Ohio State offered Gabe VanSickle last November. He was committed to Northwestern at the time but flipped to the Buckeyes a little over two weeks after he was offered. A First-Team All-State selection for Coopersville High School in Coopersville, Michigan, he also held offers from Michigan State, Stanford, Indiana, Cincinnati, and others.
VanSickle (6-5 315) was ranked the No. 17 interior offensive line prospect in the 247Sports Composite and the No. 283 player overall in the 2024 recruiting class.
What To Like
Gabe VanSickle is a powerful run blocker who enjoys finishing the play by putting a defender on his back. Reports from inside the Woody have already indicated that his strength and power are impressive for a true freshman.
VanSickle moves the man across from him in a way that makes him a reliable path for key moments in the running game. He generally played left tackle as a senior, but there were moments he was moved to right tackle. In those moments, the play went right behind him.
The Potential
When Gabe VanSickle got his hands on a defender, the battle at that point was usually won. That was not just the case for the defensive linemen immediately across from him, but also the defenders in his path when he was pulling or getting into the second level looking for a linebacker.
VanSickle, who may project inside, is mobile and can find defenders on the move. He is just as comfortable dealing with somebody across the line of scrimmage or across the field. The power and mobility can make for a dominating run blocker who can be used in a number of different ways by Ohio State offensive coordinator Chip Kelly.
The Expectations
Gabe VanSickle didn’t enroll until June, so his next practice will be his first. It is awfully difficult for an offensive lineman to make a mark as a true freshman at Ohio State, let alone one who hasn’t enrolled early. A year of learning and figuring out his eventual spot will be good for him. Time on the scout team will get him matched up against a very talented Ohio State defensive line.
VanSickle has the skill set to line up anywhere, though his experience as a run blocker seems to surpass his experience as a pass blocker. It is very typical for a high school tackle to end up at guard or center, and the same thing could happen here.
Wherever he lines up, the defensive lineman across from him better be ready.
The Bottom Line
The high school clips throughout this piece show Gabe VanSickle to be a dominant offensive lineman. He played in Division 3, of which there are eight divisions in Michigan High School Football. There are a lot of positive traits, which is what you would expect to see in highlights.
The power, mobility, and desire to finish are all building blocks for a very good offensive lineman, no matter his level of play.
Previous Closer Look Editions
Quarterback Will Howard | Quarterback Air Noland | Running Back Quinshon Judkins | Running Back Sam Williams-Dixon | Receiver Mylan Graham | Receiver Damarion Witten | Tight End Max LeBlanc | Tight End Will Kacmarek | Offensive Tackle Deontae Armstrong | Center Seth McLaughlin | Defensive Tackle Eric Mensah | Linebacker Payton Pierce | Cornerback Miles Lockhart | Safety Leroy Roker | Safety Jaylen McClain | Safety Caleb Downs | Safety Keenan Nelson, Jr.
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