2026 Rankings Update 6.0: OL

As we head deeper into the month of July, the 2025 high school football season is quickly approaching. With that in mind, we have entered a new round of rankings updates in the state of Kentucky, with the class of 2026 being the latest class to be updated. Now that these rankings have been posted, I will be breaking down our updated Top 275 by position. After already covering the offensive skill players, here are our top offensive linemen in the class of 2026 in the state of Kentucky.    [player_tooltip player_id='402549' first='Jarvis' last='Strickland'] is our top overall player in the state in his class. Strickland lines up at left tackle where he is very impressive as a run blocker. He moves very well for his size, showing the ability to pull from the tackle spot and get to the second level with a sense of urgency. Once he gets out into the open field, he uses his strength to destroy any defender in his path. He is also very reliable in pass protection, showing quick footwork in his pass sets along with the ability to defeat pass rush moves quickly. Jarvis is committed to Louisville where I can see him making an early impact once he gets there.     [player_tooltip player_id='401700' first='David' last='Pellman'] has continuously proven to be one of the best players in the entire state in his class over the past few seasons. He lines up at center where he is dominant in the run game. Pellman plays with a high motor, showing the ability to move his man several yards down the field with ease and finish with a ton of physicality, resulting in frequent pancake blocks. He is also impressive in pass protection, showing the ability to get the snap off quickly then keep his head on a swivel to find work when uncovered. Pellman is committed to Eastern Kentucky where I can see him being a key piece of the Colonels' offensive line unit.     [player_tooltip player_id='283977' first='Max' last='Merz'] is an offensive lineman that has been high on our radar for a while now. Merz lines up mainly at right guard but has shown the versatility to play on the left side as well. He plays with a ton of physicality in the run game, showing the initial punch to knock defenders off balance with ease. Once he gets locked in, he has shown the leg drive to create movement off the line of scrimmage with ease. In pass protection, Max does a great job of maintaining a strong base while absorbing contact, not allowing much penetration into the pocket. Max is committed to Louisville where I can see him having a ton of success at the next level.     [player_tooltip player_id='1584288' first='Bryten' last='Close'] jumped onto our radar with a strong junior year. Close lines up at right tackle where he is very impressive as a run blocker. He has proven to be reliable when asked to pull, showing the speed/athleticism to get out in front of the ball carrier followed by the ability to pick up blocks in open space as a lead blocker. Bryten finishes his blocks with a ton of physicality, often resulting in pancake blocks. In pass protection, he keeps a strong base while absorbing contact and also does a great job of keeping inside position with his hands. Bryten is committed to Louisville where I can see him developing into a key member of their offensive line.     To wrap up our top five offensive linemen in the class of 2026 in the state of Kentucky, I have [player_tooltip player_id='971531' first='Ben' last='Myers']. Myers lines up primarily at right tackle but has also taken some snaps on the left side. He is very reliable as a run blocker, showing the ability to explode out of his stance and drive his man down the field with ease. Myers has also shown the ability to get up to the second level with a sense of urgency and pick up blocks in the open field. In pass protection, Myers has shown the ability to get into his pass sets quickly and mirror opposing pass rushers off the edge with ease. Ben currently holds multiple Division I offers and I expect more to come his way heading into his senior year.