5 OL that you should know about!
In this article:
When it comes to building a successful football team, the offensive line is often considered the backbone of the offense. The performance of the offensive line can significantly impact the success of the running game, pass protection, and overall offensive…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingWhen it comes to building a successful football team, the offensive line is often considered the backbone of the offense. The performance of the offensive line can significantly impact the success of the running game, pass protection, and overall offensive efficiency. As such, identifying and evaluating key offensive linemen is crucial for any team’s scouting efforts. In this scouting report, we will introduce and analyze some of the most prominent offensive linemen in the game today, highlighting their strengths and overall impact on the field.
Jackson Hughes Jackson Hughes 6'3" | 260 lbs | OL State AL
Jackson Hughes Jackson Hughes 6'3" | 260 lbs | OL State AL
Hughes is an excellent pass protector with great balance and easy mirroring skills. He plays with a low center of gravity and balanced base, showing a smooth, efficient kick step to gain depth and stay in front of speed rushers. He keeps his hands inside and latches on, keeping his feet moving and his back flat. He blocks with a flexible core, showing the ability to absorb a long-arm stab and still keep his feet under him to stop the rush in its tracks. He doesn’t hold when a pass rusher gets a step on him, instead rerouting his opponent to carry them across the formation and away from the quarterback. He’s a smart player who shows awareness to spot and pick up stunts.
Hale blocks with light feet and natural movement skills. He’s nimble and quick, with off-the-charts lateral quickness as a blocker, capable of matching speed with pass rushers on the edge while boasting excellent range as a blocker in space. He brings very good length to the position and shows the anticipation and flexibility to absorb blocks, redirect them, and keep his balance and footwork. When he loses a step, he’s shown the ability to ride the bull and stay in contact with the rusher long enough to salvage the block. He recognizes and picks up stunts and is smooth and effective on combo blocks. He shows physicality in the run game and looks to bury a defender into the turf at the end of runs.
Diego Camboia
Diego Camboia
Firing low out of his stance, Camboia plays with excellent leverage, consistently getting his mitts into a defender’s chest to either stonewall them or uproot them off their spot. He plays with a heavy anchor in pass protection and shows excellent awareness of stunts and blitzes. He keeps his head on a swivel and deftly passes blocks off to his cohorts while picking up new targets. When driven off his spot initially, he shows the ability to regather his feet and reanchor. In the run game, he shows quickness in the short area and the ability to reach-block frontside defenders to seal them off on outside runs. And he’s smooth moving down to the second level to seal off backside defenders.
Baucom is a smooth mover on the edge and plays with good patience and balance, rarely panicking when lined up against quicker-footed opponents. He mirrors well and delivers shock with his hands when he unleashes a punch. He knocks back opponents and keeps them on their heels. He has the ability to recover well against inside moves, driving opponents laterally down the line. He rides the bull on blocks even if he missteps, giving his quarterback a chance to make a play. He absorbs a bull rush without giving ground. Baucom is a powerful run blocker who comes off the ball low and uproots defenders. He plays with tremendous leverage and drives opponents off the line of scrimmage, creating push at the point of attack.
Mason Hiller
Mason Hiller
Hiller blocks with good balance and knee bend, showing the footspeed to handle pass rushers off the edge. He mirrors expertly on the edge and keeps his feet moving, showing awareness for stunts and loopers. He can reset his hands to recover when he misses his punch initially. He knows how to use his length to latch on and control opponents, leveraging them out of the play. He has strong hands and enough upper-body torque to wrench opponents off their feet.