The Herald-Leader Hundred: 2024’s top Kentucky high school football players
The favorite for Kentucky’s annual Mr. Football award isn’t always obvious before the high school season starts. And a lot can happen between now and the first weekend in December at Kroger Field.
But Boyle County’s all-everything Montavin “Tavi” Quisenberry might have a head start this year after our preseason survey of coaches ranked the West Virginia commit atop the 2024 Herald-Leader Hundred, our annual list of some of the commonwealth’s best players.
The 5-foot-9, 160-pound senior wide receiver/cornerback has been leaving would-be tacklers in his wake for two seasons for the four-time defending Class 4A champions and has twice been a Courier Journal first-team all-state selection. Before that, Quisenberry had a sensational freshman year at quarterback for neighboring Garrard County.
Boyle County’s powerhouse program doesn’t need Quisenberry to pile up gaudy statistics, but he seems to do so anyway. As a junior, he racked up 800 yards and 18 TDs rushing, 856 yards and 12 TDs receiving and had three kickoff return TDs and two punt return TDs, including one in the Class 4A finals that helped him earn championship game MVP honors. As a sophomore, he topped 1,000 yards rushing with 10 TDs and was the Rebels’ leading receiver with 833 yards and 13 TDs; he also had six special teams scores.
But Quisenberry is sure to have a number of formidable challengers by the end of the year for high school football’s highest individual honor when the Kentucky Football Coaches Association makes its Mr. Football pick.
Among them could be any of the seniors on the Herald-Leader Hundred list, especially the nine others who rank among our coaches’ survey top 10 — Cooper’s Austin Alexander, Paducah Tilghman’s Martels Carter Jr., Western Hills’ Javeon Campbell, Male’s Isaac “Spike” Sowells Jr. and Antonio Harris, Bowling Green’s Deuce Bailey, Owensboro Catholic’s Brady Atwell, Central’s Cortez Stone and Murray’s Jeremiah “JJ” Jones.
Quisenberry’s name appeared on a survey-best 50 of the 85 coaches’ ballots returned to the Herald-Leader and had the most No. 1 player votes as well with 25.
Keen observers of high school football and University of Kentucky recruiting will note the omission of incoming Frederick Douglass transfer Cedric Works, a 6-4 senior edge rusher from Clayton, Ohio, who has recently been reported to have enrolled at The Farm. As a four-star recruit, Works certainly would have been among the H-L Hundred. The list was completed before his arrival in Lexington.
The following Herald-Leader Hundred is @HLpreps’ preseason list of some of the best players in the state as put forth by high school head coaches and also selected by sports writer Jared Peck. The top 10 players are presented in order of votes received from the coaches, who were asked to rank the top 10 players in the state regardless of school classification.
The next 40 players, in alphabetical order, are among those most often named as part of that survey combined with Peck’s picks based on their career statistics, recruiting rankings and coaches’ comments. Then, 50 additional notable players from Kentucky’s various geographic regions are recognized as players to watch.
The online version of this story links to each player’s Hudl.com highlights from their names.
1. Montavin “Tavi” Quisenberry
School: Boyle County.
Height/weight/position/class: 5-9/160/WR/Sr.
College choice: West Virginia.
Total points received in survey: 441 (25 No. 1 votes).
2. Austin Alexander
School: Cooper.
Height/weight/position/class: 6-3/243/TE/DE/Sr.
College choice: North Carolina.
Total points received in survey: 263 (6).
3. Martels Carter Jr.
School: Paducah Tilghman.
Height/weight/position/class: 6-0/190/S/WR/Sr.
College choice: Kentucky.
Total points received in survey: 245 (8).
4. Javeon Campbell
School: Western Hills.
Height/weight/position/class: 6-5/265/EDGE/Sr.
College choice: Kentucky.
Total points received in survey: 199 (2).
5. Deuce Bailey
School: Bowling Green.
Height/weight/position/class: 6-0/170/QB/Sr.
College choice: Missouri State.
Total points received in survey: 183 (6).
God Got Me #Committed @StateCoachD @Coach2J @samspiegs @AllenTrieu @ChadSimmons_ @SWiltfong_ @adamgorney @ethanmmcdowell @PackPride @PackFootball @PackInsider @TheWolfpacker pic.twitter.com/ORvq09iwVc
— Isaac “Spike”Sowells (@IsaacSowellsJr) July 18, 2024
6. Isaac “Spike” Sowells Jr.
School: Male.
