Caleb Brewer Has All The Tools To Be A Dominant Offensive Lineman
One of the top offensive linemen on the board for Notre Dame is 2024 Reading (Pa.) Wyomissing standout Caleb Brewer, who is one of the more interesting recruits in the class. That intrigue begins the moment you turn on the film from his junior year.
What would you expect from a 6-5, 300-pound offensive lineman that has been offered by the likes of Notre Dame, Wisconsin and Michigan? Big blocks, massive movement created and dominance. You get all of that.
It just comes from a very different position than what you would expect. Is he an offensive tackle? Nope, not yet. How about offensive guard or center? Also, no. Just pop on the hudl film and get an eye on No. 44.
Despite his prowess as a blocker and the projection to the offensive line on the next level, Wyomissing has deployed him as a tight end on their offense. Brewer has played a lot of positions since he started playing football, a testament to his athletic profile.
"I joined football in about second grade to fourth grade, somewhere in there,” Brewer explained. "I was a quarterback and linebacker up until seventh and eighth grade. Then they put me at offensive line and defensive line. Up until high school, that’s where I played.”
That early time taking snaps behind center isn’t out of the ordinary. Putting your best athletes at quarterback is nothing new. Usually, however, when a player makes the transition to the offensive line, there’s no going back. Brewer is the exception to the rule.
"When I got to junior year in high school, they decided to move me to tight end for some reason,” Brewer continued. "I guess they like my down block because we run a Wing-T and we don’t pass a lot. I guess I fit there and I’m athletic enough to be a tight end for our offense. That’s basically all the different positions that I have played.”
There is some thought around switching the talented blocker back to offensive line as a senior, giving a quick preview for what it will look like on the next level. It is something that the staff is wrestling with.
“I’m actually not sure,” the Philadelphia native said. "The coaches are on the fence about what they should do. My coach said he likes me at tight end but they might move me back to offensive tackle. They don’t really know.”
Whether he does make the move back to the offensive line is irrelevant. It would be nice to get a full year of film on it but ultimately Brewer is being courted heavily because of the upside. He’s a big, powerful kid who has some unreal athleticism for the position.
He also takes a lot of lessons from the wrestling mat, where Brewer is one of the best heavyweights in the state of Pennsylvania. When you talk about offensive line evaluation, coaches love that type of wrestling background.
While it may keep his weight down, it provides so much for Brewer as a football player. He has been wrestling a long time, which is a big part of what makes Brewer such an intriguing player.
"I have been wrestling since I was a real little kid, maybe like four or five years old,” explained Brewer. "It has been a sport that has been in my life for a long time. It helped me develop better, I’m tougher, my hips are better, I’m stronger, and more conditioned just because of wrestling.
"If I didn’t wrestle, I probably wouldn’t have been as athletic or have such good hips,” he continued. "Wrestling helps a lot with flexibility, hips, you throw people. Wrestling helps with football a lot. Football is honestly an easier sport than wrestling, way easier. Football camp isn’t as hard because of wrestling.”
Wrestling is also the only thing keeping Brewer’s weight down. Once he finishes with wrestling for good, he is going to put on a ton of weight very quickly. It will only be a matter of time.
"I can definitely feel myself gaining and gaining,” Brewer explained. "I think my frame is getting bigger, I’m getting taller and wider. I’m getting muscle too because I’m staying in the gym, eating good food and protein.
"I’m definitely going to grow a little bit more,” Brewer added. “It’s hard to stay under 285 now so I think I’ll be well over 300 pounds during football season next year.”
Holding that much weight won’t be new to Brewer. His weight has fluctuated a ton from one season to the next. Wrestling may dictate that weight range for now but it won’t be for long.
"We have a two pound allowance after Christmas so I can be at 287 pounds,” he said. “At the end of the season, my weight was around 295 pounds and pushing 300. I had to cut down to about 287 or 290.
“On days that I don’t have a meet for five days, I might go up to about 292 and about two days before,” Brewer continued. "I won’t eat a lot. I’ll sweat a lot in the wrestling room. A couple of days ago, I had to go into a sauna for a trash bag and do a bunch of cardio to make weight but it is what it is. I make weight so I’m doing alright.”
Clearly gaining weight will be no issue. Before it is all said and done, Brewer will be over 6-5 and well over 300 pounds without sacrificing athleticism. With his physical profile and athletic background, the sky is truly the limit for the Pennsylvania star. It should be no surprise why the Irish staff is pursuing him.
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