We begin our Penn State newcomer profiles today by highlighting the Nittany Lions' highest-ranked signee in the 2023 Rivals250, offensive lineman Alex Birchmeier. Below, we take a quick glance back at his recruitment, what he brings to the Nittany Lions and his senior highlight tape.
The Recruitment:
Birchmeier was one of the Nittany Lions' longest-standing commitments prior to signing, making his decision to commit to Penn State all the way back in July of 2021. His commitment stayed incredibly strong throughout his recruitment, even going as far as telling James Franklin to not come and visit him and to not feel the need to continue and recruit him despite his commitment. His commitment to the Nittany Lions never wavered and was a leader of the 2023 recruiting class for the program.
Prior to his commitment, the Virginia native held over 25 programs including Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Stanford, Tennessee, and Virginia Tech.
What he brings to the Nittany Lions:
Birchmeier has all the makings of a potentially elite offensive lineman, despite being considered a guard coming out of Broad Run High School in Ashburn (VA), Birchmeier will start as an offensive tackle according to James Franklin. Birchmeier is already physically well built at 6-foot-5 and 285-pounds, by next fall it wouldn't be shocking if he was closing in on 300-pounds.
A tremendous wrestler in high school, Birchmeier also has the proven strength and flexibility to be dominant against offensive linemen his size. It's also worth noting that now he will be focusing on football, he will also no longer need to worry about keeping weight for wrestling. Also, a great athlete who shows the footwork desired in offensive linemen and is quick to the point of attack, don't be surprised when you see him blocking downfield on run plays. Combine all these factors and skills and it's easy to see why he was a near five-star prospect in the final Rivals250 rankings and a top 50 prospect nationally.
Highlight Tape:
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