Oh, Hello: 2023 Four-Star OL Alex Birchmeier Commits to Penn State

THE SKINNY

Height/Weight: 6-foot-5, 275 pounds
Hometown/High School: Ashburn, VA (Broad Run H.S.)
Ranking: ★★★★ (0.9824 247Sports Composite — No. 42 Overall)
Notable Offers: Florida, Georgia, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Stanford

THE HIGHLIGHTS

THE TALE

Birchmeier saw his recruitment explode during the late winter/early spring evaluation period, picking up offers from Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Michigan, Oklahoma, and LSU during a one-month span back in February/March. Fortunately for Penn State, the Nittany Lions were already well in on Birchmeier, having offered the Virginia product way back in February 2020.

Since then, Birchmeier made two visits to Happy Valley: a self-guided tour this past April and then one on June 4 when the NCAA lifted the dead period. That was all Penn State needed, as it solidified its position as Birchmeier’s leader, and eventually, paved the way for a summer commitment before his junior season.

OUTLOOK

We are a ways away from Birchmeier enrolling at Penn State so any guesses on where he falls on the depth chart is just that: a guess. I think the major question right now is figuring out where Birchmeier will play: tackle, guard, or should he be looked at as a swing guy? As a sophomore, he played right guard, but at 6-foot-5, 275 pounds and given his quick feet and flexibility, I’d be pretty surprised if he doesn’t eventually man a tackle spot during his last two seasons of high school. We’ll learn more about Birchmeier then and where he exactly projects at the college level, but even if he stays inside, this is quite the pickup for Trautwein and Co. Big kid, good athlete — he has the makings to be a real player.