Must-see from the class of 2022: O-Lineman
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An offense is incapable of reaching it’s true potential without a stud at every spot along the offensive line. You can have the best quarterback, the fastest receiver group, the strongest running back, but you will be unable to…
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An offense is incapable of reaching it’s true potential without a stud at every spot along the offensive line. You can have the best quarterback, the fastest receiver group, the strongest running back, but you will be unable to put points on the board or run your desired scheme without a competent o-line. It is not necessarily the most glamorous of position groups, but it is just as important of a cog in the system as your skill players. Also, many people underestimate just how athletic you have to be to play along the line; you have to be the ultimate combination of speed and strength. These five players are imperative to their respective teams, and I anticipate huge seasons from them this upcoming year.
JaDarious Lee JaDarious Lee 6'4" | 305 lbs | OL Pearl Cohn | 2022 State TN – Pearl Cohn 6’4″ 300
JaDarious is a fierce technician who seems to truly understands his positioning as a blocker. He’s got the frame and size you want from your lineman, and he uses this combined with his understanding of the game to make sure the Firebird’s offense is clicking every time he’s on the field. One must also assume that this young man is not finished growing, so he will only get larger as well. What surprises me most about JaDarious is his footwork: it’s unusually smooth. He keeps his feet moving every play, which he then fuses with his brawn to either seal off or open up every play at the point of attack. This kid is an absolute monster, and as he continues his development look for his game to evolve this coming season.
Jacob Bates Jacob Bates 6'6" | 295 lbs | OL Nashville Christian | 2022 State TN – Nashille Christian 6’6″ 295
When I watch Jacob, the first thing that jumps out at me is this kid’s motor. Every time the ball is snapped, he sticks with his man until the end of the whistle. Considering his size (6’6″ and almost three hundred pounds) this is not necessarily an easy thing to do, however down after down he gets his hands on his guy and he doesn’t let up til the play is over. Subsequently, this opens up ideal holes along the line for the Eagles; there’s a reason they racked up almost 2500 yards on the ground last season. Jacob was a huge reason for this success. Paired with his motor, comes a degree of awareness that you simply can’t teach. Simply put: this young man is the total package. He’s exactly what you want at the position, and I cannot wait for his senior season.
Jacob Hood Jacob Hood 6'8" | 330 lbs | OL Hillsboro | 2022 TN – Hillsboro 6’8″ 350
You did indeed read that correctly. 6’8″ 350 lbs. There are back up centers in the NBA who aren’t that big. Jacob is an absolute beast, and has the size (if you couldn’t tell) that coaches dream of out of their o-line. When you watch this young man play, you really are struck at just how big he his. He towers over his teammates as well as the opposing defensive line. In fact most edge rushers attempting to get around the big man, end up quickly on the ground as he easily overpowers them, and as such Jacob often gifts his QB with sustained time in the pocket. He truly is fascinating to watch, and opposing defenses better out avoid his side of the line if they don’t want to end casually tossed out of the way. If he’s able to get stronger this off-season? I wouldn’t be surprised if this young man has All-State honors thrown his way, come season’s end.
Jalen Brockman Jalen Brockman 6'3" | 275 lbs | DL Davidson Academy | 2022 State TN – Davidson Academy 6’3″ 275
Jalen was second on the Bears last season with 32 pancake blocks as a junior. In layman’s terms, a pancake block is a block that leaves a defender flat on his back as he watches an opposing teams running back sprint by helpless to stop him. It’s a block that require quite a bit of strength and finesse. And this young man has 32 of them. Again, as a junior. Those are grown man numbers, and there’s no reason to think we won’t see that number increase once Jalen gets another season under his belt. He also helped the Bears account for roughly 5,400 of total offense. His trajectory appears to only be going up, and as his development continues look for him to take another leap this coming season.
Ian Poe Ian Poe 6'4" | 295 lbs | OL Tullahoma | 2022 State TN – Tullahoma 6’4″ 295
Poe is an absolute beast on the interior of the line. He’s got the power of a bulldozer and easily shifts opposing defenders out of the way. What strikes me most when I watch this young man, is just how dang tough he is. He has the upper body torque to grab pass rushers, turn them in to rag-dolls, and wrench them to the ground, only to recover quickly and find another defender to do it to. He resets faster than most lineman, and doesn’t seem to ever be phased by the hits he sustains from defenders. He will literally “roll with the punches” and use the momentum from opposing teams to promptly move them from his path. The holes this creates for the Wildcats are huge, and as such they amassed a whopping 2,873 yards on the ground last season. If you remove this young man from the equation, I guarantee you that number would have been much smaller. If Poe continues to develop and can crest 300 pounds, he’ll be one of the best lineman in the state next year.
The offensive line is one of my favorite position groups to watch and to scout. Often ignored in favor of skill positions, the athleticism of these young men must not be understated. They are absolute beasts, and I would argue the toughest group of guys you will find on an entire roster. These young men just represent a fraction of the offensive line talent we’re treated to in Tennessee, and I for one am thrilled to see what they bring to the table this coming fall.