Alabama OL Report: 5 Risers, 5 Sleepers

Football is built in the trenches. In Alabama, there are several OL prospects that can hold their own and contribute at the college level. Here are 5 from across all levels that intrigue me.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Risers</h2>    Wilmer is a college-ready OL prospect, at least physically. He is all of 6'5 330, and uses his mass to move people off the ball and absorb contact. He is highly efficient on down blocks, washing defenders down the line and using his frame to suffocate defenders. He might not possess the length that other tacklers at his height do, but he can easily anchor against the bull rush when he sets his base and wins the hand battle. Wilmer picked up an offer from Mississippi State this spring and is firmly on the P4 radar.     Ivan Williams is an undersized, yet strong and surgical LT prospect. He comes in at 6'3 285, moving better than most prospects at his size. He can get out in the open field with ease and search for contact. From there, he has the impact blocking style needed to decleat smaller defenders. He mirrors pass rush moves well with his feet, playing with a good enough base to absorb contact and regain balance. On down blocks, he plays with fantastic leverage and has the motor to drive defenders through the turf or through the whistle. Williams plays with an edge that will compensate for his length. Even at 6'3 285, I think he can play at a tackle spot, but can also slide inside and be efficient as a guard.     [player_tooltip player_id='242303' first='Bo' last='Cagle'] is an effortlessly strong C prospect who can play any of the interior spots at the next level. He has a college-ready 6'3 313 frame and leaves destruction in his path as a blocker. His play strength is off the charts. He completely crumbled defenders on down blocks, and can knock smaller defenders in the air as an impact blocker. At the C spot, his ability to create positive movement in short-yardage situations only raises his floor. Cagle has had a solid spring and should find the field at the D1 level thanks to his overwhelming strength.     Williams is a lighter, yet athletic OL prospect with plenty of good football ahead of him. He has an aggressive blocking style in space, punching defenders with the force to knock them onto their heels. He plays with good core strength and body control, which allows him to leverage against and anchor down against defenders at his lighter weight. His feet are extremely active, which allows him to shuffle in front of defenders in his pass set and constantly stay squared to the defenders. He also continues to drive his feet when battling with defenders, wearing them out and gradually winning out. Williams will continue to add weight and could be a candidate to outplay his ranking once he adds more play strength.     [player_tooltip player_id='1192783' first='Louis' last='Snell'] is another stout, powerful OL prospect making some noise this spring. Snell is a thick-built 6'4 310 and can move people off the ball at guard. He plays with good leverage, driving his facemask into the chest of defenders. He isn't the most fleet athlete, but he gets out quickly on pulls and is quick to contact. He can instantly stop defenders and reverse momentum with the drive in his legs. Against the pass rush, he anchors down well and plays with heavy hands. He is bull rush proof, so you will have to find a way to run around him. Snell added an offer from Jacksonville State this spring.    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sleepers</h2>    Nykalus Dell is a violent OL prospect with position versatility. At 6'3 260, he carries his weight well and still has plenty of physical development left in the tank. For a lighter prospect, he plays with good play strength, frequently winning against defenders with more mass than him. He finishes each block violently, whether that means knocking defenders to the turf or driving them through it. He plays up and down the line, but his active feet and willingness to dominate each rep might translate best to one of the interior spots. Dell could be a sneaky good pickup for a D1 program looking for a developmental lineman.     Gage Beyke is an underrated, yet well-rounded OL prospect. He carries his 6'4 290 frame well, playing with fine play strength and good enough athleticism to hold his own. He anchors down well against the pass, playing with good hand strength and winning with leverage alone. He takes good angles when he kicks out, meeting the spill defender and using his length to press him out of the running lane. At times he can get pushed back into the pocket, but he frequently resets his feet looking to drop the anchor again and stall the pass rush.     Traemon Thomas's upside is ultimately what should intrigue college coaches. He is listed at 6'4 250 and is noticeably thin in his frame, which just means he has plenty of room to add good weight all across his body. He is still learning the position and can sometimes get a little grabby, but he gets into his pass set quickly, has good length, and can win with power from his upper body. He hasn't even begun to play his best football, and while still a project, he has excitable athletic traits.     Womack is an experienced, fundamentally sound OL prospect with plenty of physical upside in the tank. He might not jump off the page when it comes to measurables at 6'3 270, but he moves his weight well and has enough functional play strength to perform right now. He plays with a good base against the run, resetting his feet and refining his hands while battling. He has a quick, clean pass set, catching rushers at the top of their rush. He will develop more play strength, but his athleticism is the basis of intrigue around him.     Matthew Givens is a big-body OL prospect starting to come into his own. He is a massive 6'6 310 with the play strength and length to overwhelm and manipulate defenders at the line. On his junior tape, he looked a bit raw as a mover. However, on his spring tape, he looks to move better and take better angles to his landmarks. Givens has the size to instantly control the line. Now, he just needs to continue refining the finesse part of his game. Once he does that, he can contribute at the college level.

Football is built in the trenches. In Alabama, there are several OL prospects that can hold their own and contribute at the college level. Here are 5 from across all levels that intrigue me.