Here's a look at the Top 10 returning offensive linemen in West Texas
By Chuck Cox
Photo of Wolfforth Frenship's Isaiah Kema
Now that the 2022 high school football season is in full swing, we are taking a look at the top 10 players by position in the West Texas region.
Each one of these guards, tackles and centers were essential to the success of their teams' offenses last season.
Compare our list to your picks for the best-of-the-best offensive linemen out west as teams start district play to try to make playoff pushes.
Top high school football players in West Texas for 2022
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Harris Sewell, 6-4, 300, Sr., Odessa Permian
A four-star talent ranked No. 16 in Texas and No. 86 overall in the nation by 247Sports, Sewell is entering his fourth season as a starter for the Panthers.
A physical and versatile player who can play all three o-line positions, Sewell helped Mojo finish 8-4 with a playoff win over El Paso Franklin in 2021. He was also a unanimous first-team All-District 2-6A selection at guard.
Sewell plans to go from a Panther to a Tiger after graduation as a Clemson commit.
Isaiah Kema, 6-4, 292, Sr., Wolfforth Frenship
Kema is another big-time talent ranked as a three-star and as the No. 74 recruit in Texas and No. 449 overall in the country, according to 247Sports.
Last season as a junior, Kema earned a spot on the Texas Sports Writers Association Class 6A All-State first team after helping the Tigers finish 5-5 overall.
The senior guard, who is also a wrestling standout at Frenship, has not committed to a college yet, but he is drawing interest from the likes of Arizona, Arizona State, BYU, Cal and Connecticut. His stock goes up by the day.
Kaden Carr, 6-6, 310, Sr., Lubbock Cooper
Another three-star recruit headed to a Power 5 school, Carr transferred from Amarillo, where he was a first-team All-District 2-5A Division I pick as a junior last year.
Cooper is coming off of a 13-2 season that included a trip to the Class 5A Division II state semifinals. With 11 returning starters, Carr could be the difference-maker that the Pirates need at tackle to bring home a state title.
He will remain in West Texas after graduation after committing to play at Texas Tech.
Rikter Connally, 6-5, 270, Sr., Seminole
Connally, who is also a three-star recruit, starts on both the offensive and defensive lines for the Indians, who are coming off a 5-6 season that included a playoff trip. His quickness on both sides of the ball makes him a difficult match-up.
Connally hopes to lead Seminole to greater success in 2022 before he heads to Big D to play for the SMU Mustangs and head coach Rhett Lashlee. He is the second offensive lineman in the 2023 class to commit to the Ponies.
Colter Lynch, 6-3, 280, Sr., Lubbock Cooper
Yeah, Lubbock Cooper has a pretty dang good offensive line this season. The second Pirates' player featured on our top 10 list, Lynch is a force in the trenches who plays center and guard.
As a junior last year, he landed a spot on the All-District 3-5A Division I first team.
While Lynch has not yet committed to play at the next level, he is drawing interest from Air Force, Army West Point, Navy, New Mexico State and Western Kentucky.
Tyrone McDuffie III, 6-4, 303, Sr., El Paso Parkland
A big, physical three-star interior offensive lineman, McDuffie III is one of four returning starters on the o-line for the Matadors, who went 4-7 and earned a postseason spot in 2021.
He also earned a first-team All-District 1-5A Division II nod at tackle.
McDuffie III will take his talents to the Rocky Mountains to play for the University of Colorado. He also has interest from several FBS programs, including Army West Point and Fresno State.
Bryan Chacon, 6-3, 230, Sr., Perryton
Chacon is another gifted athlete who starts on both the offensive and defensive lines for the Rangers. As a junior last year, he helped Perryton finish 4-8 with a bi-district victory over Midland Greenwood.
Chacon earned a first-team All-District 1-4A Division II selection on offense and a second-team pick on defense. He was also honorable mention on the Texas Sports Writers Association Class 4A All-State Team at center and defensive end.
Chacon has not committed to a college program, but he should have ample opportunity to play at the next level.
Rey Ramirez, 5-8, 170, Sr., Wellington
Another two-way starter, Ramirez is coming off of a big junior season in which he helped lead the Skyrockets to a 9-4 record with postseason wins over McCamey and Gruver. Stratford knocked Wellington out of the playoffs in the third round.
On defense, he made 76 tackles, with four sacks. Ramirez earned a second-team selection on the Texas Sports Writers Association's Class 2A All-State Team.
He has not yet committed to play in college.
Joshua Cobb, 6-1, 255, Sr., Midland Christian
Cobb and the Mustangs are coming off of a big 10-3 season that included a trip to the TAPPS Division I state finals, where Parish Episcopal knocked them off to win its third straight title, 56-17. That effort helped Cobb earn a first-team selection on the TAPPS Division I All-State squad.
He is also a preseason pick on Dave Campbell's Texas Football's All-State 11-Man Private School Team this year.
Cobb has not committed to a college, but he is drawing interest from several programs.
Corbin Throgmorton, 6-2, 285, Sr., Canadian
Now in his fourth year on the varsity level, Throgmorton is the consummate team player who dominates opponents on a regular basis.
Last season, he helped the Wildcats to a 9-4 season that included postseason victories over Idalou and Sonora.
Throgmorton, who has not yet committed to play in college, earned honorable mention on the Texas Sports Writers Association's Class 3A All-State Team as a junior last season. He plays guard and defensive tackle.
