2018 Class of the Commonwealth: Kentucky’s top 25 high school football seniors
The Lexington Herald-Leader is proud to present its 27th edition of the Class of the Commonwealth, an annual selection of the state’s top football-playing seniors.
All choices were made by Herald-Leader reporter Josh Moore using criteria that included: career statistics and accomplishments, senior-season stats and accomplishments, recruiting rankings, advancement in the postseason and any other notable accomplishments in athletics.
Each of the 12 state finalists were guaranteed at least one selection. Five honorable mentions were also named. Players are listed in alphabetical order.
Anthony Adkins, LaRue County
Position: Running back/wide receiver/linebacker
Credentials: Led the Hawks to their first region title and an appearance in the state semifinals for the first time since 1991. He’s played a bevy of positions in his time at LaRue County. Adkins as a senior rushed for 1,949 yards and scored 30 TDs — including the last two in a 40-32 win at Elizabethtown to claim the region title after trailing by 20 points in the fourth quarter.
Austin Barnett, Scott County
Position: Fullback
Credentials: Rushed for 1,631 yards and 24 TDs as a senior — both the top mark in Class 6A — as part of Scott County’s first visit to the state finals since 2013. Barnett accumulated 3,092 yards and 47 total TDs at Scott County, for whom he also starred as a dynamic kick returner.
Tre Bass, Franklin-Simpson
Position: Running back
Credentials: Was part of three straight state finalist teams in Class 4A and was named MVP of the 2017 and 2018 finals after leading Franklin-Simpson to back-to-back championships. Bass rushed for 2,098 yards (second-most in 4A and 11th-most in the state) and 31 TDs (tied for the most in 4A) and ended his career with 3,713 rushing yards and 54 total TDs. He was named Class 4A Player of the Year by the Kentucky Football Coaches Association.
Tanner Bowles, Glasgow
Position: Offensive tackle
Credentials: The 6-foot-5, 280-pound offensive tackle has committed to Alabama and is rated as a four-star prospect by 247Sports. Glasgow increased its win total in each of Bowles’ seasons in the program, culminating in an 11-2 campaign his senior year in which the Scotties rushed for nearly 4,000 yards — they hadn’t cracked 2,500 in any of the three previous seasons. He was part of a region championship team in 2017 that fell to eventual Class 2A champion Danville in the state semifinals.
Wiley Cain, Pulaski County
Position: Quarterback
Credentials: The nephew of former UK football player Ron Cain endured injuries/surgeries twice — he missed five games with a broken collar bone as a sophomore and the final two games of his junior season with a torn labrum — but played the entirety of his senior season, leading the Maroons back to the state semifinals after having a streak of appearances broken in 2017. He passed for 3,987 yards (most in the state) and 35 TDs as a senior, connecting on 329 of his 501 pass attempts (65.6 percent). Cain finished with 9,078 yards and 85 TD throws in his career.
Logan Castleman, Beechwood
Position: Running back/defensive back
Credentials: Played all four seasons for the Tigers, appearing in four straight finals and winning the last three Class A championships. He scored 70 TDs in his career — 34 as a senior — and led Beechwood in rushing with 1,698 yards in his final go-around. Castleman — part of two All “A” Classic state championship baseball teams in his time at Beechwood — has signed to play baseball at Wright State.
Demontae Crumes, Butler
Position: Wide receiver
Credentials: Finished fourth at 73.1 receiving yards per game among all Class 6A players and caught 14 TD passes, third-highest in the division. 247Sports rates the 6-1 standout a three-star prospect; he’s committed to the University of Kentucky. Crumes scored 35 total TDs in his career and finished with 2,021 receiving yards.
Garrett Dennis, Male
Position: Quarer
Credentials: Got some run as a junior — he rushed for 616 yards and six TDs on 102 carries to finish second in the Bulldogs’ pecking order and was an effective passer in limited duty (20-of-27 for 326 yards and four TDs) — but Dennis ascended to Mr. Football-level consideration with a senior year as good as anyone in the state. He nearly doubled his production on the ground — 1,122 yards and 17 TDs — while throwing for 2,491 yards and 34 TDs with only seven picks to lead Male to a 14-1 season and a state championship in Class 6A, a run that ended with consecutive wins over St. Xavier, Trinity and Scott County.
