2027 Rankings: Interior Linemen Earning Attention

There's something that interior linemen on both sides of the ball have to accept early on: the glory usually goes to the guys on the outside.   Whether it's a game-changing Edge or a rock-solid tackle, those guys on the outside draw plenty of eyeballs and a bunch of attention.   The inside, though, is where games are won and lost. It's where a lot of the dirty work happens on both sides of the ball, and it takes a special mix of skill, size, and mentality to play well on the interior.   These guys don't just play well, they set a standard. Here's a look at some of the 2027 interior linemen who continue to make a huge difference.   [player_tooltip player_id='1172366' first='Tyrone' last='Jennings'] DL, Irmo - Jennings' 72 tackles, six tackles for loss, and a sack in 2025 don't begin to tell the story of what he brings for the Yellow Jackets. His strength means a stalemate is just about the best an opposing lineman can hope for, and that's a win for Jennings. But those standoffs are very hard to come by, because he wins just about every rep.    [player_tooltip player_id='1036731' first='Dennis' last='Glenn'] DT, Boiling Springs   In one of the toughest, deepest defensive regions in the state, Glenn still commands attention. He also commands double-teams, letting the Bulldogs' LBs run free behind him. He also makes plenty of plays himself, with 21 tackles for loss and six sacks last season.    [player_tooltip player_id='1536398' first='Simeon' last='Jones'] NG, North Augusta   All Jones does is precisely what you want a nose guard to do. He gets a quick push, he re-establishes the line of scrimmage in his favor, and he creates some havoc. He's a classic hole-plugger, and he's really, really good at it.    [player_tooltip player_id='1036757' first='Peyton' last='Grant'] DT, Crestwood   Grant's certainly athletic enough to play at end. He's just so good on the inside that Crestwood needs him there. He fights off blocks and finds the ball, and he's physical enough to take over whole series from his interior position.    [player_tooltip player_id='1603850' first='Kamarion' last='Glenn'] DT, Belton-Honea Path   On an absolutely loaded, senior-heavy defense, Glenn just kind of took over in the Bears Upper State championship run. He was their best defensive lineman down the stretch, particularly in a third-round win over Woodruff in which the Bears completely shut down the Wolverines' rushing attack. Glenn plays even bigger than his size, and can be nearly impossible to block.    [player_tooltip player_id='1271251' first='Jordan' last='Johnson'] DT/NG, Philip Simmons   Johnson is an enormous human being who is deceptively fast and athletic for his size. That's basically the secret formula for bing a standout interior lineman. He gets to the right place in a hurry, he changes what other teams want to do, and he's a disruptive force for the Iron Horses.    [player_tooltip player_id='1820131' first='Jackson' last='Glenn'] DT, Orangeburg-Wilkinson   Glenn is a great athlete with a ton of measurables, but one of the most notable is an incredible wingspan. He's able to reach out and swallow up plays as they're developing, and he had a ton to do with the Bruins' success in 2025. He had 13 tackles for loss, and his physical tools allowed him to bring pressure in different ways.    [player_tooltip player_id='1172352' first='Reed' last='Paolucci'] G, Blythewood   Paolucci (pictured) is a textbook pulling guard. He's got a great first step, he gets where he's going in a hurry, and he's violent when he gets there. It's no surprise that a bunch of the Bengals' success came right behind him this year, and he could take on an even bigger role as a senior.    [player_tooltip player_id='1271255' first='Hayden' last='Crockett'] G/C, Hilton Head   Crockett's able to play center or either guard, and what he does well is easy to explain. He neutralizes whoever's across from him more often than not. He can pull, he can pass-block, and he can plow straight ahead. He's the definition of a talented interior lineman.    [player_tooltip player_id='1603877' first='Max' last='Barnes'] C, Hillcrest   Barnes has plenty of size at 300 pounds, and he's able to overwhelm guys at the point of attack for the Rams. He gets the ball away quickly and moves directly into just where he needs to be, and a bunch of the Rams' success comes straight up the middle because of him. He's battled injuries, but is an anchor on the Hillcrest offensive line.    [player_tooltip player_id='1820912' first='Luke' last='Thayer'] C, South Florence   Thayer had a huge role in the Bruins' run to the 4A title game, and is one of the keys to the offense up front. He's quick off the ball, and does a good job at everything a center's supposed to do. He chips guys, he doubles, he quickly finds anybody unaccounted for, and he's a heck of a straight-ahead blocker when that's what's called for as well.    [player_tooltip player_id='1664650' first='Jaiden' last='Green'] G, Darlington   Green's film is pretty much a loop of the 360-pound "Big Baby" obliterating people. It's kind of startling to look at somebody his size doing the things he can do, and most of those things are moving anybody who happens to be in his way. Green is one of the more physical guys on this list, and he's fun to watch.    [player_tooltip player_id='1673215' first='Holden' last='Lane'] G, Wren   The Hurricanes' [player_tooltip player_id='1790589' first='Muntu' last='Brown'] was one of South Carolina's breakout players of the year. Lane is a big part of the reason why. Lane wasn't just good at the point of attack for Wren, he often WAS the point of attack. And if he wasn't, he sought out contact elsewhere. He's one of those offensive linemen coaches love with "a little bit of nasty", and he seems to seriously enjoy the violent contact necessary for the position.

There's something that interior linemen on both sides of the ball have to accept early on: the glory usually goes to the guys on the outside.