The Maulers of West Virginia: 2023 Offensive Tackles to Watch

The offensive tackle position has the combination of power and athletic ability all in one. The ability to set the tone in the run game to where you can literally move a defensive lineman against his well from point A to point B. That being said, having the ability to be light on their feet to mirror athletic defensive ends in pass protection is no easy task. Offensive tackles are sometimes left alone on an island in pass pro, having a strong lower body to anchor against a bull rush and the consistent hand strike to create separation from the defensive end is key to give the quarterback time in the pocket. Let’s take a look at some 2023 Offensive Tackles from the state of West Virginia: <strong>Layth Ghannam 6-5 285 George Washington High School (Charleston, WV)</strong> The Virginia Tech commit is an absolute mauler in both the run game and pass protection. He understands how to use leverage and get underneath opposing defensive lineman and drive them out of the picture. Has a good base and balance when reaching second level, does not over extend and engages the second level defender and secures the block. <strong>Wyatt Minor 6-6 300 Robert C. Byrd High School (Clarksburg, WV) </strong> A physical imposing figure that has the natural power and strength that stands out in the run game when he engages with an defensive lineman. Has good leg drive and plays with low pad level and drives out the defender to clear a lane for the running back. He moves well in pass protection for his size, does not over set and settles to anchor and locks on with a consistent strike with his hands. <strong>Shawn Rouse 6-5 260 Cabell Midland High School (Ona, WV)</strong> An offensive tackle that explodes off the line of scrimmage, has natural knee bend and drives the defender off the line of scrimmage. He plays in an offensive that doesn’t pass the football much, so he highlights his athleticism by having the ability to block well in space and down the field and seal off defenders. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="58834" first="Logan" last="Isom"] 6-5 286 Independence High School (Coal City, WV)</strong> A special athlete playing on the outside of the offensive line, demonstrates quick athletic feet which allows him to move efficiently in the run game allowing him to quickly engage the defender and has good consistent leg drive to move people out of the way. He shows to be confident in his pass pro sets and knows how to hit his landmark when kick sliding back and setting up to anchor.