2023 Rankings Update: Big, Physical OL Lead The Way

Jed Blackwell May 15, 2022 @ 02:00 PM

Five of the top 15. Nine of the top 50. Twenty-six overall. Any way you look at it, the 2023 Prep Redzone rankings class is DEEP at the offensive line position. They’re all big, physical, and drawing a lot of attention. Here’s a look at our Top 5. [player_tooltip player_id="89337" first="Monroe" last="Freeling"]<strong>, Oceanside Collegiate: No. 1 OL (No. 4 overall)</strong> What do Clemson, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, and Ohio State have in common? Early contenders for this season’s CFP playoffs? Maybe. But they’re also among the more than two dozen suitors for Freeling’s services. And just last week, Alabama jumped in with an offer. It’s easy to see why. Freeling (pictured) is huge at 6-7, 285 pounds. His film is a collection of knockdowns, pancakes, sealing off running lanes, and excellent pass protection. His footwork is good enough to play basketball for the Landsharks. The sky’s the limit for Freeling. <iframe src="https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/12835534/61c0d03096767906a407e27b" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> [player_tooltip player_id="91355" first="Markee" last="Anderson"]<strong>, Dorman: No. 2 OL (No. 7 overall)</strong> How special is Anderson? Well, he’s played some tackle, where he does a great job of eliminating edge rushers and opening holes for backs. He’s played some guard, where he showcases his athleticism by pulling and lead-blocking. In Dorman’s short-yardage formation, he’s played some H-back, where LBs quite frankly have zero chance. And he’s got the attitude OL coaches dream of, finishing blocks WAY downfield. These days, Anderson needs two hands to count his D1 offers, including top SEC and ACC programs. <iframe src="https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/13689637/6132c364b3d3020348959057" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> [player_tooltip player_id="89343" first="Jordan" last="Knox"]<strong>, Northwestern: No. 3 OL (No. 9 overall)</strong> Knox is a player who seems to thrive on the physical nature of his position on the line. He’s quick, he’s strong, and his picture should appear beside "play to the whistle" in the handbook. If Knox gets to you and engages, it’s likely you’re done contributing until the next snap. He’s great at using leverage and power to just bury defenders. He’s also possibly one of the most cerebral players in the rankings - his 17 offers include Northwestern and Harvard. <iframe src="https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/12958400/619c2f0a3dea810894f8317f" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> [player_tooltip player_id="89342" first="Cam" last="Johnson"]<strong>, Seneca: No. 4 OL (No. 12 overall)</strong> <span style="font-size: 1rem;">Put on Seneca’s offensive film. Look for a defensive lineman on the ground. You just found Johnson. The Bobcats’ OL just blows people off the ball. He especially excels when pulling or when blocking for screens downfield, where deceptively fast feet and a ton of leverage lead to a bad night for defenders. Let’s put it simply: Navy doesn’t recruit dudes who aren’t exceptional run-blockers, and Johnson has an offer in hand.</span> <iframe src="https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/10101828/61959cbc7bd384094cc81b16" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> [player_tooltip player_id="91138" first="Jack" last="Beachum"]<strong>, Indian Land: No. 5 OL (No. 13 overall)</strong> Beachum does a lot of things really, really well. He’s a good straight-ahead blocker, he pulls and gets downfield effectively, and he’s capable of taking on a couple of defenders at once. Playing on both sides of the ball (he’s also a defensive tackle) seemingly allows him to think like a defensive player. He’s able to predict techniques and confuse defenders by correctly guessing what they’ll try next. <iframe src="https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/11495132/62364642d21c4b056c4b848f" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>