June 20, 2008

Rivals.com recruiting staff
Rivals.com Football Recruiting

Video: Best OLs by category | VOTE: Run blocker | Pass blocker | Strongest | Agile | Athlete

Pick a category Stongest arm Most accurate Best scrambler Quickest Strongest Best athlete Best run stuffer Best pass rusher Best home-run threat Best inside runner Best in space Best downhill runner Strongest Best against the run Best pass rusher Quickest first step Best run blocker Best pass blocker Strongest Most agile Best athlete

The Rivals.com recruiting experts have broken down countless hours of film and racked up plenty of frequent flyer miles to see the top prospects compete at events across the country. In the process of evaluating overall talent, several prospects gained notice for their mastery of specific skills.

We've selected the best of the best in each category for every position and ranked them. Rivals.com recruiting analyst Barry Every breaks down the offensive line.

Coming Next: Linebackers

OL RANKINGS: Run blocker | Pass blocker | Strongest | Most agile | Athlete

5. Xavier Su'a Filo, Provo (Utah Timpview)
Su'a Filo in action at Army combine
PARTICULARS: 6-4/285
THE BUZZ: A mean customer who doesn't mind the nastiness of run blocking.

4. John Martinez, Salt Lake City Cottonwood
Martinez highlights
PARTICULARS: 6-4/265
THE BUZZ: Have you seen this guy pull on film? All I can say is, "Wow!"

3. Nick Alajajian, Naples (Fla.) High
Alajajian highlights
PARTICULARS: 6-4/280
THE BUZZ: Has the toughness to maul opponents play after play. He also plays with a nasty disposition.

2. Michael Philipp, San Bernardino (Calif.) Arroyo Valley
Philipp highlights
PARTICULARS: 6-3/320
THE BUZZ: A massive guard who can drive a d-lineman into submission with his powerful lower body.

1. Morgan Moses, Richmond (Va.) Meadowbrook
Moses highlights
PARTICULARS: 6-7/347
THE BUZZ: So big and dominant, he looks as if he is playing against little kids.

OTHERS: Chris Burnette, LaGrange (Ga.) Troup (Georgia commitment); Kevin Graf, Agoura (Calif.) High (USC commitment); Corey Linsley, Youngstown (Ohio) Boardman (Ohio State commitment); Mason Walters, Wolfforth (Texas) Frenship (Texas commitment); Peter White, Washington (D.C.) St. John's College High.

BEST PASS BLOCKER

5. Austin Long, Memphis Briarcrest Christian
Long highlights
COMMITMENT: Georgia
PARTICULARS: 6-5/268
THE BUZZ: Has the athleticism and body to play all three positions along the line.

4. Chris Watt, Glen Ellyn (Ill.) Glenbard West
Watt highlights
PARTICULARS: 6-3/280
THE BUZZ: A super-athletic guard who moves laterally like a ballroom dancer.

3. Michael Philipp, San Bernardino (Calif.) Arroyo Valley
Philipp highlights
PARTICULARS: 6-3/320
THE BUZZ: Looked so athletic at the Los Angeles Nike Camp that he could play offensive tackle in a pinch.

2. David Barrent, West Des Moines (Iowa) Valley
Barrent highlights
COMMITMENT: Iowa
PARTICULARS: 6-8/290
THE BUZZ: Another tall lineman with a huge wingspan and good feet.

1. Garrett Porter, Odessa (Texas) Permian
Porter highlights
COMMITMENT: Texas
PARTICULARS: 6-6/308
THE BUZZ: He's tall and has long arms, the two biggest attributes that make someone a great pass blocker.

OTHERS: Jack Harris, Parker (Colo.) Chaparral; Paden Kelley, Austin (Texas) Lake Travis (Texas commitment); John Martinez, Salt Lake City Cottonwood; Xavier Su'a Filo, Provo (Utah) Timpview; Brandon Webb, Owasso (Okla.) High (Oklahoma State commitment).

STRONGEST

5. Morgan Moses, Richmond (Va.) Meadowbrook
Moses highlights
PARTICULARS: 6-7/347
THE BUZZ: Already big enough and strong enough to compete at the Division I-A level.

4. J.K. Jay, Greenville (S.C.) Christ Church
Jay highlights
COMMITMENT: Clemson
PARTICULARS: 6-6/275
THE BUZZ: One of the biggest and thickest human beings I have seen in person.

