Meat of the Position: Offensive Linemen

This is Wisconsin. Unofficial home of offensive linemen development and recruitment. The tradition is alive and well with the Class of 2026. We already have two of our top athletes at the position committed to Power 4 programs along with a third already committed to the FCS level. That is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this incredibly deep position group. Today we are going deep into the rankings, and into the center of OL position rankings to talk about some of the more under the radar athletes that NEED to be on the radar of college coaches. Let's get it started!    Coming in at 6'3" 290 lbs is a mauler of an offensive guard. The Brookfield Central starting left guard uses that immense size to his advantage in the trenches. Jacob does well with consistently running his feet through contact with his opponent. That quickly gets them off balance and once he has them off balance Jacob has that nasty, mean streak to drive them far from the ball if they don't end up on the ground first. Jacob is utilized on a ton of pulls across the formation and is able to hit his target with a strong punch and then run through them like we mentioned above. Big, strong, mobile, and mean are great traits to build around and Jacob has them.      Another Top 100 stud is Whitefish Bay's 6'4" 275 lbs offensive tackle. Based off the junior tape, I believe the 2026 has the not only the size and power, but the mobility to be able to play out at OT at the next level. Kellen's ability to play laterally, get up to level 2 or cut off a DL looks so easy. He is flexible, fluid, and carries his size so naturally and then when he gets to his target you see the heavy hands. Like a boxer, Kellen's initial strikes have some impressive highlights as he is able to put kids on their backs at first contact. If they don't end up checking out the stadium lights you will see Kellen running them away from the gap the offense is attacking. The junior OT is a very well balanced recruit that needs far more attention.      Jackson is a very talented OL and long snapper, and I foresee him getting looks and offers for both positions. Focusing on his offensive line play, Jackson is one of the most consistent guards in the state over the past two years. He has a State Championship and a second deep playoff run under his belt already with great odds of doing it again this fall. The tape is impressive too. Jackson is fantastic at staying low and using leverage to dominate his opponents. Badger is an extremely run heavy offense, so Jackson gets to fly out of his stance low, get underneath the pads of the DL, and drive them off the line and deep into the second level. His use of leverage is so dominant paired with his constant leg drive. The guard has no problem moving IDL to give the FB room to run. Take a look for yourselves.      Ayden is going to be a bit more of a project than others in this article because he is only in the 225 lbs range, but the 2026 OL has tools to develop that could make him a steal of an OL. The '26 OL has a great frame to fill out at 6'6" with long arms. He also plays with some solid range and mobility to his game. Ayden has shown he can double team up to level two, get horizontal to cut off an edge defender, or get out in space and lead for his QB. Ayden also flashes a solid base of strength that is only going to improve as he gets bigger.      Quinn is a very intriguing offensive line prospect in this Class. He is going to be apart of one of the best OL units in the state this fall. The 6'4" 250 lbs junior has an impressive balance of athleticism and power to his game. The kid moves with power, whether he is firing out to take on the DL in front of him or if he is closing quickly on level two and clearing them out of the area. Quinn also has a strong base of short area agility that helps him so much in adjusting last second to make sure that he hits his target square. In pass protection, Hoffman shows a strong anchor that he can instantly set to stuff any bull rush attempt and from there has the feet to mirror counter moves. Get eyes on this kid. He is putting in the work in the gym too.      Next up we have one of the best centers in Wisconsin. Franklin's [player_tooltip player_id='1220693' first='Tyson' last='Shelton'] is an experienced and talented IOL with the skills to play at the next level. He brings a stout, strong 6'1" 255 lbs frame to the field. A frame that is developing a well balanced base of power and athleticism. On tape you see him do so much. He has the quick burst to reach a DL a gap over and still cross their face to get his butt to the hole. That same burst is also visible when he comes out of his stance in the run game to take on a DL lined up over him. Tyson quickly gets into the chest of his man, keeps his feet churning, while also using his strong hands to steer and get his opponent off balance. Tyson's balance and agility also make it so that once he clamps those strong hands onto his opponent he isn't going to come off that block. This kid is going to keep rising up our boards. Don't miss out on him.      Brayden is an excellent example of how talented and deep this OL Class is. Checking in at 6'2" 260 lbs, Brayden is a force at offensive guard. In pass protection the tape shows a strong anchor, accurate hand placement, and awareness to see stunts even while helping on another DL. In the run game we see Brayden doing a lot of double teams with the LT that end up being super unfair as they drive the DL off the ball quickly. Even when tasked with the job alone Brayden flashes that quickness out of his stance and a strong pop on contact and leg drive to clear out IDL. Velasquez is another mauling IOL that should be on plenty of radars and recruiting boards at this point.

This is Wisconsin. Unofficial home of offensive linemen development and recruitment. The tradition is alive and well with the Class of 2026. We already have two of our top athletes at the position committed to Power 4 programs along with a third already committed to the FCS level. That is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this incredibly deep position group. Today we are going deep into the rankings, and into the center of OL position rankings to talk about some of the more under the radar athletes that NEED to be on the radar of college coaches. Let's get it started!