High school football 2024 preview: 25 Central Indiana offensive linemen to watch

The glory goes to the skill position players – the quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers. But every team that wants to finish its season at Lucas Oil Stadium in late November needs an offensive line to pave the way for those playmakers. From Zack Martin (Bishop Chatard) to Dawand Jones (Ben Davis) to Blake Fisher (Avon) to recently retired James Hurst (Plainfield), there are several Central Indiana offensive linemen who have made it to the NFL.

Here are 25 Central Indiana offensive linemen to watch going into the 2024 season:

Michael Bennett, Noblesville: The 6-2, 275-pound senior is one of the key players on the line for Noblesville’s run-based offense with his ability to pull from the guard position and get to the second level. The Millers averaged 258 rushing yards per game in 2023. He currently has offers from DePauw and Wabash.

Zach Brewer, Mt. Vernon: The 6-2, 290-pound senior played guard and center for the Marauders, a 7-5 team last season. Brewer is receiving interest from Division I programs.

Cameron Gorin, Hamilton Southeastern: If there is a player on this list with the brightest future beyond high school, it might be the 6-5, 265-pound senior tackle. Gorin, ranked as the No. 52 offensive tackle in the country in the 2025 class by 247sports, is committed to Purdue and played alongside Notre Dame recruit Styles Prescod last year on the HSE line. His father, Brandon, was a three-year starter at Purdue before going on to win two Super Bowls with the New England Patriots.

Deiter Hartwig, Zionsville: The 6-3, 275-pound senior is the younger brother of fifth-year Purdue senior Gus Hartwig, who has started 36 games in college and is one of the top linemen in the Big Ten. Deiter, who has offers from Ball State and Division II Davenport, is the leader of a position that should be a strength for Zionsville, which should improve on its 3-7 record from a year ago.

Cameron Herron, Warren Central: The 6-4, 275-pound Herron is another player who should project well at the next level and possibly beyond. He committed to Iowa in June over a top six that included Cincinnati, Northwestern, Boston College, Louisville and West Virginia. Warren Central has big goals for 2024 and Herron will be a big part of those hopes on the offensive side.

Avery Huggins, Westfield: The 6-4, 280-pound senior was named to the IFCA Class 6A Junior All-Star team last year and is expected to be one of the top offensive linemen in the state as a senior for a team with state championship aspirations. Huggins committed to Cornell in early July over offers from several other Division I programs.

Eli Gigerich, Cathedral: The 6-6, 275-pound senior offensive tackle missed much of his junior year due to injury but was impressive when he returned on the right side of the line. Gigerich picked up offers this spring from Butler and Grinnell.

Kenny Guinhouya, Ben Davis: The 6-2, 265-pound senior tackle is a physical force on the Giants’ offensive line going into his third year as a starter. Guinhouya has offers from Davenport, Marian, St. Francis, Tiffin and UIndy. It will be interesting to see what happens for him moving forward coming off a Class 6A state championship season.

Karson Kinsinger, Lapel: The 6-6, 315-pound Kinsinger is a physically imposing left tackle who overpowers the often smaller players he lines up against at the Class 2A level. His agility and power is impressive for a player his size. Kinsinger picked up an offer from Akron last November and has interest from several more Division I programs.

Alex Kramer, Greenwood: The 6-5, 270-pound right tackle was named to the IFCA Junior All-State team last year for Class 4A as he was a big part of a turnaround season for the Woodmen, who improved from 1-9 to 6-6. Kramer recently picked up an offer from Marian.

Gabe Martin, Pendleton Heights: The 6-6, 290-pound senior tackle has Division I and II interest. He has the frame to add more weight. Martin is part of a good offensive line that also includes Luke Graham and Jacob McKinley returning from a 7-3 season.

Job Mavrick, Westfield: The 6-2, 270-pound Mavrick is a transfer from Culver Academy, where he earned Class 4A all-state honors and was a semistate qualifier in wrestling as a sophomore. He was also a standout on defense last year for Culver.

Jonah McIntosh, Whiteland: The 6-foot, 295-pound senior started all 12 games last year for the Warriors and has an offer from St. Francis. McIntosh was an all-conference selection as a junior in the Mid-State.

Corbin Mullis, Hamilton Southeastern: The 6-1, 260-pound junior played right guard and tackle last season for a Hamilton Southeastern team that finished 9-3 and won a second consecutive sectional title. Mullis is one of the physically strongest players in the class.

Ricardo Ortiz, Brownsburg: The 6-3, 300-pound junior started every game last year as a sophomore and will be counted on to help lead a relatively inexperienced offense. The line has potential, though, with Ortiz and senior Justin Hamm returning as a full-time starter. Junior Mezziahs McDaniel, sophomore Nick Vecrumba and junior Tabarak Lawal are also promising players to go with Ortiz, who has Division I potential.

Evan Parker, Carmel: The 6-4, 295-pound Indiana recruit is one of the strongest players in the state. The tackle will anchor an offensive line that should be a strength for the Greyhounds, expected to be one of the most improved teams in the area after a 5-5 season. Parker was a an IFCA Junior All-State selection last year for Class 6A.

Ozzy Pollard, Carmel: I’m including the 6-4, 280-pound Pollard here but he could also slide into the tight end position and play on the defensive line. Pollard caught 16 passes for 137 yards and two TDs last season. The son of former Pacer Scot Pollard is one of the top uncommitted seniors with offers from Indiana and several Mid-American Conference programs.

Dereon Sanders, Ben Davis: The 6-4, 290-pound senior center helped the Giants to a Class 6A state championship last season and will again be a key player on the line for Ben Davis. Sanders has offers from Defiance, Illinois State, Lindenwood, Marian and UIndy.

C.J. Scifres, Center Grove: Scifres, a 6-6, 340-pound junior, performed well as a sophomore at left guard for the Trojans as a run blocker and in pass protection. Scifres is receiving Division I interest and it seems only a matter of time before the offers start coming in for the junior.

Blake Smythe, Franklin: The 6-3, 250-pound junior is also a standout pitcher on the baseball team (58 strikeouts and 1.33 ERA in 42 innings). He projects more as a defensive end in football but we’ll include him here as he plays both ways for the Grizzly Cubs and deserves mention. Smythe had 7½ sacks last season.

Tommy Spilker, Plainfield: The 6-2, 285-pound Spilker, a senior, was an all-conference selection last year in the Mid-State. His film shows his power and relentlessness from his left tackle position. Spilker has offers from Olivet Nazarene and St. Francis.

Andrew Troy, Bishop Chatard: The 6-2, 215-pound senior started on last year’s undefeated state championship team and will again be counted on to lead the offensive line, a strength of Chatard’s team annually. Troy is also a state qualifying wrestler. Zion Haney, a junior, is a 6-4, 270-pound lineman for Chatard who could be a Division I player.

Sankeerth Veluri, Carmel: The 6-5, 270-pound senior tackle is the third Carmel player listed here, which seems to bode well for the Greyhounds this season. Veluri committed to Army in July, picking the Black Knights over offers from several Ivy League programs, including Dartmouth and Penn, along with Central Michigan, Illinois State and Indiana State.

Brady Weber, Center Grove: The 6-5, 290-pound junior tackle is starting to see his recruitment pick up. Weber added offers this summer from Ball State, Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan. It seems like only a matter of time before he picks up Power 4 offers.

James Williams, Lawrence Central: The 6-3, 280-pound Williams, a junior, is a right tackle who can really move for his size and deliver a block when he arrives at the next level. He has an offer from Miami of Ohio and interest from several other programs.

Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: High school football 2024 preview: 25 Central Indiana offensive linemen to watch