Ranking the Five Best Offensive Lines in Class 6A and 5A
The top offensive lines in Texas high school football for 2026 include Duncanville, Cibolo Steele, Frisco Lone Star, Boerne, Anna, Argyle, Southlake Carroll and Dripping Springs.
Dripping Springs senior quarterback Chase Ames was one of the breakout stars of 2025 after setting new school records with 3,736 passing yards and 48 touchdowns. He’ll have time to find his new wide receivers – Dripping Springs lost three DI pass catchers – behind an offensive line that returns almost everyone.
LT Hudson Whitenight and OG Holden Yeldell are both three-year starters who earned First Team All-District last year. Whitenight (6-foot-5, 290) is a recent Baylor commit. Dripping Springs head coach Galen Zimmerman says Whitenight has all the intangibles (long arms, athleticism) combined with huge upside (he’s barely started shaving yet). But Whitenight’s coachability and competitiveness are most impressive for Zimmerman.
“He shows up in big games,” Zimmerman said. “Playing against edge Carter Buck at Lake Travis in a big-time game last year, he played really well. I just think there’s a lot of upside for him.”
Yeldell (6-foot-2, 285) started his career at tackle but has thrived in a transition to guard. Frankly, Zimmerman says Yeldell’s character and skill set could’ve made him an impactful performer at any position on the offensive or defensive line.
“His motor and mentality – that physical nature – drives him,” Zimmerman said. “That’s something you love to see at the offensive lineman position.”
Center Croft Conner (6-foot-2, 275) is the brains of Dripping Springs’s operation. Connor started 10 games toward the end of the season at center and could be in for an even bigger senior year.
“He’s a smart kid,” Zimmerman said. “He is super coachable. He wants to be good. He wants to play in college. He has an internal drive that pushes him. You talk about a great kid to coach, that’s Croft.”
OG Cooper Schmidt (6-foot-5, 240) started the year at center before flipping with Connor at guard. Zimmerman says Schmidt has the pedigree (dad played in college) and the physical tools to be a Division I lineman after a late growth spurt. Schmidt has long arms and the athleticism to get out and run in the open field as a blocker.
RT Carson Brunson (6-foot-6, 270) is the third brother to play for Zimmerman at Dripping Springs. His older brother, Cash, plays at Angelo State. Zimmerman says Brunson can follow in his footsteps with continued reps.
Many speculated legendary head coach Reginald Samples would hang up the headset after last season. But after a narrow loss to Galena Park North Shore in the Class 6A DI State Championship Game, Samples wants another shot at Jerry World. And he believes this year’s offensive line has the makings for a deep playoff run.
“What gets me so excited is the returning experience,” Samples said. “It’s always great to have guys who’ve been through the war before. I think another thing is they’re really high-character guys. I say we’ve got 3.5 returning starters because our center, Ean Rojas, played off and on. They’re really good kids.”
No one exemplifies that experience better than tackle Aiden Williams. The 6-foot-5.5, 295-pound Texas State commit is a three-year starter who earned First Team All-District honors last season.
“The one thing about Aiden, he’s so steady,” Samples said. “He’s not a vocal guy; he just quietly does his job. You can appreciate that because you know when he takes the field, you can count on him.”
OG Travis Norris (6-foot-4, 325) was another First Team All-District performer last season whom Samples is extremely excited about. Since moving in last year, Samples says Norris has committed himself to conditioning work and completely remade his body.
“Now, if you see him, he’s scary-looking,” Samples said. “He was always about 6-foot-4, but he was never really developed. The first couple of weeks I met him, he said, ‘I’ve never been through anything like this.’ Now he’s solid as a rock. He’s probably lost about 20 pounds, and it’s all muscle. But he’s as wide as a door. I’m really excited about seeing him play in shape and really physically fit.”
Fellow junior Kendrick Harris (6-foot-4, 290) has racked up nearly 35 offers after a standout sophomore campaign. Samples says Harris showed great character by transitioning from the defensive line to offense to fill a team need. Turns out, as evidenced by his momentum on the recruiting trail, it’s worked best for everyone.
