Trench Warfare 2025 Style

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As I ease back into 2025 reporting, I wanted to highlight the guys in the trenches before I got too carried away breaking down the skill positions. Reporting on offensive and defensive linemen is one of my favorite scouting activities as these are the guys who labor away, mostly in obscurity, while the guys touching the football get most of the glory. These are guys truly doing it for the love of the game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And, as with any position there are the guys who play <em>at it</em>, and then there are the guys who<em> live it</em>. The guys who go all in on being the best and not only power train year around, get into the camp/clinic circuit, fine-tune mechanics when others are sleeping, watch endless tape, pick mentor's brains, and basically eat, drink, breathe, and visualize being the unstoppable force in the trenches when fall rolls around.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The guys living and breathing it are on full display today as I highlight below a handful of guys who have been reviewed at length who embody great offensive line play in the trenches. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1115446' first='AJ' last='Quick']</strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/aj-quick/"></a> </strong>, 5'11, 245, C, <strong>Cheney.</strong> He has quickly become one of my favorite linemen reviewed so far this year and is a player who is becoming a master at his craft early in his high school career. And, as an all-state player on a defending state champion team, the pressure will be on for similar excellence in 2024. He has a powerful build, with a low center of gravity and active feet that he uses seamlessly to gain leverage and make the initial strike to the defender's pads. He has an excellent initial step, quickly gaining position and locking and unloading on nose tackles and middle linebackers. Once he drills in on his target it is usually lights out for the defender. He moves well laterally and in space getting to the next level to take out backers and safeties. This kid is the real-deal, get out and see him help lead his team in search of a second crown this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='351914' first='Jacob' last='O'Donnell']</strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/jacob-odonnell/"></a>&nbsp;</strong>, 6'5, 305, OT,&nbsp;<strong>Shawnee Mission NW</strong>. Another guy who caught my eye when I started my marathon tape review earlier in the year. Coming out of a well-coached program, he is a versatile performer who can play either guard or tackle. He is a big brawler of a blocker who plays with a chip on his shoulder, looking to lower the boom on his opponents in the trenches whenever possible. Lining up mostly at right tackle a year ago, he has nimble feet and gets good positioning when locking in on the defender. As a run blocker he uses his size and solid mechanics to pile-drive the defensive line on down blocks, but is also a good blocker in space when getting to the second level. He plays an aggressive game and will drive his defender from snap to whistle, often hammering them into the turf for good measure. He checks all the boxes for a standout offensive lineman and is primed and ready to get busy this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='868976' first='Connor' last='Herman']</strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/connor-herman/"></a>&nbsp;</strong>, 6'3, 250, OL,&nbsp;<strong>Halstead</strong>. He is a versatile lineman who can play anywhere along the offensive front and has been a familiar presence, anchoring the Halstead line since his freshman year. He is coming off a standout junior season when he was a wrecking ball of a destroyer in the trenches, generating over 100+ knockdown blocks and pancakes. Although he can play any of the positions up front, he was particularly effective as an aggressive left tackle with a powerful base and a standout wing span of just under 80 inches. He has good quickness and balance, moves well laterally and locks in on blocks in space. He has a strong initial strike where he gets under pads and moves the defender at will. He is a mauler of a blocker in pass pro and consistently walls off the perimeter. This kid is getting ready to make some noise this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='716775' first='Drayton' last='Knoll']</strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/drayton-knoll/"></a>&nbsp;</strong>, 6'5, 305, OL,&nbsp;<strong>Holcomb</strong>. He is coming off an excellent junior season when he made first-team all state and saw his name start to get notice from scouts and recruiters. He meets all the criteria necessary to play at the next level as he has the size and reach the big-time programs are looking for. He is a large-and-in-charge mauler of a blocker, who delivers a blow with his quick initial strike and then proceeds to bury the defender. He has good feet for his size and is quick and aggressive moving laterally and in space. He has powerful, heavy hands and gets good positioning in both run blocks and in pass pro. He has good bend and burst coming out of his stance, maintains good pad level and blasts moving targets well. This kid has been training hard in the off season and is getting ready to put his game on full display in 2024.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1228493' first='Alex' last='Carpenter']</strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/alex-carpenter/"></a>&nbsp;, 5'11, 255, OL, <strong>Goddard</strong>. He is a versatile offensive lineman who can play multiple positions and even handles long-snap duties as needed. He is starting to make a name for himself as an outstanding pulling guard who moves well laterally and is effective in engaging and delivering a blow on defensive ends and linebackers in space. He does a good job working through trench traffic, fending off defenders as he goes, and getting good angles and positioning to take out the target. He has a powerful base and is adept at getting leverage and caving in down blocks and driving defensive linemen out of gaps and running lanes. He can make all of the blocks in the run game and is consistently effective walling off in pass pro. Get out and see a guy who is coming into his own and getting ready to deliver the goods this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='716711' first='Abe' last='Shaffer']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/abe-shaffer/"></a>&nbsp;</strong>, DL, 6'5”, 265, <strong>Mill Valley</strong>. He is coming off a standout junior season for state-champion Mill Valley as one of the anchors along the defensive front. He helped them throttle the opposition, contributing 30 total tackles, with five for losses behind the line of scrimmage. He is a versatile performer who can go both ways, but will be shifting gears and focusing on the offensive side of the ball in 2024. He will be a significant addition, as he has prototype size and length and is athletic enough to play either guard or tackle. He has a powerful base and upper-body strength that he uses to neutralize defenders in the run game. He also has excellent feet and agility, enabling him to shut down the speed rush coming off the edge. He has been hard at it in the offseason and is getting ready to put on a show in 2024.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In conclusion, get out and see these rising stars enable their teams to win this fall. Teams can't win without success in the trenches. And, as always, if you know of anyone flying under the radar, feel free to reach out to me via DM on X.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->