of varsity experience at LB. The varsity reps they got as young birds last year will pay off in the fall.

Simon Kenton is loaded at linebacker this year.

Senior to be Bryson Pernell 6'0 190 had 94 tackles, 2 sacks and 2 fumble recoveries.

Senior to be Clay Clogswell 5'11 200 had 82 tackles and 4 sacks.

Junior to be Zack Koenes 6'1 167 had 29 tackles as a back up.

Junior to be Caleb Bush 6'3 218 had 16 tackles as a back up.

Highlands- this will be the strength of the team. Loaded with speed and athleticism. Huddleston and Bowman will be the leaders, but Starkey, delgrange, and schwalbach also come back with starting experience. The birds are about 8-10 deep of varsity experience at LB. The varsity reps they got as young birds last year will pay off in the fall.

Huddleston 6'0 190

Bowman 5'11 190

Starkey 6'1 185

Delgrange 6'2 185

Schwalback 5'7 167

Ryle has a couple good ones.

Jackson Saladin 6'0 190

Thomas Novakvich 6'0 190

CovCath has Coldiron and Mayer both 6'5 220 ish.

Walton Verona has two good ones coming back, seniors to be Grant Grubbs & Micah Alford. Grubbs has 194 career tackles, 29 for loss (including 10 sacks) & Alford has 65 career tackles.

Ryle has a couple good ones.

 

Jackson Saladin 6'0 190

Thomas Novakvich 6'0 190

I almost forgot about Novakovich. He missed most of the 2017 season with a shoulder (?) injury, I think.

Saladin had a very good season in 2017. He was named to the Northern Kentucky Coaches' Association 1st Team Defense this year. Good kid with a big upside.

Both Lbs will be seniors during the 2018 season.

Junior MLB Josh Derry - Beechwood

A joy to watch if you've got a soft spot in your hear for linebackers who can hit, hit, hit. Just an extremely talented kid who became one of the Tigers defensive leaders midway through the season when he returned from injury and took over the middle linebacker spot. His presence in the middle late season onward really eliminated the lone weakness the Tigers had -- giving up yards up the middle.

Aside from his play at LB, he's an outstanding fullback who was a first down machine this season. He is a brutally hard runner with a nose for the end zone. Towards the end of the season, Coach Rash started throwing more to on leak plays out of the backfield.

He's got "it" and if he develops size wise, the sky is the limit. Can't wait to watch him in 2018.

Boone County Rebels

MLB John Mark Shutt: 5' 11" 215 lbs.

As the starting MLB in 2016, the sophomore had 91 tackles. As a junior last season, he had 127 tackles. He was named to the NKCA 2nd Team Defense and received the Top 26 Award.

Here's a link to his Hudl account. His LB highlight film is under 3 minutes.

John Mark Shutt - Hudl

Junior MLB Josh Derry - Beechwood

 

A joy to watch if you've got a soft spot in your hear for linebackers who can hit, hit, hit. Just an extremely talented kid who became one of the Tigers defensive leaders midway through the season when he returned from injury and took over the middle linebacker spot. His presence in the middle late season onward really eliminated the lone weakness the Tigers had -- giving up yards up the middle.

 

Aside from his play at LB, he's an outstanding fullback who was a first down machine this season. He is a brutally hard runner with a nose for the end zone. Towards the end of the season, Coach Rash started throwing more to on leak plays out of the backfield.

 

He's got "it" and if he develops size wise, the sky is the limit. Can't wait to watch him in 2018.

Do you mean he will be a junior in Fall 2018?

I love LBs like that. I have a friend whose son is a Beechie. He told me about Derry. He said when he hits a ball carrier, they just stop. Do you know his current height and weight?

Do you mean he will be a junior in Fall 2018?

 

I love LBs like that. I have a friend whose son is a Beechie. He told me about Derry. He said when he hits a ball carrier, they just stop. Do you know his current height and weight?

He will be a junior.

My guess is that he’s around 5’11” and 200 lbs.

His biggest improvement last year was his ball security IMO. He probably averaged over a fumble per game in previous years. He only had a couple this past season.

He’s definitely a player to keep an eye on these next couple years.

He will be a junior.

My guess is that he’s around 5’11” and 200 lbs.

 

His biggest improvement last year was his ball security IMO. He probably averaged over a fumble per game in previous years. He only had a couple this past season.

 

He’s definitely a player to keep an eye on these next couple years.

Backs who refuse to go down sometimes fumble when they are fighting for yardage. He will learn when the ball is at greater risk and it is better to go down.

SK linebackers

Clay Cogswell - Hudl

Bryson Pernell - Hudl

Campbell County rising senior Peyton Anderson was all NKY 6A. He covers sideline to sideline. Watch out for rising junior LB Casey Rauch. He covers a lot of ground also.