Underclassmen Varsity Performers: ‘23 & ‘24 Offensive Lineman
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The season has come and gone in Illinois and with such a short season, and subsequent turnaround, it was imperative that teams got their youngster feet wet. Recently, I went to Twitter to find more players from the 2023 and…
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Continue ReadingThe season has come and gone in Illinois and with such a short season, and subsequent turnaround, it was imperative that teams got their youngster feet wet. Recently, I went to Twitter to find more players from the 2023 and 2024 classes that got varsity action this spring. When they hit the field this early in their high school careers, schools at the next level have no choice but to play attention. I’ve already looked at the quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and now it’s the offensive linemen’s turn.
2023 East St. Louis LT Miles McVay Miles McVay 6'7" | 345 lbs | OL East St. Louis | 2023 State IL (6’7” and 345lbs) @McVayMiles
Already holding numerous P5 offers heading into his junior year, McVay is an absolute monster left tackle. He’s extremely physical at the point to attack, the nastiness that you love to see from the position. McVay is very athletic for his size, he’s able to get to the second level of a defense. When he does, it pretty much good night for linebackers or defensive backs. Footwork is fantastic, both in pass protection and in the run game, keeping a wide base to anchor down against defenders. Hands down, one of the top offensive lineman in the country in McVay’s class.
2023 Simeon G/C Jose Manning (6’2” and 320lbs) @TheReal_Manning
A huge frame for an interior lineman, Manning is an absolute mauler in the run game. At this point in his development, he’s a bit more polished in that area, but does have a solid base to work on in pass protection. Manning’s drops are solid, but as he trims off some weight, he’ll be able to have much quicker feet. His upper-body strength is impressive, often just tossing around defense linemen. Manning should continue to improve and could have a big junior year.
2023 Joliet Catholic OG Anthony Birsa Anthony Birsa 6'5" | 260 lbs | OL Joliet Catholic | 2023 State IL (6’5” and 260lbs) @AnthonyBirsa
Go take a look at Birsa’s pinned tweet, its of him windmill dunking a basketball. It’s pretty impressive for a young man with his size and that athleticism translates over to the football field. Birsa has very good footwork which leads to a great base, seemingly never off balance when he attacks defensive linemen. He’s one of JC’s lead blockers on pull plays, if he gets to the second level, it’s over for smaller defenders. As Birsa continues to grow and get stronger, he’ll just get better. Keep an eye out for this young man this fall, he’s got a ton of potential.
2023 St. Francis C Tyler Wood Tyler Wood 6'2" | 285 lbs | OL St Francis | 2023 State IL (6’2” and 285lbs) @TylerJWood3
I almost moved Wood to the defensive line group, he’s very active as a defensive tackle, showing good hands and quick off the ball. That quickness translates over to the other side of the ball, as he often pulls on run plays to create holes for his backs. Wood is a very solid pass blocker as well, using his strength and length to keep defenders in front of him. He’s got good feet on both sides of the ball, I tend to like him just a bit more on offense. He could end up playing on either side at the next level, Wood should have a big junior season.
2023 Morris Community C/G Nick Perry Nick Perry 6'2" | 290 lbs | OL Morris | 2023 State IL (6’2” and 290lbs) @nperry_99
One of the better interior lineman in the state, Perry loves to finish his blocks by taking down his opponent. He creates good seals on his running plays and holds his own when in pass protection. A solid snapper, Wood has the frame to play either center or guard when he graduates high school. He’s great at using defensive lineman’s momentum against them, his footwork really stands out there. I liked what I saw and will keep a close eye on Perrythis fall.
2023 Taft G Mike Barretto (6’2” and 260lbs) @MikeBarretto76
A low center of gravity when in his stance, Barretto explodes off the ball. He’s got a nasty streak and understands how to use leverage to his advantage. Barretto can lead block for screen and also pull, he’s currently a much more polished run blocker than pass protection. He’ll need to improve his footwork as he occasionally get’s his feet caught up under him. If Barretto does get better in this area, he could be a viable option for many schools.
2023 Huntley RT Luke Griskey Luke Griskey 6'5" | 265 lbs | OL Huntley | 2023 State IL (6’5” and 265lbs) @GriskeyLuke
On of the hardest workers in the state, Griskey has been all over the camp circuit this summer. He already had very good fundamentals of both run and pass blocking, Griskey should seen that work translate over to the season. His footwork is impressive in pass protection, although he plays mainly on the left side right now, his future is on the right side of the line. Griskey has tons of potential and should have another impressive season this fall.