3. Dallas Lee, Buford (Ga.) High
Lee highlights
COMMITMENT: Georgia
PARTICULARS: 6-4/290
THE BUZZ: Two-way star for perennial power has the ability and size to play on either side of the ball.

2. Patrick Lewis, LaPlace (La.) East St. John
Lewis highlights
PARTICULARS: 6-2/293
THE BUZZ: A barrel-chested interior lineman who gave standout DT Chris Davenport all he could handle in Baton Rouge.

1. Peter White, Washington (D.C.) St. John's College High
White highlights
PARTICULARS: 6-4/340
THE BUZZ: Was just downright powerful at the Chapel Hill Nike camp, and he looks like a real mauler on film.

OTHERS: Kevin Graf, Agoura (Calif.) High (USC commitment); Michael Philipp, San Bernardino (Calif.) Arroyo Valley; Eric Shrive, Scranton (Pa.) West Scranton (Penn State commitment); Mason Walters, Wolfforth (Texas) Frenship (Texas commitment); Jared Wheeler, Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage.

MOST AGILE

5. Alex Bullard, Brentwood (Tenn.) Academy
Bullard highlights
COMMITMENT: Notre Dame
PARTICULARS: 6-3/275
THE BUZZ: May be one of the most underrated lineman in the country. He uses his feet to keep him in great position against the pass rush.

4. Xavier Nixon, Fayetteville (N.C.) Jack Britt
Nixon highlights
PARTICULARS: 6-6/263
THE BUZZ: He can pull from the tackle position, which takes great lateral movement.

3. Blake Treadwell, East Lansing (Mich.) High
Treadwell highlights
COMMITMENT: Michigan State
PARTICULARS: 6-2/270
THE BUZZ: Another two-way star who didn't need a highlight film because every play on his game tape was impressive.

2. John Martinez, Salt Lake City Cottonwood
Martinez highlights
PARTICULARS: 6-4/265
THE BUZZ: He has one of the most impressive videos and has the best knee bend I have seen this year.

1. Corey Linsley, Youngstown (Ohio) Boardman
Linsley highlights
COMMITMENT: Ohio State
PARTICULARS: 6-4/285
THE BUZZ: Watching him pull and block downfield on tape was like watching a skill-position player run downfield.

OTHERS: Chris Burnette, LaGrange (Ga.) Troup (Georgia commitment); Jack Harris, Parker (Colo.) Chaparral; Austin Long, Memphis Briarwood Christian (Georgia commitment); Xavier Su'a Filo, Provo (Utah) Timpview; Chris Watt, Glen Ellyn (Ill.) Glenbard West.

BEST ATHLETE

5. Brennan Williams, West Roxbury (Mass.) Catholic Memorial
Williams highlights
PARTICULARS: 6-5/255
THE BUZZ: Plays a little bit of everything, from defensive line to any position along the offensive line.

4. Zach Martin, Indianapolis Bishop Chatard
Martin highlights
PARTICULARS: 6-5/270
THE BUZZ: On film, did a great job of blocking downfield and keeping his feet.

3. Nick Alajajian, Naples (Fla.) High
Alajajian highlights
PARTICULARS: 6-4/280
THE BUZZ: Another lineman who has the feet and strength to potentially play any of the line positions.

2. Chris Faulk, Slidell (La.) Northshore
Faulk highlights
COMMITMENT: LSU
PARTICULARS: 6-6/280
THE BUZZ: Offensive linemen seldom take home the top SPARQ rating, as he did in New Orleans in December.

1. Sam Longo, Bellbrook (Ohio) High
Longo highlights
PARTICULARS: 6-5/270
THE BUZZ: A prospect who has the athleticism to play all three positions at the next level.

OTHERS: David Barrent, West Des Moines (Iowa) Valley (Iowa commitment); Alex Bullard, Brentwood (Tenn.) Academy (Notre Dame commitment); Corey Linsley, Youngstown (Ohio) Boardman (Ohio State commitment), Michael Philipp, San Bernardino (Calif.) Arroyo Valley; Michael Schofield, Orland Park (Ill.) Sandburg (Michigan commitment).

Talk about it in Inside the 40 Acres