The inaugural Iowa Eight is perpetuating the state's football stereotype.

Our goal was to recognize the best players and prized prospects, not pigeonhole them with Iowan greats of the past who were compared more frequently to John Deere equipment than their contemporaries.

But we've selected five linemen. Four of them strictly play on the offensive line.

So, when Valley's John Raridon "plows" through a defender or Urbandale's Jake Heinrich looks "strong as an ox" blocking in the future, you'll know where they came from.

Spencer Williams and Tristan Wirfs won't be exempt, though their only fields are of the gridiron variety in Cedar Falls and Mount Vernon.

The Iowa farm boy turned football star idea will live on.

It's a rash generalization of the state's top football export, even if North Fayette Valley's Juan Harris evokes a tractor wearing shoulder pads.

This batch of Iowa Eight linemen are powerful, finely-tuned machines of their own generation. They've grown up in cities -- Harris is from Chicago -- preparing and training their big bodies for football and the scholarship offers that can come with it.

The NCAA and NFL trail blazed by Iowa City High's Jay Hilgenberg, Humboldt's Bruce Reimers and Parkersburg's Casey Wiegmann has never been clearer. Coaches and scouts across the country know the state produces more hogmollies than speed demons, but TV announcers telling tales of Brandon Scherff bench-pressing hay bales -- I mean probably, right? -- limits how Iowan offensive linemen are viewed as individuals.

These linemen are bigger than the strong farm boy cliche. You have at least one more prep season to get to know them as standout football players, students and community members. And they're all the first football selections in the Iowa Eight.