With the start of another high school football season just over one month away, The Enquirer is once again ranking the best players by position in Southwest Ohio , Northern Kentucky and Southeast Indiana.
Over the next two weeks, the best quarterbacks, running backs, receivers, offensive linemen, linebackers, defensive backs and special teams players will be revealed. New this year, readers will be able to vote for the best player at each position.
Kicking off this year's series is the defensive linemen, listed in alphabetical order.
Voting for the top defensive lineman will end at 4 p.m. on _________, July __.
Austin Alexander, Cooper
The senior is one of the top high school players in Kentucky, regardless of position. He is primarily an edge rusher but has the speed and agility to pressure the backfield from any position on the defensive line.
The University of North Carolina commit was second in the state with 19 sacks as a junior. He recorded 57 total tackles (eight for loss). He will be one of a number of stars for a Cooper team that will be a favorite to return to the Class 5A state championship game.
Malachi Cumberland, Wilmington
Cumberland's teammate Mikey Brown, Jr. was the Southern Buckeye Conference-American Division Player of the Year in 2023, but Cumberland had just as good a case as he was named to the all-state D III first team for defense.
The Hurricane saw three players record 100 tackles last year. Cumberland will look to join that club as a senior after contributing 79 tackles and a team-leading 12 sacks in 2023.
Khy'Lek Jarrett, Princeton
Next to the 2023 Ohio D I Defensive Player of the Year Paul Nelson, Jarrett completes a formidable defensive duo for the Vikings. He was a major player for a defense that only allowed 10.1 points per game and went undefeated.
Jarrett racked up 54 total tackles last year and was third on the team with 5.5 sacks. He was an all-state DI honorable mention in 2023.
Mattox Kelly, Beechwood
He stands at 6-foot-5 and is 235 pounds of muscle. No matter who he went up against as a junior, Kelly was continually able to find his way into the offensive backfield. He doesn't just have lateral quickness; he has the vertical to bat down passes and block field goals.
Despite limited playing time on the defensive line, the Illinois State commit finished the 2023 season with 18 solo tackles, 23 assisted tackles, one sack, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
Delan Massey-Wright, Winton Woods
He is one of two seniors that will wreak havoc on opposing offenses, and one of three Winton Woods players that was named to the All-Ohio D II first team defense.
The Warriors move up to DI this season but not much else will change as they pursue their first conference title since 2020. Massey-Wright finished his junior season with 29 tackles and 5.5 sacks.
Drayden Pavey, Taft
The man known as "Big Pav" is the latest high-profile DI recruit out of Taft after recently committing to Purdue. He flourished as a junior in Tyler Williams' schemes, making 53 tackles and leading the Senators with 7.5 sacks.
Pavey was named to the All-Ohio D II first team defense thanks to his contributions.
Dillon Smith, Ryle
The Raiders had an up-and-down season on defense in 2023. They held three opponents to 10 points or less, but allowed 28 points per game over the whole season.
That defense should take a step forward this year. Smith is one of a number of defensive starters that are returning. He had 19 solo tackles and 37 assisted tackles last year, and led the team with eight sacks. In the Battle of Union against Cooper, Smith's only tackle was a sack, but he also recorded an interception to help seal the victory.
He is committed to the University of Louisville.
Gordy Sulfsted, St. Xavier
From a statistical standpoint, Sulfsted's best game of 2023 came in the season opener when he recorded five tackles and two sacks against Lakota West. He only recorded five tackles in two other instances last season, so look for him to be more consistent from start to finish in his final season on the gridiron.
The Notre Dame commit did record 41 tackles and 3.5 sacks after seeing action in just one game as a sophomore. He was named to the GCL-South first team and the all-state D I third team.
Trey Verdon, Hamilton
He was a big part of the Big Blue's turnaround season in 2023. After losing records in 2021 and 2022, Verdon's 77 tackles, eight sacks and two forced fumbles guided Hamilton to its first ever playoff win.
If Hamilton can continue to ascend the Greater Miami Conference standings, Verdon will certainly play an integral part. He was a member of the all-state D I second team defense as a junior.
Daniel Walker, Milford
Walker is the second-leading returning tackler from an Eagles team that went undefeated for the first time and won their first ECC title since 1986. He will have to be a leader as they lose 10 of their top 12 tacklers from 2023.
His production as a junior was spread out over the season as he forced a fumble in the season opener, recorded a sack against Little Miami,, recovered a fumble in a win over Winton Woods that cleared the way tor Milford to win the ECC, and grabbed an interception in the final game of the season. He finished the season with 19 total tackles.
On the radar
Talon Armacost , Bethel-Tate; Juan Bates II , Mason; Alex Bradshaw , Fayetteville-Perry; Carter Fausnaugh , Lakota East; Jonah Hayes , Moeller; Isaiah Johnson , New Miami; Evan Leitz , Conner; Sione Lolo , Milford; Cole Sebastian , East Central; Jack Simpson , Mariemont; D.J. Stanley , Lakota East; Bo Tobin , McNicholas; Daniel Walker , Milford
Vote: Who is the best defensive lineman in Greater Cincinnati?
Who is the best defensive lineman in Greater Cincinnati? This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Greater Cincinnati top 10 defensive linemen in high school football
Most Popular
Comments / 0