“He came to Duncanville wanting to play D-Line,” Samples said. “I talked him into the offensive line because we had four really good defensive linemen last year. I asked him, ‘Would you give me one year on the offensive line?’ And he turned out to be a really good player.”
Samples couldn’t speak higher of starting center Ean Rojas. The junior got valuable reps last fall as a rotational lineman. After buying into the program, Samples says he’s ready for a breakout season.
“Ean is really going to be a surprise guy,” Samples said. “He was that sixth lineman last year. I’m just so proud of him because he hung around and waited for his turn. Now he’s really doing a great job.”
Southlake Carroll may have a new head coach – longtime defensive coordinator Lee Munn takes over for Riley Dodge. But the offense should be explosive once again with two SEC commits on the offensive line.
Missouri commit Tristan Dare (6-foot-4, 290) was a TSWA First Team All-State guard as a junior, but Munn says Dare will likely slide to center as a senior. Missouri projects him as a center at the next level, and Dare proved himself facing the top defensive tackle competition in the country at the Navy All-American Game. Munn says Dare’s football intelligence gives the Dragons a lot of flexibility on the offensive line.
“I feel confident with Tristan that he could literally play any one of the five positions,” Munn said.
Dare and Oklahoma commit Luke Wilson (6-foot-6, 290) are both three-year starters. Wilson is following a family legacy at Southlake Carroll. His older brother, Trent, was a star lineman who now plays at Iowa. But Luke made his own name by earning First Team All-District as a junior.
“Luke is the spokesperson of the O-Line,” Munn said. “He’s one of our captains. He’s a heck of a player.”
Guard Will Barley was another First Team All-District selection. Munn, a former Division III star at Mary Hardin-Baylor, says he relates to and loves Barley’s attitude as the unheralded but just as important lineman. He is also the fastest of the Dragons’ five guys up front, which comes in handy as a puller and getting into the open field in the screen game.
“Obviously, our offensive line is going to be really big,” Munn said. “Not to say he’s small at 6-foot-1, 280 pounds, but he’s smaller compared to the other five. He’s kind of got that chip on his shoulder, and I love that kind of underdog mentality that he has and brings to the room.”
Rising junior tackle Ty McCurry (6-foot-6, 290) is uncommitted, but with 28 offers, he could follow Dare and Wilson as a Power Four offensive lineman.
“It’s hard to quantify, but at his size, he could be the most athletic of all of the starting five,” Munn said.
Fellow junior Clayton Johnson (6-foot-2, 300) played a ton as a sophomore and could be in for an even bigger junior campaign after shattering Southlake Carroll’s squat record this offseason. Munn says that Johnson is not only strong, but extremely flexible.
“He’s kind of built like a refrigerator,” Munn said. “He has natural leverage on people. His center of mass is lower, and it’s kind of perfect to play guard because of how he can move.”
Look for the Vainuku brothers, defensive linemen Mapa and Laione, to come on the field when Southlake Carroll gets to the goal line. Mapa Vainuku (6-foot-3, 320) will be the sixth offensive lineman, while Laione Vainuku (6-foot-1, 280) will be the fullback.
Gerry Stanford’s Texarkana Texas High teams are no strangers to the playoffs. The Tigers have made at least the second round in six of the last seven years playing in Region II, from which the state champion often emerges. Up close and personal with the best in the state, Stanford knows exactly what is needed for a deep run.
“The ability to make runs in the playoffs, it really goes back down to the offensive line and defensive line – the ability to stop the run and run the ball,” Stanford said.
The Tigers may return just three starters from a 10-2 team, but the offensive line will be a strength.
LT Qua Ford (6-foot-6, 300), an SMU commit, is the headliner. A four-year starter, Ford won District Offensive Lineman of the Year last fall.
“Qua is one of those rare breeds: a young talent that continued to get better as he got older,” Ford said. “He understands his body so well and is so athletic at 6-foot-6, 300 pounds. He’s one of the most coveted offensive linemen in this class.”
