Hiram’s Julian Fishburne has been a cornerstone offensive lineman over the last few seasons, and through one game, he looks to have taken a jump. Fishburne totaled 10 pancakes in the program’s 30-8 win over Paulding County, several being so devastating that he earned recognition as our top OL the week, aka the Bully Squad.
The senior was explosive with his blocks, coming out of his stance quickly and firing through with violence. The film does not lie, and Fishburne was among the best blockers we could find in the state after the results from Week 1.
On Wednesday, Fishburne was voted the OL of the Week, so we caught up with 6’3″, 300 lbs. All-Region blocker.
“Senior year started off a bit rough; we had a ton of players graduate, players transferred, and I was one of three returning offensive starters and the only returning offensive lineman. I had opportunities to transfer but didn’t take them and stuck it out with my team through the trough. We lost to South Paulding in our fall scrimmage, but got right, and we’re now 1-0. Really have grown as a leader on this team and can’t wait to make a run towards state,” Fishburne said.
Just a few years ago, Hiram was among the best teams in 5A, and upon reviewing the roster, it is clear that they are never short on talent. A state championship might push most skeptics, but stranger things have happened.
Fishburne’s toughness is matched in the weight room, where the senior has made great strides, even maxing out at 650 lbs. on the squat.
“I feel like for me, my focus going into this year was physicality. I have all the numbers in the weight room, but last year didn’t see it correlate to the field. So I feel that’s where my 10 pancake game came from, between our scrimmages and game 1, I have totaled 19 pancakes, getting more each game. We also got a new Offensive Line coach this year, who is continuously helping me to improve my craft,” he said.
The senior believes he can bring a lot of value to his college program. Among the variety of qualities he brings to the table, perhaps loyalty and his values are where he stands out the most.
“I feel like wherever I go, I plan on staying the full 4-5 years. Just like I’ve done in high school. I’ve stuck with my teammates even when we graduated a big class and had 4 of our starters in my class transfer. I am 1 of 7 returning starters this year. I had about 7 different high schools ask me to transfer, but I declined all of them. In this, I have also become a strong team leader, which I believe also comes from my foundation in Christ. I am our high school’s FCA leader as well as a team captain for track and football. So I feel I have strong leadership skills, and I’m very faith-driven, but I also can bring a lot of energy when needed.”
On the recruiting front, Fishburne has been reeling in college attention. He went through the summer camp circuit, casting a wide net, and has landed several offers
“Over the summer, I have been to 16 different football camps and have made connections with a ton of coaches. I’ve totaled 5 offers over this summer, my biggest offer being from Georgetown.” He continued, “I have a game day visit set with Shorter on August 30th when they play Anderson in their home opener. I’ve been in touch with Georgetown about an OV sometime shortly. I’ve also already taken two unofficial visits to Carson-Newman and Berry.”
Just like his blocking, Fisbhburne is relentless in creating opportunities, so we are sure his college destination will successfully finalize this fall, but for now, we are in the throes of the 2025 season. If you want to see more content in the future, be sure to follow our page on Twitter/X, and be sure to check out Julian Fishburne’s recruiting profile.
