By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

The true heartbeat of a football team is always the offensive line.

They are the unsung heroes.

They are the warriors who are not afraid to get dirty, placing themselves in front of bruising work play after play.

Snap after snap.

Game after game.

And always there, ready to line up to do it again.

For the team.

Unfortunately, they can oftentimes drift out of memory because they are not included in record books, where coaches and skill players typically own the statistical categories tracked each year.

Welcome to the life of an offensive linemen.

Teams can’t win without them, but yet the spotlight rarely shines directly on them.

That is part of what makes an offensive linemen so special.

It takes a special person to do the grunt work already knowing that they will probably only be noticed on plays that they make a mistake.

Talk about an ultimate team player.

Make no mistake about it, though, the offensive line are the winners of football games.

Even if they are the quiet workers and the silent leaders.

Not today, though.

Today is their day.

The day that all the spotlight shines brightly on them.

This feature has now published for 13 years and its sole purpose is to celebrate the linemen in the trenches.

I proudly present the Class of 2026.

JACOB MILLER

AURORA

Senior center, 6-foot-2, 220 pounds

Coach Bob Mihalik: “Jacob is a two-year starter and the leader of our offensive line. He makes up for his lack of size with hard work, intelligence and tenacity on the field. He also plays defensive end.”

CADE HONEYCUTT

CRESTWOOD

Senior guard, 6-foot-3, 250 pounds

Coach Jack D’Amato: “Cade represents exactly what you want in a high school offensive lineman. He brings size and physicality to the position, but what separates him is the way he approaches the game. He plays hard, embraces the physical nature of offensive line play and understands that success up front is about doing your job for the guys beside you and behind you.”

XAVIER ROBINSON

FIELD

Junior center, 5-foot-9, 200 pounds

Coach James Dutched: “Xavier has really stepped up for us this year after missing all of last year with an injury. He has stepped into our starting center spot and his snaps are always on point. We are lacking depth on the line, and we asked him to make the move from linebacker to defensive end, and he has not missed a beat. He is very coachable and always looks you in the eye when you talk to him. I am looking forward to him coming back on our line next year.”

GAVIN BARNARD

GARFIELD

Senior guard, 5-foot-11, 195 pounds

Coach Mike Moser: “Gavin is a very hard working and dedicated member of the team. As a junior, Gavin was a starter on the defensive line. As a senior, he is a two-way starter helping to anchor both lines. Gavin was also voted as a co-captain this year by his teammates.”

MAX FROMAN

KENT ROOSEVELT

Senior tackle, 6-foot, 225 pounds

Coach Kardell Jackson: “Max is the definition of a versatile lineman. This year, he moved to left tackle after previous starting experience at guard and center. He is a guy we can trust in all 5 spots on the offensive line because he understands the game well. He plays every position on the defensive line and starts both ways for us. Max is also arguably our best overall athlete. He is a member of our swim team and track team. His dedication to all three sports and the weight room allows him to really excel as a three-sport athlete. Max is a powerful player and technician at the position. It’s been a pleasure to watch his growth from freshman to now senior year. His consistency, coachability, and adaptability are what coaches dream of.”

SHAYNE THOMAS

MOGADORE

Senior tackle, 6-foot-3, 235 pounds

Coach Matt Adorni: “Shayne began starting for us during the 2023 playoffs, and he is also a member of the marching band. He is steady and consistent. He plays emotionally, but under control. Shayne is the quarterback of our offensive line.”

BRADLEY DAVIS

RAVENNA

Senior tackle, 6-foot, 205 pounds

Coach Brad Coman: “Brad is a four-year starter for us, and he has been our best lineman for the past three years. He also plays linebacker and is leading our team in tackles.”

LUKE ROGAN

ROOTSTOWN

Senior center, 6-foot-1, 190 pounds

Coach Tom Hannan: “Luke is a two-year starter at center and a team captain. He is an everyday player and hard worker in every drill. He plays both ways and also plays special teams. Luke never questions anything. He is a very good listener and works hard at all of the little things that make you a better person and player.”

DANIEL CLINT

SOUTHEAST

Senior tackle, 6-foot-1, 250 pounds

Coach Patrick Youel: “Daniel ‘D-Clint’ Clint has been a three-year starter for us and has grown tremendously as a football player and as a young man in his four-year career. He plays our strong side defensive end position and is one of our offensive tackles. He has played center, guard and tackle on offense and has been a defensive tackle and defensive end in his career in our program. He was an Honorable Mention All-MVAC recipient last year, and he is a great teammate. His personality is infectious and with his ride-or-die Nate Muccino, there is never a dull moment in our locker room. He is one of the leaders of our team, and is a heck of a football player, but more importantly he is an incredible young man. It is an honor and blessing to coach him.”

ALAN PODBOY

STREETSBORO

Junior tackle, 6-foot-3, 270 pounds

Coach Pete Thompson: “Alan is being recruited as an interior offensive lineman by colleges, but plays tackle for us, as well as defensive end and nose guard. He was a two-way starter as a sophomore and played a key role on offense in our ‘Heavy’ packages as a freshman. His athleticism and powerful punch are what separate him from most high school linemen.”

EVAN REAKES

WATERLOO

Sophomore guard, 6-foot, 250 pounds

Coach Nathan Brode: “Evan has done everything we have asked of him, from off-season lifting attendance and hard work, to playing in all the games and scrimmages this year. He is vocal and understands the game of football as well as blocking schemes we incorporate on our offensive line. We are proud of Evan.”

ZACH SHULTZ

WINDHAM

Sophomore center, 5-foot-10, 230 pounds

Coach Jake Eye: “He has made huge strides for us at the center position. He has become a very dependable blocker and is a student of the game. He is a tremendous young man, with a great work ethic. He’s only a sophomore, so there are much bigger things to come from him.”