The Rize: Scouting Notebook on Offensive Line, Part 4

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On Saturday, June 27, 2026 Prep Redzone Next was back-in-action in Jackson, New Jersey, as they hosted "The Rize." A double-session prospect showcase, this event drew middle school prospects from all across the country to see how they stacked up against their national counterparts. Each prospect was personally hand-selected by middle school guru&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/AlPopsFootball">Al Pops</a>&nbsp;to compete and attend.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As per usual, I attended and report to you my positional notes for the position group referenced in the title of this article. My evaluations are through the lens of a high school coach and talent evaluator.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Be sure to follow me on&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/BrendanScoutsNJ">Twitter</a>&nbsp;for the latest New Jersey high school football prospect news and not miss a beat!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1647113"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a584c845310b"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Headed to Hudson Catholic under new head coach Tarig Holman's first reign is [player_tooltip player_id='1647113' first='Alexander' last='Nieves']. At his absolute best, I watched Nieves arch is body extremely well. This enabled him to anchor and stop opponents in their tracks. For Nieves to experience immediate success in resurrecting the program, he will have to improve his footwork. There were a few occasions where he got beat, and as such Nieves. grabbed and flung his opponents to the ground.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2214645"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a584c8453179"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Yes, we all are attracted to the massive behemoth-sized lineman; however, sometimes the shorter linemen win out. Indeed, this was the case for Joel Tapia Ramirez. Tapia Ramirez, who is listed at just 5'8", was able to play with superior pad level relative to a number of his opponents, which prevented him from being bowled over. Additionally, Tapia Ramirez was able to stay in front of the majority of his matchups due to his quick feet. Quick feet and low pads made for a tough out along the offensive line.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2169711"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a584c84531ce"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">For the prospect from the Buckeye State, Andrae Smith Jr showed that he was one of the more advanced offensive linemen, specifically as it relates to his hand usage - showcasing them in a number of ways. Smith worked hard to get his hands above his eyes, continually striking upward upon his matchup. I also thought that Smith excelled at working his hands and feet simultaneously, especially when working to refit his hands. That said, Smith can stand to pick up the pace of his feet a bit more, as I saw him hold against a skinny-butt prospect who beat him with speed.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2221815"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a584c845321d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I only caught a single glimpse of Ahmed Abouraya. Abouraya was beat to the inside because his feet were staggered incorrectly. Attention to details will prevent him from giving up rush lanes inside - which is the fastest way to the quarterback.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Rize Event Coverage</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/06/the-rize-scouting-notebook-on-defensive-line-part-1">Defensive Line, Part 1</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/07/the-rize-scouting-notebook-on-defensive-line-part-2">Defensive Line, Part 2</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/07/the-rize-scouting-notebook-on-defensive-line-part-3">Defensive Line, Part 3</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/07/the-rize-scouting-notebook-on-offensive-line-part-1">Offensive Line, Part 1</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/07/the-rize-scouting-notebook-on-offensive-line-part-2">Offensive Line, Part 2</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/07/the-rize-scouting-notebook-on-offensive-linemen-part-3">Offensive Line, Part 3</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/07/the-rize-scouting-notebook-on-offensive-line-part-4">Offensive Line, Part 4</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/07/the-rize-scouting-notebook-on-linebackers-part-1">Linebackers, Part 1</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/07/the-rize-scouting-notebook-on-linebacker-part-2">Linebackers, Part 2</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/06/the-rize-scouting-notebook-on-quarterbacks-part-1">Quarterbacks, Part 1</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/07/the-rize-scouting-notebook-on-quarterbacks-part-2">Quarterbacks, Part 2</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/07/the-rize-scouting-notebook-on-quarterbacks-part-3">Quarterbacks, Part 3</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/07/the-rize-scouting-notebook-on-receivers-part-1">Receivers, Part 1</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/07/the-rize-scouting-notebook-on-receivers-part-2">Receivers, Part 2</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/07/the-rize-scouting-notebook-on-receivers-part-3">Receivers, Part 3</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/07/the-rize-scouting-notebook-on-receivers-part-4">Receivers, Part 4</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/07/the-rize-scouting-notebook-on-running-backs-part-1">Running Backs, Part 1</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/07/the-rize-scouting-notebook-on-running-backs-part-2">Running Backs, Part 2</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/07/the-rize-scouting-notebook-on-running-backs-part-3">Running Backs, Part 3</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->