2023 O-linemen on the rise

Logan Tuley-Tillman

January 8, 2022 @ 01:35 PM

Nationally, the class of 2023 features some flat-out studs and future star offensive linemen. Starting us off is 6’7, 315-pound international offensive tackle Olaus Alinen. Olaus is a player from Finland, who has over 30 offers and was recently selected as an Under Armour All American. He is lean, long, and has elite mirror skills in pass protection. Olaus has a high football IQ, great work ethic, and elite length. No wonder why he has virtually almost every offer in the country, including the likes of Alabama, Florida, and Michigan. Barrett Eddlemon is a 6’4, 275-pound offensive linemen out of La Vernia High School in San Antonio, TX. Barrett is another lean, smart, and nasty tackle. He performed well this past fall and elevated his game to a new level. He played with great technique and earned himself a multitude of scholarship offers. He also has a younger brother, Derrick Eddlemon who is a 2025 recruit. [player_tooltip player_id="128024" first="T.J." last="Shanahan"] Jr is an impressive 2023 recruit who relocated from Orlando, Florida to Austin, Texas. Since moving from Florida he has continued to dominate. T.J. has major power in his hands and has shown great strength at the point of attack. He has the versatility to be able to play guard or tackle, but I see him transitioning to center in college. He helped lead his unit and the stacked Westlake High school to a state championship this past fall and is primed for a huge summer. What stuck out to me about his game, was the finish and the pop that he has in his hips. [player_tooltip player_id="128041" first="Payton" last="Kirkland"] is a 6’7, 315-pound offensive tackle out of Orlando, Florida. Payton is a workhorse who shedded a ton of bad weight and reshaped his body. He has 40 plus offers but is still hungry to learn and develop. He has technical maturity in his pass sets, and is a mauler in the run game. I haven’t seen a defensive end in the state be able to get around him yet. What makes him special is the patience he has and violence in his strikes. Blaine Halley is a 6’6, 280-pound offensive tackle out of Stanford, IL. Blaine is a lean prospect who can play all five positions on the line and projects out in college as a tackle. He holds an early offer from Illinois State. Blaine plays with a mean steak and put good a lot of good reps on tape this past fall. Despite playing in a triple option high school offense, he has put in a ton of work to master his craft. The last 2023 on the rise is Samson Okunlola. Samson is 6’6, and lean 294 pounds. Samson is a worker and self-starter who wants to be coached. Out of everyone on this list Samson is arguably one of the most twitchiest athletes. At 294 pounds he looks as if he is only 250 pounds. Samson currently holds around 40 scholarship offers and still finds ways to improve his game. He is a special player and I’m excited to see how he competes this summer.