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This recruiting class is stacked with playmakers on offense that come in all shapes and sizes. We have players like Kennedy Snell, Omar Manning, Jalen Reagor, and of course future signal caller, Shawn Robinson. However, there is one recruit that gets me more excited than the rest...and it’s unfortunate that I can only choose one of them, because all of these guys are capable of making plays. They all have the skills to pay the bills, you might say. But if we’re talking about the recruit that I’m most excited to watch on offense in the future...It’s Wes Harris, the OG out of Aledo, Texas.
Mason, why are you choosing an offensive lineman as your most exciting offensive player?
Well first of all, this OG is a real OG. While he is listed as a guard, he also played significant time on the defensive line this past season, so he knows how to approach a play from both sides of the ball. This guy excites me for two simple reasons:
- THE GUY CAN GET A PUSH UP FRONT. Just watch the tape, the guy bullies defenders AND offensive lineman. Something that the Frogs lacked this past season was the ability to get a push up front and clear openings up front for our RB’s, especially late in the season. Mr. Harris shows that he can move a dude, the same size as him, about 5 yards back and onto the ground. copious amounts of pancake blocks please.
- THE GUY CAN MOVE IT. Don’t let his size (6’4 285lbs) fool you, he is quick on his feet. In run blocking he’s always quick to get to his assignment and take him out of the play. While on pass protection, his feet are light, but somehow he becomes a cinder block wall, stopping anything from getting past him.
Call me old fashioned, but I have a deep appreciation for blocking and the big guys in the trenches. Without them, our running backs would run into a wall of defenders, or worse be swallowed up behind the line of scrimmage. With a bad offensive line, our QB gets pressured into decision making, which can lead to BAD decisions, interceptions, and the less pressure on our signal caller the better. The better protected the QB is, the more effective he can be in getting the ball into the hands of the playmakers down the field.
Don’t believe me? Well here’s evidence of high level O-line play at the highest level of the sport.
Yes it is natural if your mouth is salivating at the sight of all of those delicious blocks.
Wes Harris is a man among boys, who I can’t wait to see contribute up front in the coming years. I know offensive lineman aren’t the flashiest players, but we are going to appreciate this guy on every down.
Get excited for Wes Harris. I know I am.