2023 Johnsburg LT Jacob Welch Jacob Welch 6'6" | 285 lbs | OL Johnsburg | 2023 State IL (6’6” and 280lbs) @JacobWelch75
With his long arms and great frame, Welch has the look of a true left tackle. He’s extremely physical at the point of attack, often pushing his opponents way off the ball. Welch is a very good athlete for his size, is able to get to the second level and be a menace to linebackers and defensive backs. He does need to work on his balance but that will come over time. Once Welch gets better in that area, he’s going to be trouble for defenders at the next level.
2023 Libertyville LT Trenton VanBoening Trenton VanBoening 6'7" | 280 lbs | OL Libertyville | 2023 State IL (6’6” and 280lbs) @TrentonVB23
A great frame from an even better young man, VanBoening will be an asset to his next teams locker room. A good athlete who can get out in front of a screen, finds a defender and takes him out of the play. You can tell he’s done his homework, when teams stunts against him, he stays in his lane and doesn’t get confused. VanBoening should get plenty of playing time this fall and should start to see much more action on the recruiting trail.
2023 Lincoln Park OG Charlie Economou (6’1” and 240lbs) @CharlieEconomou
Although a bit on the smaller side to play inside, Economou uses his good athleticism and footwork to hold his own. As he gets older, he should be able to add on more weight and fend off bigger interior defensive linemen. Economou does well in pass protection, his feet stand out in that aspect as well. He does need to work on his technique, as sometimes he does get stood up. A solid base to work from, Economou should continue to improve.
2023 Crystal Lake South RT Nate Compere Nate Compere 6'4" | 265 lbs | OL Crystal Lake South | 2023 State IL (6’4” and 265lbs) @CompereNate
A big frame with room to add on good weight, Compere has a very high ceiling as he progresses though the next two years. He’s very solid in pass protection, using good foot work and has great hand placement. When he locks on to a defender, it’s on to the next play for them. Compere can pull, but he isn’t quite as athletic as you would like to see from a left tackle, which is why he’ll probably end up on the right side. Either way, he’s shown this pas spring that he can be a force on the offensive line.
2023 Lisle RT Chris Farrell Chris Farrell 6'5" | 280 lbs | OL Lisle | 2023 State IL (6’5” and 280lbs) @Chrisfarrell32
Like most players his age, Farrell is a much better run blocker at this stage of his development. He explodes off the ball, is extremely strong and then has very good hand placement when he attacks defenders. Farrell shows a high football IQ, something you just can’t teach. I like his base skill set and as he progresses through high school, should continue to improve his game.
2023 Evanston RT Gabe Rosen Gabe Rosen 6'7" | 340 lbs | OL Evanston | 2023 State IL (6’7” and 340lbs) @rosen_gabe
After seeing Rosen live this spring, when I spoke with him I was shocked that he was just a sophomore. He’s absolutely massive, a very strong lower half, although I would like to see him drop a few pounds in order for his athleticism to play better on the field. Rosen has very good hands with a powerful initial punch, there ton’s to like about this young man and his future.
2023 Morton High OG/RT Ian Mutchler (6’4” and 255lbs) @IanMutchler
I’m a big fan of offensive linemen who show a nasty, mean streak and that’s exactly what Mutchler has. He uses very good footwork and athleticism to overpower his opponents. A bit on the light side, he should be able to add good weight and just get strong over the next two seasons. Right now, Mutchler is better a run blocking than pass, but he’s got the skill set to learn and get better in that area.
2023 East St. Louis OG Paris Patterson Paris Patterson 6'4" | 325 lbs | OL East St. Louis | 2023 State IL Jr. (6’5” and 315lbs) @p_pattersonjr
The last time I saw Patterson, I was shocked that he wasn’t getting much recruiting attention. Well, since then he’s added offers from Iowa State and Tennessee, which doesn’t surprise me at all. He’s got great balance and footwork, using his strength to overpower many of his opponents. Patterson has the athletic ability to be a lead blocker on screens and pull for run plays. His rise on recruiting boards should continue this fall as more big time schools take notice.
2023 Pontiac RT Blaine Halley (6’7” and 280lbs) @squatchfootball
What stands out immediately about Halley’s game is the footwork, it’s extremely impressive. I really like the versatility as well, he’s got the ability to slide inside if needed but should end up as a right tackle. The frame is what you’re looking for from a tackle, still lean with plenty of room to add on good weight. Halley has very good leg drive and should end up as a tackle, but could slide down to guard if needed. I really like the upside that Halley possess.