2023 Kentucky All-State football team: Meet the 12 members of the first-team defense
Here’s a look at the 12 members of The Courier Journal’s 2023 first-team All-State football defense, as selected by a statewide vote of coaches. A total of 126 coaches returned ballots.
Jerod Smith
Corbin, defensive lineman
Height/weight: 6-3/265
Year: Senior
College: Committed to Kentucky
Why he’s on the team: Posted 90 tackles (64 solo) for a Redhounds team that went 12-1 and reached the third round of the Class 4A playoffs. Smith led the team with 20 tackles for loss and nine sacks and recovered two fumbles, returning one for a touchdown. Was named the Class 4A, District Eight Player of the Year by the Kentucky Football Coaches Association. He’s the No. 1-ranked prospect in Kentucky’s Class of 2024, according to 247Sports.com. Played at Somerset in 2019 and 2020 before transferring and playing at Connecticut prep schools in 2021 and 2022.
Coach’s take: “Jerod was a fantastic leader and an exceptional player for us this year,” Tom Greer said. “He made teams have to plan their offense around him. Teams couldn’t throw the ball downfield because he would get pressure on the quarterback, and they couldn’t throw quick game to his side because he would bat passes down.”
Austin Alexander
Cooper, defensive lineman
Height/weight: 6-3/242
Year: Junior
College: Has offers from Akron, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Duke, Eastern Kentucky, Gardner-Webb, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Liberty, Louisville, Miami (Ohio), North Carolina, Notre Dame, Purdue, Tennessee, Virginia, Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Wisconsin
Why he’s on the team: Two-way star for a Jaguars team that went 12-3 and finished as the Class 5A runner-up. Alexander ranked second on the team with 81 tackles (57 solo) and pitched in 19 sacks, eight tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and one interception. He ranked second in the state in sacks. As a tight end, Alexander had 67 catches for 1,138 yards and 19 touchdowns. He’s the No. 1-ranked prospect in Kentucky’s Class of 2025, according to 247Sports.com.
Coach’s take: “Austin is the total package,” Randy Borchers said. “Not only is he a great football player and a matchup nightmare for teams to defend on both sides of the ball, but he is a better young man. He is the vocal and emotional leader of our football program, and he leads by example. Austin makes everyone around him better, whether that be on the football field, in the classroom or out in the community.”
Johnathan Griffin
Franklin County, defensive lineman
Height/weight: 6-3/210
Year: Senior
College: Has offers from Campbellsville and Thomas More
Why he’s on the team: Posted a state-best 23 sacks for a Flyers squad that went 13-1 and reached the semifinals of the Class 4A playoffs. Finished the season with 86 tackles (47 solo), 37 tackles for loss and one fumble recovery.
Coach’s take: “He is an elite pass rusher and has a knack for making the big play,” Eddie James said. “I cannot wait to see him at the next level. He will be a recruiting steal for anyone who gets him.”
Isaiah Hare
Bullitt East, defensive lineman
Height/weight: 6-2/275
Year: Senior
College: Committed to Eastern Illinois
Why he’s on the team: Among the leaders for a Chargers squad that went 9-3 and reached the second round of the Class 6A playoffs. Hare finished with 38 tackles (29 solo), six tackles for loss, five sacks and three fumble recoveries.
Coach’s take: “Isaiah is a great athlete who has lightning hands and an arsenal of block-destruction tools in his belt,” Keegan Kendrick said. “His work ethic has allowed him to play at a high level, even with a big frame. What he has done for this program in the last four years cannot be overstated.”
Jacob Smith
Corbin, linebacker
Height/weight: 6-4/230
Year: Senior
College: Committed to Kentucky
Why he’s on the team: Leading tackler (103) for a Redhounds team that went 12-1 and reached the third round of the Class 4A playoffs. He added five tackles for loss, four sacks, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two interceptions. He’s the No. 2-ranked prospect in Kentucky’s Class of 2024, according to 247Sports.com. Played at Somerset in 2019 and 2020 before transferring and playing at Connecticut prep schools in 2021 and 2022.
Coach’s take: “We had arguably the best defense in the state this season, and Jacob Smith was a big reason why,” Greer said. “His versatility at the high school level was a luxury. He can rush the passer, set the edge and cover in space. There was nothing we asked of him that he didn’t excel at. He forced fumbles, made interceptions and got sacks that changed games for us.”
Brach Rice
Dixie Heights, linebacker
Height/weight: 6-3/220
Year: Senior
College: Committed to Miami (Ohio)
Why he’s on the team: Two-way star for a Colonels team that went 5-7 and reached the second round of the Class 5A playoffs. Rice posted 181 tackles (102 solo), 32 ½ tackles for loss, 13 sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. The 32 ½ tackles for loss ranked No. 1 in the state. He also tallied 400 yards on offense (270 rushing, 130 receiving) and scored eight touchdowns.
Coach’s take: “Brach Rice is the true definition of a football player,” Pat Burke said. “He is tough, hardworking, loyal, and will never back down from a challenge. Brach came to work every day with a great energy, effort and attitude that inspired our team. He was the leader and heartbeat of our team.”