Height/weight/position/class: 6-2/295/OL/Sr.
College choice: North Carolina State.
Total points received in survey: 178 (2).
7. Antonio Harris
School: Male.
Height/weight/position/class: 6-0/170/ATH/DB/Sr.
College choice: Louisville.
Total points received in survey: 102 (2).
8. Brady Atwell
School: Owensboro Catholic.
Height/weight/position/class: 6-3/225/QB/Sr.
College choice: Western Kentucky (baseball).
Total points received in survey: 98 (3).
First I would like to thank God for each & every opportunity I’ve been given. I would also like to thank my family & coaches for helping me through this process. With that said, I am blessed and excited to announce my commitment to the University of Nebraska!! Go Cornhuskers! pic.twitter.com/YOVCw1P6wB
— Jeremiah Jones (@thejjones7) July 1, 2024
9. Jeremiah “JJ” Jones
School: Murray.
Height/weight/position/class: 6-4/200/WR/SS/Sr.
College choice: Nebraska.
Total points received in survey: 89.
10. Cortez Stone
School: Central.
Height/weight/position/class: 5-10/170/ATH/Sr.
College choice: Undecided.
Total points received in survey: 86 (1).
THE NEXT 40
Hunter Adams, Lexington Christian, 6-3/237/LB/TE/Sr.
Darius Akal, Harlan, 5-11/155/ATH/Sr.
Gradey Anthony, North Oldham, 6-5/266/OL/Sr.
Demauriah Brown, Boyle County, 5-10/175/ATH/DB/Sr.
Bryce Button, South Warren, 6-2/180/QB/Sr.
Aveion Chenault, Frederick Douglass, 6-2/165/WR/Sr.
Kaden Clay, Frederick Douglass, 6-1/225/RB/LB/Sr.
Brock Coffman, Sayre, 6-0/170/WR/Sr.
Buddy Collins, Scott County, 5-10/175/ATH/Sr.
Jackson Dialls, Frederick Douglass, 6-6/305/OL/Sr.
Brock Driver, Boyle County, 6-2/205/ATH/Sr.
Kade Elam, Corbin, 6-1/215/QB/Sr.
Timmy Emongo, Scott County, 5-10/180/ATH/So.
Demond Green, Bryan Station, 5-11/170/ATH/So.
Maddox Hager, Boyle County, 6-6/200/TE/DE/So.
Evan Hampton, Owensboro, 6-0/200/RB/ATH/Jr.
Marion Harbin, St. Xavier, 5-11/175/ATH/Jr.
Jordan Haskins, Bryan Station, 5-11/175/ATH/So.
Trevor Havill, St. Xavier, 6-5/210/QB/Sr.
Vanzale Hinton, Paducah Tilghman, 6-0/185/CB/Sr.
Garyon Hobbs, Christian Academy-Louisville, 6-0/215/LB/RB/So.
Connor Hodge, Christian Academy-Louisville, 6-1/160/WR/Sr.
Jack James, Paducah Tilghman, 5-11.5/195/QB/Sr.
Braxton Jennings, Ashland Blazer, 5-11/190/RB/Sr.
Ronald Lunz, North Hardin, 5-9/170/ATH/Jr.
Max Merz, Highlands, 6-4/305/OL/Jr.
Mason Mudd, St. Xavier, 6-4/260/DL/Sr.
Cam O’Hara, Cooper, 6-2/180/QB/Jr.
David “Pancake” Pellman, Manual, 6-3/305/OL/Jr.
Eli Pietrowski, Corbin, 6-4/220/TE/Jr.
Jacob Savage, Ryle, 6-1/205/RB/LB/Jr.
Dillon Smith, Ryle, 6-4/250/DL/Sr.
Peyton Smith, Taylor County, 6-1/160/RB/CB/Sr.
Makhi Smith, Woodford County, 6-2/175/ATH/Sr.
Maurice Stephens, Ballard, 6-2/175/WR/Sr.
Ben Stotts, Christian Academy-Louisville, 6-5/302/OT/Sr.
Jarvis Strickland, Paducah Tilghman, 6-6/294/OL/Jr.
Derion Talbert, Frederick Douglass, 5-9/150/WR/Sr.
Luke Toothaker, Franklin County, 6-5/230/Edge/Sr.
Kalen “Jaws” Washington, Bryan Station, 5-9.5/210/RB/Sr.
