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2023 TSF Kentucky DPOY Finalists

Beechwood LB Xavier Campbell (photo by Greg Shoemaker/TriStateFootball.com)

There are seven finalists for the 2023 TriState Football Kentucky Defensive Player of the Year. Five of them are seniors, one is a junior and the other is a sophomore.

This the third finalist nomination for Xavier Campbell. He is the first player in the 17-year history of the award to be nominated three times as a DPOY in Kentucky. This the second nomination for Austin Alexander and Brach Rice. The duo becomes the 11th and 12th players to have been nominated for this award twice.

The members of the All-TSF Teams, the TSF Teams of the Year, Players of the Year and finalists from Indiana, Dayton, Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati as well as the Mella Windows Players of the Week will be recognized at the TriState Football Year In Review Awards Show on Monday, February 19th, 2024 at the Holy Grail-Banks – RSVP 2023 TSF Year In Review Show

Here is a look at our finalists for the 2023 TriState Football Kentucky Defensive Player of the Year.

Cooper WR/DE Austin Alexander (photo by Chris Granger/X: @regnargc)

Austin Alexander, Cooper, Jr, DE – Was named First Team All-NKY, for a third straight season, First Team All-TSF (DL) for a second straight season. As a sophomore, Alexander was the 2022 TSF NKY DPOY recepient. A game-changing force on both sides of the ball, the 6-foot-3, 245-pound, Alexander was key piece of Cooper’s (12-3) Class 5A state runner-up run. Defensively, he tallied 81 total tackles, had 19.0 sacks and a pick-six. On offense, the junior reeled in 67 balls for 1,138 yards and 19 touchdown catches. The highest recruited player in Jaguars history, Alexander has already amassed 227 total tackles, 35.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, two interceptions, 113 receptions, 1,816 receiving yards and 26 touchdown receptions in his career. Alexander’s offers include Cincinnati, Duke, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Liberty, Louisville, Miami (OH), North Carolina, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Purdue, Stanford, Tennessee, Virginia, Virginia Tech, West Virginia & Wisconsin.

Xavier Campbell, Beechwood, Sr, LB – Was named First Team All-NKY for a fourth straight season, NKFCA Top 26, Third Team All-TSF (LB) and a TSF NKY DPOY finalist (for a third consecutive year). Campbell moved from defensive line to linebacker in 2023 and helped Beechwood (12-2) to a Class 2A state semifinals finish. The Tigers defense excelled down the stretch giving up just 5.1 points per game with six shutouts over the last nine contests of the season. Campbell had a pair of sacks, a fumble recovery and two pick-sixes to help pace the unit. He was a Third Team All-TSF (DL) selection in 2022 and a Second Team All-TSF (DL) selection in 2021.

Jack Lonaker, Cooper, Sr, LB – Was named both All-NKY and NKFCA Top 26 for a second straight year and Second Team All-TSF. The heart-and-soul of a Cooper defense that helped the Jaguars to the Class 5A state finals for just the second time in school history. Lonaker recorded 166 total tackles (95 solo), had four sacks, seven tackles for losses, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two interceptions. He finishes his career with 456 total tackles (257 solo), five sacks, eight forced fumbles, five takeaways (three INTs, two FRs) and seven offensive touchdowns (four rush, three rec).

Dixie Heights LB Brach Rice (photo by: Chris Granger/ X: @regnargc)

Brach Rice, Dixie Heights, Sr, LB – Was named All-NKY for a third straight season (as a TE in 2021), NKFCA Top 26, First Team All-TriState Football and TSF NKY DPOY finalist (for a second straight year). Rice had a monster senior campaign with 181 total tackles (102 solo), 13.0 sacks, 32.5 tackles for losses, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. On offense, he had 270 yards rushing, seven receptions for 130 yards and found the end zone 10 times (seven rush, two rec). He ends a wonderful career at Dixie heights with 326 total tackles, 22.0 sacks, 48.5 tackles for losses, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, 926 yards rushing, 24 receptions, 485 yards receiving, and 22 touchdowns scored (15 rush, five rec).

Willie Rodriguez, Covington Catholic, Sr, DE – Was named Division II All-NKY (TE & DE), NKFCA Top 26 and First Team All-TriState Football (ATH). Rodriguez starred on both sides of the ball as Covington Catholic (14-1) rolled to a Class 4A state runner-up finish. The Colonels also recorded their fourth undefeated regular season in the last seven years. Rodriguez filled the stat sheet with 39 total tackles, three sacks and one forced fumble on defense. Offensively, 12 of his 29 receptions went for touchdowns to go along with 488 yards receiving. The 6-foot-4, 235-pound Rodriguez has signed with Kentucky.

Covington Catholic TE/DE Willie Rodriguez (photo by Chris Granger / X: @regnargc)

Jacob Savage, Ryle, So, LB – Was named Division I All-NKY, NKFCA Top 26 and Second Team All-TriState Football. The Raiders rising star registered 163 total tackles, had a sack, six-and-a-half tackles for losses and a fumble recovery. Savage also played some offense this past year racking up 380 yards on the ground, with 22 receptions for 232 yards and nine touchdowns (seven rush, two rec). He has an offer from Eastern Kentucky.