Avery Bodner
Boyle County, linebacker
Height/weight: 6-0/175
Year: Senior
College: Has offers from Campbellsville, Eastern Kentucky, Kenyon, Lindsey Wilson, Thomas More and Union
Why he’s on the team: Two-way star was among nine finalists for Kentucky Mr. Football honors after helping the Rebels go 15-0 and win their fourth straight Class 4A championship. Bodner was the team’s top tackler with 87 (43 solo) and pitched in 15 tackles for loss, seven sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one interception. As a running back, Bodner was the team’s top rusher with 1,274 yards. He scored 27 touchdowns (22 rushing, four receiving, one fumble return). A four-year starter, Bodner earned honorable-mention All-State honors last year at running back.
Coach’s take: “Avery Bodner is a football player, leader and hard worker,” Justin Haddix said.
Connor Hodge
Christian Academy, defensive back
Height/weight: 6-1/160
Year: Junior
College: Committed to East Carolina
Why he’s on the team: Two-way star for a Centurions squad that went 14-1 and won its second straight Class 3A championship. Hodge ranked third on the team with 56 tackles (31 solo) and ranked first in the state with 11 interceptions, returning two for touchdowns. As a wide receiver, Hodge ranked first in the state with 114 receptions, second in the state with 1,494 receiving yards and third in the state with 23 touchdown receptions. The 114 catches rank third in state history for a single season.
Coach’s take: “Connor is one of the — if not the most — dynamic players in the state,” Hunter Cantwell said. “The most impressive thing is he does it on both sides of the ball. In my years around the game of football, I’ve never seen a young man excel like he does in all phases of the game. Connor is a tremendous get for East Carolina and will be a big-time player at the Division I level.”
J.T. Haskins
Bryan Station, defensive back
Height/weight: 6-1/175
Year: Senior
College: Committed to Ohio
Why he’s on the team: Two-way star for a Defenders squad that went 11-4 and finished as the Class 6A runner-up. Haskins posted 50 tackles (34 solo) and three tackles for loss and tied for ninth place in the state with seven interceptions, returning one for a touchdown. He also was Bryan Station’s top wide receiver, catching 41 passes for 878 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Coach’s take: “J.T. has been a huge part of the resurgence of our program,” Phillip Hawkins said. “He has been a leader, a great teammate and student of the game. He has been a blast to coach, both as a wide receiver and a defensive back. I look forward to following his career at the next level and beyond.”
Jeremiah Lowe
Frederick Douglass, defensive back
Height/weight: 5-11/170
Year: Senior
College: Committed to Michigan
Why he’s on the team: Shutdown defender for a Broncos team that went 8-5 and reached the semifinals of the Class 6A playoffs. Lowe posted 25 tackles (19 solo), one interception, one forced fumble and one tackle for loss. He also had two returns for touchdown — one punt and one kickoff.
Coach’s take: “Jeremiah is an elite athlete with excellent ball skills,” Nathan McPeek said. “He has great speed and agility that will help him at Michigan. I look for him to have a great career as he continues to change his body. He was an excellent punt returner for us as well.”
Martels Carter
Paducah Tilghman, defensive back
Height/weight: 6-1/185
Year: Junior
College: Has offers from Alabama A&M, Arkansas, Arkansas State, Auburn, Austin Peay, Bethune-Cookman, Clemson, Charlotte, Colorado, Eastern Kentucky, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Jackson State, Kentucky, Liberty, Louisville, Massachusetts, Memphis, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Old Dominion, Ole Miss, Purdue, SMU, South Florida, Tennessee, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech, Texas A&M, Texas Southern, Troy, Tulane, South Florida, UNLV, USC, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Wisconsin
Why he’s on the team: Two-way star for a Blue Tornado squad that went 13-1 and reached the semifinals of the Class 4A playoffs. Carter had 44 tackles (29 solo), three interceptions and two fumble recoveries. On offense, he caught 43 passes for 1,066 yards and finished with 19 touchdowns (10 receiving, five punt returns, three rushing and one kickoff return). He’s the No. 2-ranked prospect in Kentucky’s Class of 2025, according to 247Sports.com. Carter transferred to Paducah Tilghman from Brainerd High School in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Coach’s take: “Martels is an immediate-impact player when he steps on the field,” Sean Thompson said. “His personality and leadership ability is influential in not only his success but that of the team as well. After watching him take us from good to great, I’m excited to see how his game translates to the next level, where I expect him to be an immediate-impact player as well.”
Isaac Johnson
East Jessamine, punter
Height/weight: 6-2/170
Year: Senior
College: Has an offer from Centre
Why he’s on the team: Soccer player also did a little bit of everything for a Jaguars football squad that finished 2-9. He averaged 42.8 net yards on 24 punts, with a long of 63 yards. He made 16 of 19 PAT kicks and 1 of 2 field-goal tries. Johnson was one of the team’s top wide receivers with 18 catches for 328 yards and three touchdowns and tied for the team lead on defense with two interceptions. He also was the first-team selection at punter last year.
Coach’s take: “He never missed a practice or asked out of a rep,” Mike Bowlin said. “He’s the ultimate teammate. Came to practice every day with a great attitude and picked everyone up along the way. As far as punting goes, you can literally hear the ball come off of his foot. He’s got an extremely strong leg and has great accuracy. He consistently amazed opposing coaches with his distance and height on his punts. He’ll go down as the best I have ever coached.”
More high school sports: 10 Kentucky basketball tournaments you'll want to see this Christmas season
Reach Jason Frakes at jfrakes@courier-journal.com and follow him on X @kyhighs
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky All-State football team: Top KY high school defensive players