Fellow All-District performer LG Braeden Hunter-Shivers is the big body along the interior of the offensive line at 6-foot-4, 305 pounds. Stanford said he could be for an even bigger 2026 after adding strength this offseason. He was one of the winter and spring standouts, along with RG Braylon Cason (6-foot-4, 260).
“We feel really good about what he (Cason) did late in the year and the development over the offseason, just getting stronger,” Stanford said. “He had a really, really good spring ball.”
RT Daylan Davis (6-foot-5, 240) will bookend the line of scrimmage opposite Ford. Stanford says he is one of the most athletic in the group.
“Daylan could probably play tight end,” Stanford said. “He’s just extremely mobile and understands the leverage of his body with long arms. He knows how to get underneath people and use his frame to his advantage.”
The Tigers might only have three starters on offense, but that’s not counting center Jackson Bruce. The incoming junior was slated to start last season before missing the entire year with an ACL injury.
“He’s the leader,” Stanford said. “He’s so smart and intelligent. He understands exactly what we’re trying to do and disseminates that out to the rest of the offensive line. He’s just really consistent.”
You can hear the excitement in Argyle head coach Todd Rodgers’s voice rise as he describes this year’s offensive line. His Eagles have won at least ten games in 16 of the last 17 seasons. He believes those games are won in the trenches. Oftentimes, they’re won by the mentality offensive line coach Jeff Bryant has instilled in his unit.
“They’re dominant. They love being offensive linemen,” Rodgers said. “They have an aura about them where they want to protect the other kids and be that type of guy. I love them because they’re nasty. They like the physicality of blocking. That’s been such a characteristic of our offensive line over the years past.”
Even taking that standard into account, this year’s line is loaded. RG Cole Jackman was the District Offensive Lineman of the Year, while RT Braxton Firestone earned an All-District nod. Rodgers says Jackman (6-foot-4, 300) earned those postseason accolades because of his consistent work ethic every day. Firestone (6-foot-4, 290) is the vocal leader of the unit.
LT Memphis Elsey is a name to know. The incoming junior is already 6-foot-8, 315 with offers to UTSA and North Texas.
“He’s such a daunting human being out there,” Rodgers said. “He’s tall, rangy, and athletic. He’s bound and determined to be one of the top linemen in the nation.”
Rodgers says rising junior Reese Sooter is an up-and-comer with great size at 6-foot-4, 285 pounds. Luke Metcalf (6-foot-1, 265) is contending for the starting spot at right guard. Patrick Martin (6-foot, 250) has worked a lot this offseason at center. Luke Hartjen will play a key role as a reserve tackle.
Boerne’s 2022 football team left a legacy that’s still ever-present in the Greyhounds’ locker room today. Sure, they made the state championship game in one of the best seasons in program history. But they also started the “Great Wall of Boerne.” The offensive linemen still wear T-Shirts with that moniker. Head coach Brett Sawyer said it's created a brotherhood within the team that extends far beyond the football field.
“We’ve been fortunate to have a bunch of big kids come through here who really have enjoyed each other,” Sawyer said. “That’s the key; they all like each other. They’re all friends. They all hang out on the weekends.”
And, in a small town where generations of family members don the same purple uniforms, the Great Wall of Boerne is a standard every kid wants to live up to.
“They take everything personal, whether it’s a sack or somebody makes a tackle for loss and gets up and celebrates,” Sawyer said. “Man, it makes them mad, and they’re ready to pay them back. As far as they’re concerned, they should be perfect every play. And so when that doesn’t happen, they don’t take it very well.”
Take left tackle Jonny Waters (6-foot-2, 280), for instance. His brother, Sam, was a Boerne star who now plays at Army West Point. Jonny was a First Team All-District performer who’s continuing the family legacy.
“(The Waters are) the greatest family and greatest kids,” Sawyer said. “They work their butts off and have a lot of pride in what they do. Jonny kind of anchors that.”
But Boerne also has two brothers playing on the same line, twins Zayden and Trysten Biela. Zayden (6-foot-2, 285) was a First Team All-District selection last year, while Trysten (6-foot-2, 230) was a Second Team honoree.
