Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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76 MARCH 2019 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY DAVID MCKINNEY Notre Dame has its fourth commit- ment in the class of 2020 and the first on defense. Alexander Ehrensberger, a 6-7, 225-pound defensive end from Dus- seldorf (Germany) Fryeburg Academy announced on Jan. 31 that he had com- mitted to Notre Dame. The German talent chose the Irish over offers from Florida International, Buffalo and Old Dominion. Ehrensberger visited Notre Dame for the first time on Nov. 20 and picked up an offer from the Irish shortly after. From then on, the German saw Notre Dame as the right fit. "It was just different," Ehrensberger said of his trip to Notre Dame. "It felt like visiting family." After returning to Germany and reflecting on the visit, Ehrensberger was ready to make a commitment, but decided to wait for a while. Then, on Jan. 28, Notre Dame defensive line coach Mike Elston caught a flight to Germany to meet with him. "That was awesome," Ehrensberger said. "For me, that closed the deal. It felt special." Two days later, Ehrensberger an- nounced his pledge to the Irish, giving Elston his first pick up along the defen- sive line for the class of 2020. Announcing his commitment was a moment Ehrensberger will never for- get. "It was a feeling that I can't really put into words," he explained. "It was just incredible. It's amazing to know I'll be continuing my career at Notre Dame." Ehrensberger became close with Elston in the months leading up to his decision. "I like his character a lot," Ehrens- berger said of Elston. "He seems like a great guy and a great person. I like that he's calm and focused, and it seems like he has a lot of experience." Elston will be credited with the com- mitment, and he worked hard to se- cure it, but Ehrensberger said that it was more of a case of when, not if, with Notre Dame. The talented European had always known about the Irish growing up, and had always hoped the oppor- tunity to go to school in South Bend would arise. "There were multiple things that led to my decision," Ehrensberger said. "Football was always a dream of mine, and Notre Dame has always been a dream school of mine. The high level of football with the high academics was exactly what I'm looking for." Once he visited campus for the first time in November, everything he'd heard about the school growing up was confirmed. "The history behind the program captured me from the beginning," the Fryeburg standout stated. "When I first stepped on campus, it felt right to be there and felt different than other places." Prior to pulling the trigger, Ehrens- berger wasn't a well-known prospect. Being from Germany with a modest offer list caused some to overlook him, but Brandon Collier, the founder of PPI Recruits, a recruiting database for in- ternational American football players, said that shouldn't be the case. Collier has been working with Eh- rensberger for close to a year, and has been more impressed with the Irish pledge than any other prospect he's ever trained. "He's the hardest-working kid I've worked with so far, and I've helped over 30 kids get Division I scholar- ships," Collier noted. "I've had a lot of impressive ones, and he's the hardest- working kid I've been around." Ehrensberger's massive 6-7 frame made him stand out immediately to Collier, but his mind and work ethic started to shine through eventually as well. "He's a big kid, he's flexible, he's nimble and he's athletic," Collier noted. "… Mentally, he's one of the smartest kids and hardest-working kids you'll ever find. "He's a high-motor, high-effort kid, and when you add that to his physical attributes, it makes him a kid that can play at Notre Dame. That's why he's going there." Coming from Germany, Ehrens- berger understands that his prepared- ness for the American college game could be questioned, but Collier said Irish fans need not worry about any adjustment period. "He's playing at a level that's higher than a lot of American high schools," Collier said. "It will be the same transi- tion as any other high school kid com- ing into college. Football is football." In fact, Collier said he expects Eh- rensberger to make an impact right away. "When I first met him, he was very raw," Collier explained. "As I've been working with him over the past year, he's developed. I think he'll be ready to play from day one." Collier fully expects Ehrensberger to do great things in South Bend. "I really feel like he'll be a team cap- tain at Notre Dame one day," he said. "That sums up the character he has. He's a hard-working, blue-collar kid that comes to work every day." ✦ FILM ANALYSIS Strengths Alexander Ehrensberger possesses an elite frame at a listed 6-7 and 225 pounds to go with long arms, broad shoulders and the body that should allow him to get to over 250 pounds with ease … Plays with surprisingly good pad level for such a tall athlete … Shows a good burst off the edge as a pass rusher and shoots gaps quickly in the run game … Has fast hands and displays a natural feel for winning battles against tackles … A quality all-around athlete that moves well laterally and closes quickly on the ball carrier … Plays with a high motor and shows good backside pursuit. Areas For Improvement Still on the thin side, so filling out his massive frame is a must … Strength has improved over the last year but plenty of development is still needed … Good feel for hand play, but his timing and overall repertoire will need to be enhanced. — Bryan Driskell COMMITMENT PROFILE ALEXANDER EHRENSBERGER German Defensive End Finds A Home At Notre Dame Ehrensberger, a 6-7, 225-pound defensive end, is the fourth commitment for Notre Dame in the class of 2020. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM