Sophomore Sleepers: Offensive Line Edition

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The big fellas up front are crucial to any team's long-term success. They set the tone early and are tasked with protecting the game of football's most coveted position: quarterback. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The class of 2026 offensive linemen featured in this piece have each shined in their own way at different levels of high school football. However, they're still flying under the radar a bit and in my eyes could be coined "sleepers". Not to worry though, they still have plenty of ball ahead of them and will have their fair share of opportunities over the next three seasons to prove themselves.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As always, If you have someone you think I need to see, please DM them to me on Twitter at @hsfbscout!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id='801979' first='Cooper' last='Paukstis'] 6'2" 245 St. Francis</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cooper gets his second step in the ground in a hurry, he can get out on the perimeter &amp; block in space and shows an overall aggressive playing style. He moves more like a tight end that an offensive lineman, he's firm at the point of attack and takes great angles to the block. He plays with a chip on his shoulder and can facilitate a plethora of knockdowns.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id='801990' first='Tim' last='Harkins'] 6' 240 Mount Carmel</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Harkins is undersized from a vertical stature standpoint, but he more than makes up for it with toughness and his ability to finish. He pulls with nasty intentions, he has exceptional body control and a ton of raw upper-body strength. He's got major pop behind his punch and has the power to displace down linemen. This young man plays the position the way it's supposed to be played.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id='801699' first='Casey' last='Thomann'] 6'7" 270, Olney</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Thomann is a massive human that overwhelms his opponents with pure size and moves fairly well for a man of his stature. He mirrors well as a pass protector, has impressive grip strength once engaged, and can sink his hips &amp; secure blocks at the second level. I think his ceiling is through the roof and he's just beginning to scratch the surface as an offensive tackle prospect. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id='814082' first='Brandon' last='Easley Jr'] 6'2" 230, Simeon</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Easley was gifted with easy feet, a strong lower half, and a natural feel for the game. He's quick out of his stance, he knows how to catch a rusher lunging, and can sustain 1 on 1 blocks. He plays through the whistle with extensive knee drive and shows impressive lateral quickness. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->