The guys who make things go: Rockford's top blockers for 2023 high school football season

These are the most anonymous players on a football team. They don't get any stats. No yards gained. No tackles. No interceptions. No sacks. But they are the ones who set up every play for their teammates.

These offensive linemen are some of the top blockers to watch headed into the 2023 Rockford-area high school football season, with players listed alphabetically:

LARGE SCHOOLS

Drake Broege, Hononegah

Broege is the only returning first-team all-conference offensive lineman in the NIC-10. The 6-2, 270-pound senior guard played defensive line as a sophomore before moving to the O line as a junior. “He is one of our strongest guys on the team,” Hononegah coach Brian Zimmerman said. “He attended a lot of big man camps this summer and I think he will get even better. He does a great job getting off the line of scrimmage and opening holes for us. He will also play some defense for us if we need a big body in there on third down.”

Eddie Esgerra, East

Esgerra, a 6-3, 260-pound junior tackle, is charged with leading a line that is trying to make Javius Catllin the all-time leading rusher in the NIC-10. He played a lot as a freshman and started last year as a sophomore. “He’s definitely been the leader all summer long,” East coach Gary Griffin said. “Our guys always play hard. We are always tough. We have been blessed to have good linemen and good running backs. That’s why we have been able to do what we do the way we do. And we haven’t changed much because of it.”

Ayden Goodwin, Harlem

Goodwin, a 6-2, 245-pound junior center, started as a sophomore when Harlem reached the third round of the playoffs for the first time in school history. “He is a big-time center prospect coming off an exceptional sophomore season,” Harlem coach Bob Moynihan said.

Landon Mickley, Rochelle

Mickley is huge and experienced: a 6-7, 375-pound senior who will be starting for the third year on the area’s top rushing team. “Landon has come out of his shell and has had the best summer of his high school career,” Rochelle coach Kyle Kissack said. “I am expecting big things.”

Sami Odeh, Freeport

Odeh, a 5-11, 260-pound right guard, will also play defensive tackle for the Pretzels. He was a special mention all-conference wrestler in the winter. “He is a load,” Freeport coach Anthony Dedmond said. “He has worked hard. I am excited to see him. He is something special. He is going to be our quarterback of the O line.”

Jayceon Scott, Guilford

Scott is a 6-foot, 235-pound senior who will be a three-year starter. “He’s a really smart kid and also plays on the basketball team, so he’s a really good athlete for his build,” Guilford coach Tony Capriotti said. “We think he might be the best center in the whole conference.”

Nic Scott, Jefferson

The senior 6-2, 265-pound is a two-way starter on Jefferson's lines. “He is the heartbeat of our team,” first-year coach Cody Casazza said. “He is a great leader; never misses a day. He keeps players in check. He is just a technician. Whatever we coach him to do, he is going to do it exactly.”

Danny Wenger, Belvidere North

Wenger, a 6-2, 200-pound senior, is the smallest lineman on our preseason watch list but is mobile and strong, dead lifting 500 pounds and squatting 450. “He’s a super consistent kid,” North coach Jeff Beck said. “He’s the kid who shows up every day and does exactly what he’s told to do. He’s not a super big kid — none of our linemen at North typically are — but he’s a great technician and gets off the ball well. And any time I can, I take him over on the defensive side of the ball as well.”

SMALL SCHOOLS

Hunter Chamberlain, North Boone

This senior comes in at 6-3 and 320 pounds, down from 330 last year, and, according to North Boone head coach Ryan Kelley: "He can just move guys around, usually at will." Chamberlain wants to play offensive line in college.

Jared Claunch, Byron

Claunch started as a freshman on the 2021 Class 3A state championship team, and this will be the third year he's starting on the offensive line. Claunch, a first-team all-conference selection last year, played right tackle last year but is at left guard this year.

Hunter Evans, Lutheran

Evans, a captain this year and a starter on both sides of the ball last year, is the leader of an offensive line group that returns all five across the front. "This group is really going to lead the way for us," Lutheran head coach Jeff Luedke said. "And Hunter Evans is just a great leader for us down there."

Xavier Heisler, Winnebago

This 5-11, 225-pound senior is a returning starter for Winnebago and is one of the offensive leaders headed into this year. Winnebago has three strong running backs coming back this year, and they will all benefit from a line led by Heisler. "He just understands every scheme out there," Winnebago head coach Mark Helm said of Heisler.

Eric Kormoczy, Durand/Pecatonica

Now a senior returning starter at center, Kormoczy is 6-2, 215 pounds and is a physical weapon for Du/Pec in the trenches. "He's so immediately quick off the ball, and can then just get right in your face, right away," Du/Pec head coach Tyler Hoffman said of Kormoczy.

Odin Stabenow, Lena-Winslow

Stabenow, at 6-2, 282 pounds, is one of two starters back on the Le-Win O-line, and one of three starters back altogether on the offense. No matter, they are expected to pave the way for another powerful ground game just the same. "

Michael Haas, Stockton

At 5-11 and 240 pounds, Haas returns even stronger and more powerful than he was last year when he was a first-team all-NUIC first-teamer on both sides of the ball. "He's the strongest kid on the team," Stockton's first-year head coach Sean Downey said. Haas reset all of the weight-lifting records for the Stockton football program this past summer.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Top offensive linemen to watch in Rockford-area high school football