Chase Estep, Corbin
Position: Quarterback
Credentials: Stepped into the starting quarterback spot for the first time as a senior and thrived: He threw for 3,026 yards and 39 TDs with only four interceptions, and led the team in rushing with 603 yards and 11 TDs. He was the team’s leading rusher as a junior (710 yards, eight TDs) and its second-leading receiver in the two years before moving under center. Estep, who’s committed to play baseball for the University of Kentucky, scored 40 total TDs in his career, played in two state championship games and was part of four region-title winners.
Damarco Fishback, Frederick Douglass
Position: Running back
Credentials: Transferred to Douglass after a couple years at Lafayette, for whom he was a standout defensive back — he came up with two interceptions, two fumbles and was among the team leaders in tackles for the 2016 state finals team. Fishback thrived in a move to offense at Douglass: He was fifth in rushing in Class 6A (1,296 yards) and averaged 9.5 yards per carry, second-most in the class. He had 27 total TDs as a senior, leading Class 6A, and was named KFCA Player of the Year in 6A and a finalist for KFCA Mr. Football.
Malik Goodall, Central
Position: Quarterback
Credentials: Solidified his place on this list with an MVP-earning performance in the Yellow Jackets’ 20-19 victory over Corbin in the Class 3A finals: He scored all three of Central’s TDs and a two-point conversion in the third quarter to create the difference on the scoreboard. He rushed for 1,343 yards and 24 TDs this season, scored 13 two-point conversions and threw for 1,198 yards and 13 TDs with only three interceptions on the year.
Grant Grubbs, Walton-Verona
Position: Linebacker/offensive lineman
Credentials: Involved in a team-high and school-record 141 tackles — 112 solo — and recorded 7.5 sacks as a senior. He set a single-game school record with 18 tackles in the Bearcats’ 18-14 win over Glasgow to win their first region title and advance to the state semifinals for the first time in school history. Grubbs, who also led the team in tackles and was second on the team as a sophomore, also had an interception and recovered two fumbles for the Bearcats this year.
Stephen Herron, Trinity
Position: Defensive end
Credentials: Anchored a defensive unit that allowed 9.6 points per game over the 2016 and 2017 seasons, during which Trinity strung together 30 straight wins and won back-to-back Class 6A titles. He’s considered the No. 1 Kentucky prospect in the class of 2019 — 247Sports rates him as a four-star at his position. Herron, considered the eighth-best weakside defensive end in the nation, has committed to Stanford.
Bryan Hudson, Scott County
Position: Offensive lineman/defensive lineman
Credentials: A four-year starter on Scott County’s offensive line who as a senior helped lead the the Cardinals back to the Class 6A state finals for the first time since 2013. The team amassed more than 4,000 rushing yards each season. Hudson, a 6-4, 292-pound offensive tackle who received a four-star rating from 247Sports, committed to Virginia Tech and had dozens of FBS offers, among them Alabama, Michigan, Notre Dame, LSU and Kentucky. He’ll also throw discus and shot put for the Hokies; he’s a five-time track-and-field champion in the KHSAA’s Class 3A division.
Joe Jackson, Johnson Central
Position: Running back
Credentials: Was named MVP of the 2016 finals after leading the Golden Eagles to their first state championship in program history and was part of four state finalists in his time at the school. Bounced back from a season-ending knee injury suffered in the first game of his junior year to rush for a Class 4A-best 2,316 yards and 31 TDs as a senior. He rushed for 4,744 yards and scored 76 total TDs in his career.
Cam Jones, Frederick Douglass
Position: Quarterback
Credentials: Finished his high school career as the ninth-leading passer in KHSAA history (10,242 yards) and 10th overall in state history with 107 career TD throws. Jones was the most efficient passer in the state in 2018, dealing 145 completions on 199 attempts for a rate of 72.9 percent. He threw for 2,714 yards, 31 TDs and only five interceptions in his only season with the Broncos after transferring from Knott County Central. The 6-foot-8, three-star prospect has committed to Cincinnati.
Jackson Juett, Madison Central
Position: Linebacker
Credentials: The 6-foot, 235-pound senior recorded 151 tackles, forced six fumbles and had three sacks for the Indians, helping them win their first district title in seven years, win their first playoff game in six years and reach the state semifinals for the first time in program history this season. He was an all-district selection as a junior and senior and was a second-team all-state selection as a junior. EKU has offered Juett a preferred walk-on spot.
