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Linemen rarely get the recognition they deserve on Friday nights for creating running lanes and protecting their quarterback on offense, and chewing up blocks and forcing pressure on defense.

So let’s give attention to some of the best linemen in Southwest Virginia high school football, on both sides of the ball, who help skill players look good and are vital assets to their team’s production.

Here are nine linemen to watch this season.

Justin Barnett, William Fleming

The 6-foot-1, 265-pound defensive tackle can swim around blockers and get to ballcarriers before they reach the line of scrimmage. Last season, he earned 10.5 tackles for loss and three sacks, finishing with 45 tackles, including 21 solo. He tacked on two QB hits and three pass breakups.

On offense, where he’s played guard, tackle and center, the senior can push his man 5 yards or more downfield and has the athleticism to pull as lead blocker for the run game. He tallied 13 pancakes last year.

Hunter Blount, Christiansburg

The 5-foot-11, 280-pound center snapped the ball for a running quarterback out of shotgun, and with 300-pound Carter Stallard graduated, much of the offensive line duties will fall on him.

Blount toppled defenders to the tune of eight pancakes, and allowed two sacks on 114 attempts for a rate of 1.7% in 2024. QB Izaiah Cotto is set to return this season.

Kingston Cox, Grayson County

Look out for this locomotive coming down the track. The 5-foot-9, 230-pound pulling guard can give ballcarriers extra yards by delivering punishing hits on linebackers and defensive backs trying to make tackles.

Cox, a first team all-state selection last year on the offensive line, can also blow up blocks on defense and be the first contact running backs and quarterbacks face.

Nate Hayes, North Cross

Good luck running inside with this guy staring you down. The 6-foot-2, 285-pound defensive tackle can anticipate where tailbacks are going to go and has the athleticism to bring them down on cutback attempts.

Hayes, who chose Elon in June from a list of eight Division I schools that included Air Force, Yale and Lehigh, tallied four sacks last year and 33 tackles, earning a first team all-state selection.

Reece Honaker, Radford

The 6-foot-4, 255-pound left tackle was an excellent pass blocker for a Bobcats squad that threw for over 2,400 yards and 20 touchdowns. With quarterback Luke Gaither transferred to Liberty Christian, Radford may not pass as much, but Honaker has the athleticism to get to the second level and take out linebackers to provide extra running room for ballcarriers.

The junior, who sports an 80-inch wingspan, is also a potent defensive end who earned four sacks, a forced fumble, three fumble recoveries and tallied 17 of 66 total tackles solo.

Slade Keesee, Jefferson Forest

Quarterbacks do not see this guy coming. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound defensive end flies off the edge and swallows QBs before they have time to read the field. Even when he’s sufficiently blocked, he has the awareness to put his hands up and bat down throws.

Keesee, who enters his senior season with offers from VMI, Maine and Georgetown, collected six sacks, nine tackles for loss and 61 total tackles (46 solo). He added two pass breakups and a forced fumble, becoming the Seminole District Defensive Player of the Year.

Ra’Qem Poindexter, Patrick Henry

The 6-foot-3, 230-pound senior is a speedy defensive end who’s quick off the snap and can get to the backfield before anyone else. He racked up nine and a half sacks last season and 15 tackles for loss last season

Poindexter also blocked two punts, recovered both and returned them for touchdowns. He also plays tight end, and with the graduation of all-state selection Carson Derey, now at the University of Richmond, could have an elevated role with the offense.

Daven Reed, North Cross

Only a sophomore, the 6-foot-4, 315-pound guard has already garnered eight Division I offers, including from South Carolina, Louisville, Duke and Virginia Tech. He’s the No. 1 ranked offensive lineman in the state among Class of 2028 players and No. 15 overall, according to Prep Redzone.

Reed can shove defenders down the field and create wide open running lanes. He racked up 23 pancakes last season. At defensive tackle, he engulfs ballcarriers at the line of scrimmage with great lateral movement and finishing ability. He picked up five tackles for loss last fall.

Nick Wilson, Glenvar

It’s tough to guard a defensive line that has Brody Dawyot and Nick Wilson on the same side. Whereas Dawyot collected 18 sacks and 37 tackles for loss, the 5-foot-10, 210-pound Wilson earned 10 sacks and 21 tackles for loss for a Highlanders squad that gave up less than 10 points per game.

Though he’s undersized for his position, Wilson’s speed is what allowed him to rack up an astounding 130 tackles as an interior defensive lineman. He has the resilience to stick with plays when guarded and make tackles at or behind the line of scrimmage several seconds in. Wilson, who is the reigning Region 2C Defensive Player of the Year, has received Division I offers from Bucknell, Drake and Maine.