AND 50 MORE PLAYERS TO WATCH FROM …
LEXINGTON: Logan Busson, Frederick Douglass, 6-2/215/LB/Sr.; Graham Dunn, Frederick Douglass, 6-2/192/TE/Sr.; Lovell Martin III, Frederick Douglass, 6-1/285/OL/Sr.; Luke Pennington, Sayre, 5-11/175, QB/S/Sr.; Jaiden Shegog, Bryan Station, 5-9/160/WR/DB/Sr.; Elijah Ward, Frederick Douglass, 5-9/155/DB/Jr.; Pharo Watts, Frederick Douglass, 5-10/180/RB/Sr.
CENTRAL KENTUCKY: Luke Ballard, Great Crossing, 5-10/193/RB/LB/Jr.; Landon Cottrell, Franklin County, 6-3/230/T/Sr.; Jay’Quan Crawford, Franklin County, 6-2/210/RB/LB/Jr.; Paul McClure, Boyle County, 6-2/290/OL/Sr.; Ethan Moore, Madison Southern, 6-2/185/ATH/Sr.; Cristian Rodriguez, Scott County, 5-11/225/OL/Sr.
LOUISVILLE AREA: Blaze Berry, Eminence, 6-2/195/QB/Sr.; Karsten Busch, St. Xavier, 6-3/223/LB/Jr.; Trey Cotton, Christian Academy-Louisville, 6-1/180/S/Sr.; Michael Curry, Atherton, 5-10/185/RB/Sr.; Aiden Dewees, Holy Cross (Louisville), 6-1/210/LB/RB/Sr.; Parker Friedman, Manual, 5-10/190/K/Sr.; Avaion Johnson, Central, 6-0/170/DB/Sr.; Zane Johnson, Trinity, 6-1/205/QB/So.; Connor Johnson, Ballard, 5-10/150/ATH/Sr.; Camron McDaniels, Jeffersontown, 5-11/210/DL/Sr.; Travis Moten, Fern Creek, 6-5/250/DE/T/Sr.; Tucker Roth, Pleasure Ridge Park, 6-4/211/MLB/Sr.
EASTERN KENTUCKY: Brenden Anthony, Pikeville, 5-10/215/LB/RB/Sr.; Blake Caudill, Pikeville, 5-11/175/RB/P/Sr.; Hunter Clem, Harlan, 6-5/257/OL/DL/Sr.; Antajuan Dumphord, Southwestern, 6-5/205/WR/DB/Sr.; Rhett Holbrook, Boyd County, 6-3/185/QB/DB/Sr.; Jax Niece, Estill County, 6-0/210/LB/Sr.; Tyson Sammons, Greenup County, 6-0/225/QB/SS/Sr.; Braylon Sizemore, South Laurel, 6-4/270/DT/Sr.; LaBryant Strader, Ashland Blazer, 6-3/230/QB/Sr.
NORTHERN KENTUCKY: Armani Gregg, Dixie Heights, 6-1/220/QB/Sr.; Isaiah Johnson, Cooper, 6-4/190/WR/Sr.; Mattox Kelly, 6-5/235/DL/Sr.; Drayden Pavey, Cooper, 6-3/280/OL/DL/Sr.; Dylan Stewart, Conner, 6-4/280/OL/Sr.
SOUTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY: Trevy Barber, Bowling Green, 5-9/165/ATH/Jr.; Landon Burks, South Warren, 6-2/290/OL/DL/Sr.; Kace Eastridge, Campbellsville, 6-1/190/QB/Jr.; Lane Grant, Adair County, 6-0/190/P/Sr.; Josiah Hope, North Hardin, 6-4/265/DT/Jr.; Easton Jessie, Adair County, 6-0/180/QB/Sr.
WESTERN KENTUCKY: Vince Carrico, Owensboro Catholic, 5-11/210/LB/Sr.; Trevor “TD” Delacey, Owensboro, 6-2/170/QB/Sr.; Jarren Johnson, Union County, 5-8/180/QB/Sr.; Kanyon Johnson, Madisonville, 6-5/210/QB/FS/Sr.; Ian Williams, Mayfield, 6-0/225/LB/Sr.
Methodology: The Herald-Leader invited head coaches from all 219 teams eligible for postseason play to participate in our preseason survey with 85 responding to the top 10 player rankings question out of 166 preseason surveys returned. Players were assigned point values of 10 points for a coach’s top pick down to one point for the 10th player on their list. Players outside the top 10 were selected by Jared Peck based on input from the surveys, recruiting rankings, known college offers and career accomplishments.
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