Kentucky Top Performers of the 2022 Season: Offensive Lineman

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In my previous article, I began a brand new content series of presenting my picks for the 2022 seasons top performers in the state of Kentucky. Although there were an overabundance of talented performers throughout the season, there were a certain select few that stood out over all the players. Today, I will continue this series by introducing my top performing offensive linemen. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["526405"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"The Hart County offense had an incredible year rushing the football, as they came in 2nd in the entire state in total rushing yards. A lot of that success is credited to Asher and his impressive work at the offensive tackle position. Standing at 6'4 weighing 230lbs, Asher gets off the snap with explosive strength that propels him to blow open running lanes for ball carriers and weaken the defensive lines approach towards the quarterback. What is unique about Asher's playstyle is how much endurance he has to stay blocking with maximum strength against opposing tackles in order to give his quarterback as much time to throw. There are instances he is maintaining his assignment for nearly 15 seconds, which is a lot of time for the quarterback to make a decision with the football. Asher's pure athleticism and lineman mechanics outperform most of the players in the state and I can't not wait to see him continue dominating in his final season in 2023.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003ca href=u0022http://www.hudl.com/v/2JGHURu0022u003eTape:u003c/au003e","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["385968"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"u003cstrongu003ePast Analysisu003c/strongu003e:u003cbru003eu003cbru003eTristan is the 17th most talented player in the state according to Prep Redzone Kentucky rankings. The young man's strength on the line of scrimmage is elite as he can tear down multiple defensive tackles at once with a single move. Tristan can create an open gap for the ball carrier nearly every single snap which is on a whole different level compared to other offensive linemen. His strength and size on the football field make it a clear disadvantage for any opposing defense to get past him. Furthermore, his strength and size are already comparable to a full-time starting power 5 collegiate lineman. Although he has already committed to Ball State University this past summer, I expect more schools to look into him as he will continue to develop his game this senior season.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003cstrongu003eEnd of Season Analysis:u003c/strongu003e Tristan and the Woodford offense finished 9th in total scoring and 12th in total rushing yards statewide over the 2022 season. Tristan's strength and strong build make him a top-ranked offensive lineman in the state. It would not be hard to believe that Tristan did not allow a single sack this season, as he makes it nearly impossible for any opposing defensive tackle to make any pressure. He continues to make it nearly effortless to create running rooms for the ball carrier, and his footwork is nearly textbook-perfect. His footwork helps him shift fast on his feet and adjust to shifts in the defense when the ball is snapped. The future is bright for the Ball State commit.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003ca href=u0022http://www.hudl.com/v/2Jhm5Pu0022u003eTape:u003c/au003e","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["145014"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"u003cstrongu003ePast Analysisu003c/strongu003e:u003cbru003eu003cbru003eTo any player blitzing towards Trevon, all they would see is them running into a brick wall. Trevon is ruthless in the guard position, bulldozing any DT or LB attempting to get past him. This kid is really special as with his size and strength, he can take on multiple defenders at once with little to no problem. Although he may be slow on his feet, he has a chance to tread faster when guarding the quarterback in his upcoming senior season. On another note, most NFL o-linemen weigh around 315lbs, and considering Trevon is 6'7″ and 340lbs in only his Junior season is mind-blowing and horrifying for any defense to have to think about.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003cstrongu003eEnd of Season Analysis:u003c/strongu003e Sitting as the 3rd highest-ranked offensive lineman in Kentucky, Trevon continued to play elite football this fall. In most games, there was not anyone who stood a chance at matching Trevon's strength blocking opposing players as his 6'7, 345lb build is usually too much for most tackles to handle. But not only does his build help make him an elite blocker, but he has quick reflexes off the line of scrimmage to react to the movement of the defensive lineman in order to prevent them from gaining leverage. We also got to mention he frequently plows down his defensive assignments with ease in nearly every game. Trevon makes the game look extremely easy and has helped propel his North Hardin offensive squad to make some crucial plays. I expect Trevon to play a crucial role on an offense for a D1 school in the near future.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu0026nbsp;u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003ca href=u0022http://www.hudl.com/v/2JJvRZu0022u003eTape:u003c/au003e","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["386152"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Andrew has continued to perform at an elite level as he has for Central Hardin for the past 2 years. The senior and his talented skills at tackle helped the Central Hardin offense rank 10th in overall scoring u0026amp; 13th in total rushing. Besides Hobbs's obvious elite strength that is always superior over their opposing defensive tackles, what is noticeable about Hobbs is his quick acceleration to match speeds with a defender. Most offensive linemen are described as the slowest players on the field, but Hobbs can match the speed of any quick defensive end or DB coming to put pressure on his quarterback. A lot of this will be credited to his amazing footwork and how he is able to get off his feet quickly. I also like how Hobbs positions himself before the snap as he sets his hands up at an angle in hopes of predicting where the momentum will be coming from the defensive tackle. His overall game IQ and skill at the offensive set him over the top of most offensive tackles in the state and will set him as a primary target for any college to recruit.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003ca href=u0022http://www.hudl.com/v/2Jj426u0022u003eTape:u003c/au003e","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["385966"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Braiden is a special player due to his incredible ability to perfectly adapt to the behavior of the defense. In other words, Braiden can easily build running gaps for ball carriers no matter how many opposing defenders stand in his way. The 6'5 senior played a phenomenal 2022 campaign for the Southwestern offense, as they ranked 18th in total offense and 9th in total rushing statewide. In most of these big-yardage plays, Braiden is orchestrating these large-gain runs by bulldozing his way past all the defensive linemen like feathers and keeping up with the ball carrier to prevent any defenders to stop his pursuit toward the endzone. Finally, his ability to last on the line protecting his quarterback for long periods of time is a piece of cake for him as he seen protecting for 10+ seconds frequently. There is a lot of pure talent that Braiden possesses and most of these traits match those of successful linemen at D1 schools. Be on the lookout for Braiden and his collegiate football career.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003ca href=u0022http://www.hudl.com/v/2JuywGu0022u003eTape:u003c/au003e","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-639a9c78e8e5d"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline"><strong>Honorable Mentions</strong>:</span></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='386122' first='Malachi' last='Wood'] | 6-8, 280lbs. Class of 2023 | Madison Central High School, KY | <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2GDDu6">Tape:</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='287577' first='Preston' last='Crosley'] | 6-7, 290lbs. Class of 2023 | Daviess County High School, KY | <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2Jm1b3">Tape:</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='385964' first='Austin' last='Anderson'] | 6-4, 290lbs. Class of 2023 | Bowling Green High School, KY | <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2K0BMp">Tape:</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='386154' first='Quintez' last='Thomas'] | 6-5, 360lbs. Class of 2023 | Louisville Eastern High School, KY | <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2JqKc6">Tape:</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='385967' first='Drew' last='Dickerson'] | 6-5, 310 lbs. Class of 2023 | Ryle High School, KY | <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2JSQSA">Tape:</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->