Carson Shelton, Highlands, Sr, DL – Was named Division II All-NKY, NKFCA Top 26 and Third Team All-TriState Football. Head coach Bob Sphire called Shelton, “the most consistent of all the Highlands (12-2) defenders,” in 2023. Shelton was in on 58 total tackles, had three sacks, five tackles for losses, one forced fumble and three fumble recoveries for a Bluebirds defense that soared down the stretch allowing just 7.1 points over the last seven weeks on the way to a Class 5A state semifinals finish.

Past TSF NKY DPOY finalists (past winners in bold):
2022
Austin Alexander (Cooper), Xavier Campbell (Beechwood), Adam Dunn (Highlands), Aiden Jones (Covington Catholic), Byron May (Rowan County), Brach Rice (Dixie Heights) and Luke Runyon (Newport Central Catholic)
2021
Jackson Belk (Ryle), Xavier Campbell (Beechwood), Jacob Leicht (Bishop Brossart), Byron May (Rowan County), Gabe Savage (Ryle), Colin Smith (Dixie Heights) and Trevor Wilson (Covington Catholic).
2020
Mitch Berger (Beechwood), Rhys Brown (Dixie Heights), Tayquan Calloway (Holmes), Dawson Catlett (Walton-Verona), Ben Dickhaus (Covington Catholic), Eric Jiminez (Dayton) and Gabe Savage (Ryle).
2019
Tayquan Calloway (Holmes), Kaleal Davis (Newport), Daniel Felix, (Covington Catholic), Brycen Huddleston (Highlands), Cody Kramer (Ludlow), Andy Molique, (Covington Catholic) & Vuk Sajlovic (Simon Kenton). 
2018
JJ Courtney (Simon Kenton), Adam Derry (Beechwood), Grant Grubbs (Walton-Verona), Brycen Huddleston (Highlands), Kyle Kelly (Newport Central Catholic), Tanner Lawrence (Campbell County), Michael Mayer (Covington Catholic).
2017
Kam Butler (Covington Catholic), Adam Derry (Beechwood); Grant Dyer (Covington Catholic); Michael Mayer (Covington Catholic); Nelson Perrin (Scott), Jackson Saladin (Ryle) & Brayden Trattles (Simon Kenton).
2016
Derrick Barnes (Holy Cross), Justin Blackburn (Ludlow), Brian Carter (Simon Kenton), Sander Rocksvag (Cooper), Hunter Ruber (Walton-Verona), Peyton Van Horn (Conner) & Alex Thurza (Scott).
2015
Isaiah Ebarb (Conner), Dante Hendrix (Cooper), Trent Kincaid (Simon Kenton), Tucker Mueller (Simon Kenton), Cameron Pitzer (Covington Catholic), Brett Slusher (Beechwood) & Marcus Watson (Cooper).
2014
Barry Deaton (Simon Kenton), Branden Johnson (Dixie Heights), Breandon Johnson (Newport), Will Latimore (Walton-Verona), Nick Sauerbeck (Campbell County), Alex Wagner (CovCath) & Luke Zajac (Dixie Heights).
2013
Jalen Beal (Holy Cross), Sam Burchell (CovCath), Brendan Fisk (Dixie Heights), Seth Hope (Highlands), Nate McCoy (Gallatin County), Jack Sutkamp (NewCath), Andrew Way (Conner) & Matthew Way (CovCath).
2012 
Jared Bowling (Simon Kenton), Sam Burchell (CovCath), Taylor Centers (Cooper), Cameron Fogle (Conner), Seth Hope (Highlands), Cole Mosier (Walton-Verona) & Cameron Pangallo (Bellevue).
2011
Drake Bruns (Highlands), Paul Lampone (Holy Cross), Quincy Page (Walton-Verona), Mikel Reynolds (Boone County), Ryan Smith (Ryle) & JP Williams (Cooper).
2010
Austin Baldwin (Simon Kenton), Drake Bruns (Highlands), Tommy Courtney (Holmes), Brian Doyle (NewCath), Jake Giesler (NewCath) & Court Mace (Ryle).
2009 
Nik Brown (Simon Kenton), Chris Kelly (NewCath), Regal Lowe (Holmes), Drew Rice (Ludlow), Brandon Roller (Highlands) & Markel Walker (Holy Cross).
2008
Austin Collinsworth (Highlands), Zach Eagler (Boone County), Dominic Mainello (Beechwood), Ben Parr (NewCath), Kody Rosenhagen (Highlands) & Pat VanSant (Covington Catholic).
2007
Stephen Benson (Dixie Heights), Sam Brown (Boone County), Nick Franzen (NewCath), Aaron Morgan (Lloyd) & Luke Stein (Highlands).

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