Right tackle Parker Young (6-foot-3, 275) started every game last season. He rounds out a senior class that all played on the JV team together as sophomores. They had to grow up quickly last season. Last year, Boerne graduated 9 of 10 offensive linemen. But this group anchored a team that went to the state semifinals. Now, the offensive line has turned from a question mark in 2025 to a surefire strength in 2026.
Anna boasts four Division I football players on its offensive line. Coach Seth Parr says there aren’t too many times in your coaching life you have that luxury. Frankly, he can only compare it to one other year.
“I had one at Lubbock Coronado in 2017, the year we scored 80 against Colleyville. We had three or four Division I guys. One of them started at SMU for four years. But I think this one is probably just more talented. Now, this group still has got to come together and mesh well.”
Four-year starter Peyton Miller (6-foot-5, 315 pounds) will be the leader who gets the other guys straightened out – both on their play assignments at the center position, and as a leader. The Florida commit was the District Co-Offensive Lineman of the Year as a junior.
LT Leshem Nyantee (6-foot-5, 265), a starter since his sophomore year, is another returning First Team All-District performer. Nyantee is a Missouri State commit set to play college football with his brother, RB Breezy Dubar. Nyantee’s family pedigree explains how he plays on the field.
“He’s probably one of the most athletic tackles I’ve ever had,” Parr said.
But he’s also one of the toughest. Parr says Nyantee played in the playoffs last year with a broken fibula because the team didn’t have another option.
Guard Sean Sherman (6-foot-5, 330), a move-in from McKinney, should make a massive impact this fall. Sherman can play a lot of different positions on Anna’s offensive line – and dominate at each of them. He holds 24 offers ahead of his junior year.
RT Haydyn Fleming (6-foot-4, 290) is another young guy with huge upside. He started as a freshman last fall and already holds a UTSA offer. Parr says Fleming is incredibly mobile and gets better with each snap. That should be a scary thought for opposing defensive linemen.
Frisco Lone Star returns four offensive linemen who started 16 games last season, reaching the second state championship game in program history. We’ve covered QB Trey Wright leading the nation in total yardage. These are the guys who allowed him to do it.
Kendrick Morgan (6-foot-4, 290) was the District Offensive Newcomer of the Year as a sophomore left tackle. Lone Star head coach Jeff Rayburn says Morgan may switch to right tackle this fall. Rayburn says Morgan grew so much physically from freshman to sophomore year. His biggest growth, however, might’ve been his mentality.
“He’s the anchor of what we do,” Rayburn. “He’s got a nasty mindset to him where he’s going to look to finish somebody every play.”
LG James Moses (6-foot-3, 270) can go match Morgan’s mean streak. Moses was a Second Team All-District guard, but Rayburn says he has the versatility to rotate around the line.
“He’s one of, if not the most respected guy on our team because of his work ethic, leadership, and toughness,” Rayburn said. “He brings an edge to our guys because he’s willing to fight you in a dark alley at any time.”
Center Curtis Butler, a First Team All-District selection, is the Steady Eddie presence in the middle of Lone Star’s line. Rayburn says Butler was one of the unsung heroes of Lone Star’s run to AT&T Stadium last season.
“As many odd fronts as we play, having somebody big, strong, and stout enough to handle all the tough interior defensive linemen and nose tackles that we have to face is a pretty good feeling,” Rayburn said.
Brett Tompkins was a First Team All-District right tackle, but he’ll slide inside to right guard as a senior. Tompkins’s move will allow Lone Star to put Plano Prestonwood move in Abram Bengard (6-foot-6, 280) at the other tackle position opposite Morgan. Bengard already holds ten offers ahead of his junior year from Baylor, Houston, and Arizona, among others. Rayburn says Tompkins could be a college football player if he doesn’t choose baseball, too. He holds one offer to Austin College.
“He’s (Tompkins) that kid that everybody that plays against us hates him, and everybody that plays on our team loves him,” Rayburn said.
Since Tompkins missed a lot of spring football starring on the baseball diamond, key backup Cody King got every rep at guard and center. Rayburn says King, a junior, is a really good lineman who’ll play in 2026.
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