The Coast’s Top 13 Offensive Linemen

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Just three weeks out from the start of the 2024 season, team's are commencing practices and hoping that all the offseason work will pay off.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And for all the gunslinging quarterbacks and big receivers and talented tailbacks, most of it goes for naught if the offensive line is able to do its job. Those units are five deep, of course, but some of the very best individual linemen call the coast home.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Between oversized tackles - or those who do more with less - and interior guards and centers who carved out their niche, the rest of the offense revolves around their abilities.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These group is dynamic.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's established.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Beyond all that, it's a collection of established stars more people should respect.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='762756' first='Kendall' last='Walton'] Lamar</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Walton (pictured) has put up some GPS times that don't usually accompany someone his size. And while we're not usually basing our opinions of left tackles on their 40s, we also can't deny that his stride and burst has to mean something, too.&nbsp;He's going to be a big part of Lamar's success in 2024. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1157891' first='Jayden' last='Granger'] South Florence&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Granger went from South Pointe to South Florence prior to his junior season and proved he could mesh with a new team. He's big and violent and used the run-based scheme the Bruins had to use in 2023 to get his sea legs.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='459924' first='JacQari' last='Witherspoon'] and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1360115' first='Sawyer' last='Averitt'] </strong>North Myrtle Beach&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Chiefs have not one, but two pretty offensive linemen make this list. Witherspoon has been a starter for going on three years now, bringing brute strength and pulling ability to the guard spot. Averitt came on strong last year. He's primarily a tackle, but don't get caught thinking he's going to hang back. He can move around a good bit, too. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1253895' first='Evan' last='Wilder'] Hilton Head&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Last time we checked in on Wilder, we were told he'd “embraced” the weight room and was ready to take the next step. This time around, we're just waiting for the season to start to see it all come together. Wilder has the size to stand out and the offensive scheme to play to his strengths.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1253897' first='Christian' last='Huynh'] Carolina Forest&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>How many Panthers' linemen does the state need to see blow up as seniors before we recognize there might be something to this system? Huynh might be asked to shift to the left tackle spot to replace <strong>Phil McLean</strong>. If not, he'll be holding down the right side.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1253910' first='Isaiah' last='Evans'] Whale Branch&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>At 6-foot-7 and 320 pounds, Evans is one of the biggest players in the entire state. Duh, right? He's also playing in an offensive system that promotes raw power. If the last four months have been put to good use, just get ready for the attention his senior season could bring about.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1254118' first='Daniel' last='Dounian'] West Ashley&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Unlike Evans, Dounian isn't huge. What he is, however, is a technical master who just so happens to also be strong as an ox. Despite West's claim that it will throw the ball more in 2024, the Wildcats also know they have a workhorse lineman who can plow some road.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='473011' first='Desmond' last='Green'] Timberland&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Will Green be the most recruited player in the state this time next year? He's in the running, to be sure. But the reason why is more telling. As one national voice told us “Big guys who move like that don't come around very often.” On this level, Green is making a lot of folks look good.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='402516' first='Zyon' last='Guiles'] Carvers Bay&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Green's not the only lineman in this class raking in offers. Not even close. Guiles blew up in the offseason after showing up to every ask of him. He's done combines and media appearance and answered every physical and spoken question someone might have about a small-school tackle.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='617718' first='Kenshon' last='Speaks'] Beaufort&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We're not sure if it's wilder that we've had two seasons to break down Speaks's game or that we have another two to do so. Yet another young bloomer, Speaks is only scratching the surface.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='473030' first='Quamaine' last='Vaughn'] Philip Simmons&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Vaughn has two years of starting experience on a line that helped produce more rushing yards last fall than most programs get every two seasons. He's got a low center of gravity and knows the finer points of leverage.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1110005' first='Cody' last='Peterson'] Ashley Ridge&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Peterson has dealt with some injury issues that forced him out of some action last fall and then again this offseason. But when he's healthy, his ceiling is extremely high. He's every bit of 6-foot-5 and 315 pounds and squats north of 600 pounds.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->