Notre Dame OT Commit Owen Strebig Possesses Massive Upside
On Thursday, Notre Dame landed a massive commitment from 2025 Waukesha (Wis.) Catholic Memorial offensive tackle Owen Strebig. He selected the Irish over finalists USC, Wisconsin, Florida State and Miami.
Whether you look at the 6-8, 290-pound size, the offer list or recruiting rankings, Strebig is a very easy sell. At the end of the day, the film is his biggest selling point. Let’s take a look at what Strebig was able to show as a junior, which is pretty exciting.
EYE IN THE SKY
The first thing that pops out about Strebig is his overwhelming size. It’s hard to believe that he is just coming off of his junior year of high school. He looks like he can compete on the college level right now. Strebig has some easy power in his core, showing the talent to create movement at the point of attack.
For a taller player, Strebig does come out of his stance with good overall pad level. He is able to utilize his lower body power to create easy movement and then quickly finds work on the second level. That is next level feel for how to position your body on the second level.
Strebig has evidence all over his film for how dominant he can be as a down blocker. Opposing defensive lineman rarely can counteract his natural power and initial pop at the point of attack. Strebig also does a good job of finishing plays, finding work on the second level.
You can tell that he has a really good football IQ, understanding how to attack second level defenders to maintain running lanes. He is able to turn his butt toward the hole and leave the crease available for the runner. Strebig does this consistently on film.
Strebig is a smooth athlete that has a good foundation of short area quickness and explosiveness. The first step out of his stance can be inconsistent but you can see flashes of how well Strebig can move in reach block situations. When he makes solid contact, that momentum can be absolutely overwhelming.
You can see the movement skills, as well as the natural power. Although Strebig is a massive offensive lineman, his movement skills and upside in zone blocking schemes brings a lot of possibilities to the table.
Catholic Memorial does like to use Strebig on the move in their run game, including off of quick pulls to block out. You, once again, can see the easiness out of his stance. Strebig is able to get to the point of contact quickly
That natural power forces the edge defender off of balance and creates some easy leverage to spring the run for a touchdown. At his level, Strebig can be absolutely overwhelming at times.
In the passing game, Strebig has a lot of growth to make moving forward. Catholic Memorial doesn’t throw the football a ton so there just isn’t a ton of reps out there. You can still see the requisite traits needed, including bend and length.
On this 45 degree set, you can see there is some discomfort for Strebig. It isn’t because he isn’t talented enough, or athletic enough to do it. It is simply a raw part of his game right now technically. You can, however, still see the natural bend and length that he brings to the table. Good luck trying to get into Strebig’s chest once he gains extension.
On another pass blocking rep, you can see that Strebig has complete trust in his athleticism. He short sets, wanting to get hands on the defender early on in the rep.
The opposing defensive lineman tries to hit a spin, but Strebig remains patient and easily counters it. From there, he gains control and creates a great pocket. There is clearly high upside in the passing game as he becomes more experienced in that department.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Strebig was a player that Notre Dame has valued tremendously for some time now. He became a priority pretty much from the first moment he was offered by the Irish staff. Landing him was a big victory, keeping one of the outstanding Midwest recruits from leaving the region.
When it comes to development, Strebig has all the tools to develop into a big time offensive tackle on the next level. As he continues to fill out his frame and continues to gain coordination, he has a special upside. This is a great get for the Irish.
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