The Show at IMG Academy: Ten big men who impressed

BRADENTON, Fla. – The Show at IMG Academy kicked off Tuesday with the Trenchman Showcase and pool play for the 7-on-7 tournament. The offensive and defensive linemen had spirited competition throughout the day. Here is who impressed us most from the big men.

*****

MORE: Three-Point Stance on Heisman, 2021 classes and more | Top QBs still available in 2021 class | RBs | WRs | TEs | OL | DT | DEs

CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State

CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State

COVERAGE: Rivals Transfer Tracker | Rivals Camp Series

*****

There were several strong candidates to be the top offensive line performer from Tuesday’s action, but Okunlola was the most consistent from start to finish. His measurables are ideal for the offensive tackle, but you can see he is still young and will benefit from continued physical development. Fundamentally, he is ahead of the curve, and played with poise and precision. Okunlola gives nothing away in the strength department and plays very light on his feet. He is nearing double-digit offers, with Boston College, Indiana, Tennessee and West Virginia on his list.

McVay took the opening reps of both the run-focused and pass-protection one-on-ones, setting the tone for both sessions. Without a fall football season in the state of Illinois, McVay has been traveling the country to find top competition to work against, and he is a veteran of these camps despite being just a sophomore. Always one of the biggest linemen at an event, McVay knows how to use his size and strength to stop rushing linemen and has the athleticism to stay with his blocks. His offer list is just starting to build, but it already includes the likes of Florida, Georgia and Tennessee.

The Okunlola brothers sweep the podium at their respective positions. Overall, the defensive line group was not as strong as the offensive line group, but Okunlola was one of a few standouts in the group. He is tall and lean, but has plenty of muscle on his frame and that is evident by the way he handles the point of attack. Okunlola gave nothing away from a strength standpoint, even against the biggest offensive tackles. He holds two dozen offers from the likes of Arizona State, Duke, Indiana and West Virginia, but he declined to name any leaders.

One of the top performers from Sunday’s Elite Underclassmen Camp impressed again on Tuesday. Harris is the only true interior offensive lineman listed here, and he is probably the most fundamentally sound of all the lineman who took part in Tuesday’s session. Harris is not a big offensive lineman, but he has a perfect set and gets good extension with his punch. From there, his feet help him stay locked on and he moves defenders at will. A dozen schools have offered Harris, including in-state programs Florida, Florida State and Miami.

Had Walker taken more reps he probably could have landed higher on this list. The times we saw him, the Detroit native was outstanding, combining his size and quickness with active hands. However, Walker took probably half the reps of anyone else on this list. He is tall for a defensive tackle, but he still probably projects best at the three-technique position in college. The offers are just starting to come through for Walker, but that list already includes Michigan, Michigan State and Pittsburgh.

Of all the prospects listed here, Kirkland may have the highest upside. The Orlando native looks like he walked out of central casting when the call came for an offensive tackle prospect. He was not as light on his feet as Okunlola and he didn't show the consistency of Harris, but Kirkland’s performance was still one of the best on the day. He has a ton of potential, and it is no surprise his offer list is past 24 schools despite the fact that Kirkland is just a sophomore. Late last summer he listed LSU, Ohio State, Georgia, Arizona State and Michigan State as some schools that stood out.

Thomas caught our attention early during the run-focused session of one-on-ones when he simply overpowered opposing offensive lineman. The big defensive tackle may have been the strongest lineman we saw the entire day, but he showed he can move his feet as well during the pass-pro one-on-one session. Defensive tackle is a tough position to recruit, and Thomas has the size, strength and agility to play the role. Miami, Maryland, Liberty and Cincinnati are early favorites.

Washington was another defensive lineman who did not rep often, but he looked good when he was in there. The LSU commit is best when he is working straight ahead, and he can use a quick first step and his strength to get inside of an offensive lineman. Washington’s frame and size suggest he could play a three-technique or five-technique role in college, but he lacks ideal lateral agility to operate on the outside. He is return performer from Sunday’s Elite Underclassmen Camp, and he has had a good week in Florida.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH LSU FANS AT TIGERDETAILS.COM

Boston College picked up an early commitment from Traore this past summer, and that is looking like a very prescient move by the in-state program. Traore has had an excellent week in Florida, and he showed big potential for the future. He was among the smallest defensive lineman on Tuesday, but he has the frame to grow and develop physically. Despite giving up several dozen pounds to most opposing offensive linemen, Traore was surprisingly strong at the pointe of attack. Combine that with his quickness and athleticism off the edge and Traore has the makings of an elite pass rusher.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH BOSTON COLLEGE FANS AT EAGLEACTION.COM

A four-star prospect, Eugenio is coming off a junior season in which he tallied 17 sacks. It is easy to see why he had success reaching the quarterback this past fall. Eugenio has an explosive first step and continues to build speed through the line. He deployed several rush moves to evade blocks. Eugenio probably had the best rep of any defensive lineman against Okunlola, but he was handled easily by McVay. He would have been higher on this list with a little more consistency.