Jacob Lacey, South Warren
Position: Offensive lineman/defensive lineman
Credentials: Had 14 sacks, forced four fumbles and recorded 74 tackles this season for the Spartans, who went undefeated for the second time in school history after defeating Covington Catholic — the No. 1 team in the state and returning state titlist — for the Class 5A championship. Lacey, a 6-2, 285-pound defensive tackle who’s rated as a four-star prospect by 247Sports, has committed to Notre Dame. He was also part of South Warren’s 2015 Class 4A state championship squad.
Kent Trey Matthews, Mayfield
Position: Running back
Credentials: Scored 65 total TDs in four seasons with the Cardinals, including a career-best 30 scores (tied for the most in Class 2A) during a senior season in which he rushed for 1,919 yards (third-highest in the class). He rushed for nearly 3,000 yards over the last two seasons as Mayfield’s featured back. Was part of three state finalist teams, including the 2015 state titlist in Class 2A.
Casey McGinness, Covington Catholic
Position: Running back
Credentials: Left his mark — and a lot of defenders eating his dust — in four years with the Colonels. McGinness racked up 5,121 yards and 74 rushing TDs at Covington Catholic, including a 2,140-yard, 35-TD effort in his final campaign. He scored 85 total TDs for the Colonels, two of them in their 2017 state championship victory over Madison Southern. Was part of back-to-back state finalists in Class 5A.
Connor Roberts, Pikeville
Position: Quarterback
Credentials: Led the Panthers to their first state finals appearance since 2015. Threw for 2,148 yards (third in Class A) and 27 TDs (fourth) with only six interceptions on the season. Roberts also led Pikeville in rushing with 1,283 yards and 18 TDs, making him one of only two Class A quarterbacks to finish in the top 10 among passers and rushers. Was the KFCA Class A Player of the Year and a finalist for its Mr. Football award.
Wandale Robinson, Western Hills
Position: Athlete
Credentials: Winner of the inaugural Mr. Football award presented by the Kentucky Football Coaches Association. Rushed for 1,973 yards and 30 TDs to go along with 725 receiving yards and 11 TDs as a senior, scoring a state-best 25.8 points per game. Robinson finished as the state’s second-leading scorer all-time with 781 points. He was sixth statewide in rushing as a senior (179 yards per game) and tied for fourth in the state with six forced fumbles on defense. The four-star prospect has committed to Nebraska.
Marquel Tinsley, Daviess County
Position: Wide receiver
Credentials: Led all receivers in the state with 145.2 yards per game — he reeled in 70 receptions in nine games for a total of 1,307 yards, scoring 17 TDs through the air. He finished first (124 yards per game) and second (121 yards per game) as a sophomore and junior, respectively, and totaled 4,122 receiving yards and 60 TD receptions in those three seasons. The Middle Tennessee State commit is considered a three-star prospect by 247Sports.
JJ Weaver, Moore
Position: Defensive end
Credentials: Rivals.com has Weaver ranked as its No. 213 overall player, which made him the highest-ranked recruit committed to UK as of early December. He had 70 tackles, 10 sacks, three interceptions and a fumble recovery for Moore this season, which this season finished with 11 wins, matching a program record set by the 1980 team.
Milton Wright, Christian Academy of Louisville
Position: Wide receiver/defensive back
Credentials: Was part of two state championships at CAL — the program’s first in 2016, after which he was named MVP, and its second in as many appearances this season. Recorded his first 1,000-yard receiving season as a senior on only 67 receptions, giving him 2,668 total receiving yards for his career. He finished his time at CAL with 1,389 total rushing yards and scored 82 total TDs over four years (he also threw four TDs). The Purdue commit came up with 13 interceptions and 175 tackles in his time with the Centurions, too.
Honorable mention
Dalton Cook, Lynn Camp (RB): Led the state with an average of 227 yards per game on the ground and a total of 2,495 yards.
Tanner Crawford, Boyle County (RB): Missed a few games due to injury but nearly had another 1,000-yard rushing season after going for nearly 2,000 in the Rebels’ 2017 title season.
Pharoah Davis, Montgomery County (WR): One of 11 receivers in the state to reach 1,000 yards this season (1,021) and he did it on the second-fewest receptions (42).
Jon Sergent, Simon Kenton (RB): Was the second-leading scorer in Class 6A and led the Pioneers in rushing (1,288 yards, 20 TDs).
Gavin Spurrier, South Warren (QB): He completed 69.5 percent of his passes and threw for 41 TDs, the second-most in the state, while dealing only three interceptions.