Here are southwest Missouri's high school football offensive linemen to know in 2023
Southwest Missouri features a trio of Power 5 offensive line prospects heading into 2023 along with all-state-caliber players who are worth watching every Friday night.
Here are the best offensive linemen in the Ozarks entering 2023:
Prestin Ames, Strafford
Ames has turned himself into one of the best linemen in the area after a standout sophomore year when there were some expectations on him heading into the season. The 6-foot-1, 260-pound interior lineman is stronger than those across from him and it’s almost funny watching defenders try and run through him. He should only continue to get better as he becomes an upperclassman.
Jackson Cantwell, Nixa
When Cantwell’s career comes to an end, he might be the first- or second-best prospect to ever come through the area. Lucky for us, he’s only a sophomore and we get three more years of him. Cantwell found his place on the Eagles’ starting offensive line in the first half of the 2022 season and he got better as the year went on. The 6-foot-8, 285-pound offensive tackle is already attracting offers from the top schools in the nation.
More: Here are southwest Missouri's high school football quarterbacks to know heading into 2023
Talan Chandler, Nevada
Chandler made it known last season that he’s the best offensive lineman in the Ozarks. The Colorado commit did nothing but put defenders on their backs during his first season in the area while earning Dominant Dozen honors at the end of the year. He’s a 6-foot-3, 295-pound interior lineman who is going to continue to put defenders in their place during his senior year.
Danen Conrad, Lebanon
Lebanon always seems to have a standout offensive lineman and the one to watch entering 2023 appears to be Conrad. He was a part of the Yellowjackets' offensive line that turned in the fifth-best rushing season in the state’s history. The center looks mean when he’s blocking the man across from him — sticking his nose into the chest and driving them back several yards until they end up in the turf.
More: Here are southwest Missouri's high school football running backs to know heading into 2023
Dontrell Holt, Joplin
Heading to Iowa State, Holt is another one of the elite football prospects in the area as he stands at 6-foot-5, 295 pounds and controls the edge of the Eagles’ offensive line. He helped make the Joplin offense’s transition from a mobile quarterback to a pro-style gunslinger easy with Hobbbs Gooch rarely seeing the ground from his side of the line. There are going to be some big expectations from this Joplin squad this year and Holt is a big reason why.
Shaun Hunt, Webb City
The latest standout on a typically-elite Webb City line, Hunt is one of the best centers in the Ozarks and should have the Cardinals as one of the best running teams in the state. The 6-foot-1, 295-pounder has great strength and he knows how to take advantage of slipups in technique by those across from him. Hunt packs a punch after he snaps the ball and you’re going to see a lot of big plays out of the Cardinals that come from straight up the middle.
Jose Juarez, Lamar
The Tigers’ starting center also stands out as a 5-foot-10, 250-pounder. Juarez was a unanimous first-team All-Big 8 West selection. Lamar had one of the top rushing offenses in the area behind one of the better lines in the state. With a few graduations on the Lamar line, Juarez will be counted on to lead the unit — which he’s perfectly capable of doing.
Carter Nation, Republic
Nation emerged as one of the top linemen in the area as a junior and he should continue to stand out on an up-and-coming Republic team this season. The 5-foot-10, 215-pounder was a first-team All-Central Ozark Conference selection last season. On a run-heavy Tigers team, Nation was extremely fast off the ball while lining up as a guard. The speed of the Republic line stands out as one that gets to the second level quickly with Nation being the best at keeping his pad level low and putting defenders on their backs. Something special is starting to build in Republic and Nation will be among the leaders of that push.
Wyatt D. Wheeler is a reporter and columnist with the Springfield News-Leader. You can contact him at 417-371-6987, by email at wwheeler@news-leader.com or Twitter at @WyattWheeler_NL.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Southwest Missouri high school offensive linemen to watch in 2023
