The OL LAB: 2023 Sleeper OL in Illinois report
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As we have come to the end of the regular season and it is officially playoff time throughout the state. College football recruiting is moving at a blazing speed with most top programs already looking at grad classes 25 &…
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Continue ReadingAs we have come to the end of the regular season and it is officially playoff time throughout the state. College football recruiting is moving at a blazing speed with most top programs already looking at grad classes 25 & 26 early. The age of the “late boomer” is truly a lost art in recruiting nowadays, which to me leaves a lot of great talent for the FCS, D2, D3 & NAIA levels to capitalize on. I will be evaluating some senior linemen who have put great things on film this season. Stay Tuned The OL Lab will be covering all your Linemen in terms of evals, skills, & drills as we move into the playoff season.
Marcus Hansen Marcus Hansen 6'5" | 300 lbs | OL O'Fallon Township | 2023 IL 6’4″ 300lbs O’Fallon Township HS
-Big Strong frame and he loves contact
-Moves well and can engage and drive people at the 2nd level
-Enjoys finishing his blocks and putting people on the ground. I LOVE IT!!
-Plays tackle for O’Fallon think he will develop into a nice interior player at the next level
-With some technique & body control improvements kid has a bright future
His Film:
Xavier McClendon Xavier McClendon 6'5" | 310 lbs | OL O'Fallon Township | 2023 State IL 6’5″ 310 O’Fallon Township HS
-Big Frame, Long arms, tremendous knee bend. Has all attributes of a Blue Chip Recruit
-Powerful at the point of attack and plays with great balance
-Plays hard through the whistle, moves very smooth and effortless at 2nd level
-Great natural ability, loved watching his film.
-If he can put it all together Sky is the limit for this kid very impressive
His Film:
Sam Singleton 6’5″ 375lbs Mt. Carmel HS
-VERY LARGE HUMAN BEING! Big Sam is massive and makes his presence felt on field.
-Plays with solid footwork and pretty good pad level
-Sam enjoys laying on d-linemen as much as I enjoyed watching it on his film plays with a nasty mindset
-Love his game think he can lose a little bit of weight get to 330 he will be a force at the next level
His Film:
Bradley Abbott 6’3″ 270lbs Lincoln Way East
-Tough Kid, moves very well in space
-Love how he finishes his blocks and can maintain his balance at 2nd level
-Plays with solid overall technique, never in bad position
-Love how he plays the game he is one of the anchors for LWE.
-Think he will have a great future at next level, with some more weight and development should be solid
His Film:
Ethan Sam 6’4″ 280lbs Plainfield North HS
-Great frame and knee bend.
-Kid is athletic runs very well and can transition in space flawlessly
-Plays aggressive and through the whistle
-Moves his feet well once he gets to college and adds another 20lbs think he will be a force
His Film:
Collin Gerger Collin Gerger 6'4" | 280 lbs | OL St. Rita | 2023 State IL 6’4″ 255lbs St. Rita HS
-Plays the game the way it should be played, HARD and PHYSICAL
-Typical South Side Bully Catholic league linemen mentality
-Plays with great knee bend and love how he finishes blocks
-Will pancake you and then let you know about it!
Honorable Mention
Gavin Shahan Gavin Shahan 6'0" | 270 lbs | OL Romeoville Highschool | 2023 IL – 6’0″ 270lbs Romeoville High School
-Like this kid, plays hard and the right way. Some may say he is too short but will be a solid get
Lorenzo Barrera- 6’2″ 250lbs Prosser High School
-Very raw, Athletic and plays the game hard
Eddie Fleck 6’3″ 255lbs Mt. Carmel High School
-Fleck plays consistent and very hard! Think he will be a solid college player
This was a small sample of some of the guys that stuck out to me in the 2023 class that stuck out to me. If there are any other guys I need to keep my eye out for or feature in a story please reach out and let me know. Please follow The O-Line Lab for all your needs training, consulting, etc. on all social media platforms. Keep Grinding big dogs during Playoff time, and remember the cream will always rise to the top!
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