"Built for the Collision, Driven by the Hunt"

Crayson "Bones" Lattery

@bonesc128

5'10, 208lbs, Class of 2027

Prestonburg HS, KY

There is a fierce edge to his game that shows itself the moment the football is snapped, and that aggression has helped build a tackling machine who has already blown past 500 career stops. Physical football is where he feels at home, and he plays with an explosive motor that keeps him hunting the ball from start to finish. He loves contact, trusts his eyes, and refuses to take plays off, creating a hard-nosed identity that's been producing since his freshman season.

Passing 500 career tackles is a monster achievement, but the number means even more because of everything it took to reach it. This wasn't one huge season that pushed his total into rare territory because he's been finding the football year after year since he first stepped onto a varsity field. His aggressive nature makes him dangerous once he closes on the ball, while his instincts help him diagnose what's developing and get himself where he needs to be. He also gives plenty of credit to the guys up front because he understands their work helps free him to attack and finish plays.

His senior season brought a major change when he became a Prestonsburg Blackcat and had to prove himself all over again. Walking into a new program meant earning the trust of different coaches and teammates while showing exactly what he could bring to the defense. Instead of backing away from that challenge, he attacked it with the same fierce mentality he brings to football, and Prestonsburg has started the season 4-1 with a group that continues growing closer each week. He believes there's still another level of football inside this team, and that belief keeps him hungry because he doesn't feel the Blackcats have shown everything they can become.

One of the biggest improvements in his game has come mentally because his understanding of football has taken a major leap since last season. The physical aggression has always been there, but now patience and recognition are becoming dangerous partners to everything he already brings. He studies formations, watches guards, checks the backs, and searches for tendencies that can give him an early clue about what may be coming. Defensive coordinator JM Stephens has played a major role in that growth by identifying areas that needed work and helping him sharpen those details throughout the season. That development has given him more than a powerful tackling presence because he's learning how to put himself in the right spot before the play fully develops.

The Blackcats also learned a hard lesson from their only loss because that defeat forced everyone to look inward instead of searching for someone else to blame. They learned that every man has to handle his job, pointing fingers solves nothing, and trust becomes even more important after things don't go your way. Prestonsburg answered by going back to work, tightening its chemistry, and becoming a closer football team. That response says plenty about the foundation being built because the loss didn't divide them, it pushed them to trust one another more.

His own football journey has demanded that same toughness because transferring to Prestonsburg for his senior year meant leaving what was familiar and starting fresh. He had to show new coaches what he could do, earn the respect of new teammates, and prove his production was backed by how he works every day. Setbacks have only added more fuel because quitting when things get hard has never been an option in his mind. Becoming a Blackcat gave him the fresh start he wanted, and now he's determined to finish what he began with everything he has.

That mindset was strengthened during an offseason built on lifting, conditioning, film study, and attacking the smaller details that can turn a good defender into a much better one. He wanted to become stronger and faster while improving the mental side of his game, and much of that work happened when nobody was watching. Those quiet hours have helped create the defender Prestonsburg sees now, one who can bring physical force while also processing what the offense is showing him before the snap. His goals for the rest of the season are rooted in helping the Blackcats push as far as possible while continuing to show college coaches exactly what he can bring to a football program.

Before the ball moves, his mind is already working because formations, backs, guards, and offensive tendencies can all reveal clues. Once his eyes tell him something, he trusts what he sees and attacks without hesitation. Coaches can expect a vocal leader who plays hard every snap, communicates with his teammates, brings intensity to the field, and refuses to fold when adversity hits. That combination of football IQ and relentless aggression gives his game a dynamic edge because he's not just chasing the action after it begins, he's working to understand where it's headed.

Football also gives him an outlet for the natural aggression that's always burned inside him. When he steps onto the field, he describes it as a switch flipping because the contact, hitting, and intensity bring out another side of him. Every tackle, every collision, every film session, and every hour spent preparing feeds a fire that has only grown stronger throughout his journey. He has invested too much into football to accept being finished after high school, and his fire burns even hotter because he knows he still has more football left in him. Playing college football is something he needs because he's not ready for this game to end, and every snap gives him another chance to show just how much it means to him.

The heart of his game is a fierce combination of physicality, instincts, patience, and relentless pursuit of the football. The deeper story is how his understanding of offensive tendencies has grown to match the aggressive nature that has always defined him. He can study movement before the snap, process what he sees, and explode toward the football once his read becomes clear. His willingness to embrace contact makes him a force near the action, while his nonstop motor keeps him hunting until the whistle ends the play.

His senior move to Prestonsburg has revealed another side of his makeup because he entered unfamiliar surroundings and earned trust instead of expecting it. He brings leadership, communication, toughness, and a hunger that doesn't fade when adversity hits. The work with JM Stephens has helped sharpen his recognition and patience, giving his game more depth while allowing his natural aggression to remain one of his biggest weapons. With more than 500 tackles already behind him and a burning desire to continue playing after high school, he is attacking the rest of his senior season like a defender who knows exactly what he wants and refuses to stop chasing it. This stud has been a one-man wrecking crew every high school season he's stepped on the field with this same fire and determination. If you don't have him and the Prestonsburg team on your radar, you'll miss one of Eastern Kentucky's best season runs. Stay tuned.