Inside the Herald-Leader Hundred: Facts and figures about our preseason honors

Here are some facts and figures about the Herald-Leader’s preseason best players list, now called the Herald-Leader Hundred.

The list numbered 50 players from 1994 to 2015 and has grown since. All totals and facts are since 1994 when our coaches’ survey about some of Kentucky’s best prep football players expanded to include freshmen through seniors.

How many different players have been represented? 1,645.

How many different schools have been represented? 200.

How many times did our list miss on Mr. Football? Twice.

It happened with Lone Oak’s Corey Robinson in 2007 and Danville’s D’Mauriae VanCleave in 2017.

However, VanCleave made our top player list in the year prior to his senior year.

Lone Oak’s Robinson had a senior year for the ages in leading the Purple Flash to the Class 4A state finals. He threw for 5,872 yards and an eye-popping 91 TDs with just four interceptions. The yardage and TD totals represent the majority of Robinson’s career stats (63% and 69%, respectively).

Robinson holds Kentucky’s season passing yards record by 1,129 yards and the season touchdown record by 23 scores, both over Owensboro Catholic’s Brady Atwell.

Lexington Catholic ended Lone Oak’s dream 14-0 run with a 49-7 blowout in the 2007 title game. Lone Oak closed when McCracken County opened in 2013.

Robinson is on staff at Troy, the college he played for after high school. He is one of Troy’s all-time greats. He was also a longtime assistant coach at Paducah Tilghman.

How many honorees since 1994 have made it to the NFL? 44, according to a comparison with pro-football-reference.com.

They most notably include Boone County’s Shaun Alexander, the Seattle Seahawks’ 2005 NFL MVP award winner who rushed for 9,453 career yards and 100 touchdowns as a pro. The 1994 Mr. Football played college ball at Alabama.

Leslie County’s Tim Couch was the No. 1 overall pick for the Cleveland Browns in 1999. Though his pro career was shortened by injury, his accomplishments at Kentucky earned him a spot in the College Football Hall of Fame in 2024.

Kentucky high school stars from our list who went on to the NFL also include: Reggie Bonnafon, Trinity; Brian Brohm, Trinity; Jamon Brown, Fern Creek; Michael Bush, Male; Keenan Burton, Manual; Brandon Deaderick, Elizabethtown; Winston Guy, Lexington Catholic; Damien Harris, Madison Southern; Joel Iyiegbuniwe, South Warren; Dennis Johnson, Harrodsburg; Jeremi Johnson, Ballard; Devon Key, Bryan Station; Jared Lorenzen, Highlands; Michael Mayer, Covington Catholic; Justin Miller, Owensboro; Chase Minnifield, Henry Clay; Jordan Meredith, Bowling Green; DeVante Parker, Ballard; Corey Peters, Central; Artose Pinner, Hopkinsville; Myron Pryor, Eastern; Chris Redman, Male; Robert Reynolds, Bowling Green; Desmond Ridder, St. Xavier; Wan’Dale Robinson, Western Hills; Daniel Ross, Jeffersontown; Eric Shelton, Bryan Station; Luke Stocker, Madison Southern; Jacob Tamme, Boyle County; Keith Tandy, Christian County; Dalton Tucker, Bourbon County; Jedrick Wills Jr., Lafayette; Landon Young, Lafayette; Logan Woodside, Franklin County; George Wilson, Paducah Tilghman.

What year had the most future NFL players? 1997. There were six: Michael Brown, Butler; Chris Demaree, Male; Bernard Jackson, St. Xavier; Dennis Johnson, Harrodsburg; Artose Pinner, Hopkinsville; and Robert Reynolds, Bowling Green.

How many honorees have made the list four times? One — Harrodsburg’s Dennis Johnson (1994-1997), who earned Mr. Football and Sports Illustrated National Player of the Year honors his senior year.

Three-time honorees? There have been 33 players who’ve made the list three times.

They are: Austin Alexander, Cooper (2022-2024); Beau Allen, Lexington Catholic (2017-2019); Bryce Button, South Warren (2022-2024); Dekel Crowdus, Frederick Douglass (2018-2020); Isaac Dixon, Belfry (2019-2021); Tony Driver, Male (1994-1996); Maddox Hager, Boyle County (2023-2025); Stephen Herron, Trinity (2016-2018); Josiah Hope, North Hardin (2023-2025); Bryan Hudson, Scott County (2016-2018); Jonathan Jackson, Mayfield (2010-2012); Treyveon Longmire, Corbin (2019-2021); Ronald Lunz, North Hardin (2023-2025); Walker Parks, Lexington Christian/Frederick Douglass (2007-2009) James Quick, Trinity (2010-2012); Makhi Smith, Woodford County (2022-2024); Reese Smith, Boyle County (2017-2019); Cortez Stone, Central (2022-2024); Darius Akal, Harlan (2022-2024); Trevy Barber, Bowling Green (2023-2025); Kyle Bolin, Lexington Catholic (2010-2012); Jairus Brents, Waggener (2015-2017); Selah Brown, Male (2019-2021); Ty Bryant, Frederick Douglass (2020-2022); Jason Hatcher, Trinity (2010-2012); Jack James, Paducah Tilghman (2022-2024); Hayes Johnson, Taylor County (2021-2023); Jacob Lacey, South Warren (2016-2018); Jak Lindsey, Owensboro (2021-2023); Montavin “Tavi” Quisenberry, Boyle County (2022-2024); Peyton Smith, Taylor County (2022-2024); Vito Tisdale, Bowling Green (2017-2019); Kelvin Turner, Danville (2002-2004).

Two? 108. They include: Shane Boyd, Henry Clay (1998, 1999); Tim Couch, Leslie County (1994, 1995); Jordan Dingle, Bowling Green (2019, 2020); Jordan Haskins, Bryan Station (2024, 2025); J.T. Haskins, Bryan Station (1998, 1999); J.T. Haskins Jr., Bryan Station (2022, 2023); Cole Hodge, Christian Academy-Louisville (2022, 2023); Josh Jaggers, Danville (1998, 1999); Montrell Jones, Male (1999, 2000); Dane Key, Frederick Douglass (2020, 2021); Artose Pinner, Hopkinsville (1996, 1997); Brandon Smith, Boyle County (2003, 2004); and Derek Smith, Highlands (1997, 1998).

How many H-L honorees are current Kentucky high school football head coaches? 14.

They are: James Bridges, Fulton County (Fulton County, 1997); Michael Caba, Montgomery County (Magoffin County, 1995); Hunter Cantwell, Christian Academy-Louisville (Paducah Tilghman, 2003); Clay Clevenger, Somerset (Danville, 1995); Spencer Crutchfield, Garrard County (Garrard County, 2004); Scott Grizzle, Pike County Central (Raceland, 2006); J.T. Haskins, Bryan Station (Bryan Station, 1998, 1999); Trevor Hoskins, Floyd Central (Middlesboro, 2006); Dennis Johnson, Woodford County (Harrodsburg. 1994-97); Nathan McPeek, Frederick Douglass (Russell, 1999); Kyle Moore, Breathitt County (Breathitt County, 1997, 1998); Blake Powers, Meade County (Meade County, 2002); Brandon Smith, South Warren (Boyle County, 2003, 2004); Craig Yeast, Mercer County (Harrodsburg, 1994).

Editor’s note: This article was compiled with the help of AI tools and written and edited by Herald-Leader journalists.

Jared Peck

Lexington Herald-Leader

859-488-2883

Jared Peck, the Herald-Leader’s Digital Sports Writer, covers high school athletics and has been with the company as a writer and editor for more than 20 years. Support my work with a digital subscription