There are six finalists for the 2025 TriState Football Kentucky Defensive Player of the Year. Four of them are seniors and one junior and a sophomore.
This the third finalist nomination for Jacob Savage. He is the third player (Austin Alexander, Cooper – 2022-’24; Xavier Campbell, Beechwood – 2021-’23) in the 19-year history of this award to be nominated three times. This the second nomination for Ryker Campbell. He becomes the 14th player to have been named a finalist for this award two times (or more).
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 16th, 2026 at the Holy Grail-Banks – RSVP 2025 TSF Year In Review Show
Here is a look at our finalists for the 2025 TriState Football Kentucky Defensive Player of the Year.
Ryker Campbell, Cooper, Sr, DB – Was named NKFCA First Team All-NKY (DB & WR), Second Team All-TSF and TSF NKY Defensive Player of the Year finalist (for a second straight season). Campbell was in on 60 tackles, had three interceptions including a pick-six for the 8-4 Jaguars. He was equally impressive on offense averaging 25.8 yards per catch on 44 receptions for 1,135 yards and 13 touchdowns. Campbell finished his career as Cooper’s all-time leader with 16 interceptions, with 222 tackles, 3.0 tackles for losses, two forced fumbles, one fumbe recovery, 350 interception return yards, three pick-sixes, 264 yards rushing, three rushing touchdowns, 68 receptions, 1,450 receiving yards, 14 touchdown catches and 24 total touchdowns.
Bo Gay, Ryle, Sr, DL – Was named KFCA Class 6A, District 6 Lineman of the Year, NKFCA First Team All-NKY (for a second straight season) and Third Team All-TSF. The 6-foot-5, 235-pound Gay battled injury but still managed to get in on 25 tackles with 5.0 sacks and 6.0 tackles for losses for the 10-4 Raiders. He finished his career with 92 tackles, 16.0 sacks, 25.0 tackles for losses and a fumble recovery. Ryle went 10-3 in the post season in Gay’s three years as a starter.
Chase McDaniel, Beechwood, Sr, DL – Was named NKFCA Top 28 and Third Team All-TSF. McDaniel tallied 43 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 24.5 tackles for losses, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery for an 11-2 Tigers team and defense that allowed just 9.8 points per game, held 11 opponents to seven points or less and had four shutouts. McDaniel finished his career with 11.5 sacks and 34.5 tackles for losses.
Charles Oglesby, Holy Cross, Jr, LB – Was named KFCA Class 1A, District 4 Player of the Year and Second Team All-TSF (ATH). Emerged as one of the most well rounded-players in Northern Kentucky helping lead Holy Cross to an 11-1 finish and the school’s first undefeated regular season. A versatile piece of a Holy Cross defense that allowed just 7.0 points per game and held nine opponents to six points or less including four shutouts, Oglesby was in on 49 tackles, with one sack, 10.0 tackles for losses, a forced fumble and two interceptions including a pick-six. He was equally impressive on offense running for 832 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Jacob Savage, Ryle, Sr, LB – Was named KFCA Class 6A, District 5 Player of the Year (for a second straight season), First Team All-NKY (for a third straight season), NKFCA Top 28 (for a third straight season), First Team All-TriState Football (for a second straight season) and TSF NKY DPOY finalist (for a third straight season). One of the most decorated players to ever come out of Northern Kentucky, Savage recorded 112 tackles with 15.0 tackles for losses, a forced fumble and three takeaways (two INTs, one FR) for a 10-4 Ryle team that won its third straight district championship for the first time in school history. The Raiders also made back-to-back state semifinal appearances for the first time in program history. On offense, he ran for 1,222 yards, caught 12 balls for 204 yards, found the end zone 29 times (24 rush, five rec). The Indiana commit finished his career with 409 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 39.0 tackles for losses, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, six interceptions, 2,687 yards rushing, 63 receptions, 749 yards receiving and 64 touchdowns (53 rush, 11 rec).
Lincoln Tomlinson, Lloyd Memorial, So, LB – Was named NKFCA First Team All-NKY and Third Team All-TSF. The centerpiece of the 13-1 state semifinalist Juggernauts, Tomlinson recorded 149 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 16.0 tackles for losses, one forced fumble and had an interception. On offense, he ran for 726 yards, had 16 rushing touchdowns, 16 receptions, 149 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Heads into his junior year with 256 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 35.0 tackles for losses, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, two interceptions and a pick-six.
Past TSF NKY DPOY finalists (players of the year in bold):
2024
Austin Alexander (Cooper), Dameyn Anness (Ludlow), Ryker Campbell (Cooper), Kaleb Cole (Newport Central Catholic), Jacob Savage (Ryle), Dillon Smith (Ryle) and Gabe Williams (Highlands).
2023
Austin Alexander (Cooper), Xavier Campbell (Beechwood), Jack Lonaker (Cooper), Brach Rice (Dixie Heights), Willie Rodriguez (Covington Catholic), Jacob Savage (Ryle) and Carson Shelton (Highlands).
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) and 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) and 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) and 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) and 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) and 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) and Matthew Way (CovCath).
2012
Jared Bowling (Simon Kenton), Sam Burchell (CovCath), Taylor Centers (Cooper), Cameron Fogle (Conner), Seth Hope (Highlands), Cole Mosier (Walton-Verona) and Cameron Pangallo (Bellevue).
2011
Drake Bruns (Highlands), Paul Lampone (Holy Cross), Quincy Page (Walton-Verona), Mikel Reynolds (Boone County), Ryan Smith (Ryle) and JP Williams
(Cooper).
2010
Austin Baldwin (Simon Kenton), Drake Bruns (Highlands), Tommy Courtney (Holmes), Brian Doyle (NewCath), Jake Giesler (NewCath) and Court Mace (Ryle).
2009
Nik Brown (Simon Kenton), Chris Kelly (NewCath), Regal Lowe (Holmes), Drew Rice (Ludlow), Brandon Roller (Highlands) and Markel Walker (Holy Cross).
2008
Austin Collinsworth (Highlands), Zach Eagler (Boone County), Dominic Mainello (Beechwood), Ben Parr (NewCath), Kody Rosenhagen (Highlands) and Pat VanSant (Covington Catholic).
2007
Stephen Benson (Dixie Heights), Sam Brown (Boone County), Nick Franzen (NewCath), Aaron Morgan (Lloyd) and Luke Stein (Highlands).
