Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com MARCH 2021 39 2021 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE there potentially could be [and] he'd call for his mom." The theme of Breonna's life was "never give up." Blake has used this to fuel his own life. "He's understood the concept that 'if there's anything I've learned … in watching my sister, [it's that] I can't give up,'" Mark said. "'I need to strive to be the best young man that I can be.'" Blake feels strongly that his sister has shaped who he's become today. " I n e v e r t a k e a n y t h i n g f o r granted," he said. "There were a lot of things that she wasn't able to do that others can do. She couldn't talk or walk or do those basic things in life like me or you [can]. I never take any of those things for granted." "He's on a mission to play for her," Bless said. "He's proud of the fact that what he's doing is representing his sister." Blake's next step is to make his sis- ter proud during his collegiate career. He's already enrolled at Notre Dame and is the first five-star offensive line- man for the Fighting Irish since Quen- ton Nelson, who joined NFL legend running back Barry Sanders as the only NFL players in the past 30 years to be named first-team All-Pro each of their first three seasons. Fisher has the size, athleticism and technique to be the next great Irish offensive lineman. "He's a smart player," Avon offen- sive line coach Jared Johnson said. "He knows what the defense is in and what they can do to him. From the snap, he adjusts accordingly. "He's a great finisher in the pass and run game. He's a violent player. He's got great feet and is athletic, which you can't coach. For his size, it's unbelievable how athletic he is. He's an NFL guy, in my opinion, if he keeps on this track." Fisher has the personality traits and leadership qualities of a future captain at Notre Dame. "He's really matured and shown a lot of selflessness," Johnson con- tinued. "He's good to the younger kids, and he really takes the other of- fensive linemen under his wing. His leadership has really improved, and I also have him in class [at Avon], and he works his butt off." No matter what happens in his football career, whether that be mak- ing it to the NFL or not, Blake is a bet- ter young man because of his sister's legacy that lives on through him. ✦ Fisher always did his best to protect and help his sister Breonna, who was two years older than him. She passed away in 2011, but he remains "on a mission to play for her," according to his high school head coach Mark Bless. PHOTO COURTESY MARK FISHER BLAKE FISHER OFFENSIVE LINEMAN 6-6 · 330 AVON H.S. AVON, IND. RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 25 6* 1 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 104 13* 1 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 86 11* 1 * Ranked as OT NOTABLE • Born on March 25, 2003. • Invited to the 2021 All-American Bowl in San Antonio, which was cancelled. • 2020 MaxPreps All-State first-team pick. • 2020 Mr. Football Indiana (Offensive Line). • 2020 All-Hoosier Crossroads Conference first- team offense. • 2019 Hendricks County Icon Fall Athlete of the Year. • 2019 Indiana Football Coaches Association Top 50 All-State Team. • 2019 Indy Star SuperTeam member. • 2019 6A Associated Press Indiana All-State football team. • 2019 Notre Dame Lineman's Challenge Top Performer. • Top-rated recruit for Notre Dame, per Rivals. • Highest-ranked offensive line signee for Notre Dame since Quenton Nelson in the 2014 class. • Set Avon record with seven pancakes in one game. • Intends to major in sports medicine. RECRUITMENT • Received an offer from Notre Dame in No- vember 2018 during a conversation with head coach Brian Kelly while on campus. • Committed to Notre Dame on June 15, 2019 following a camp visit. • Also held offers from Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State and Texas A&M. • Played a vital role as the lead recruiter for the Irish among the 2021 commits. • Recruited by offensive line coach Jeff Quinn. • Enrolled at Notre Dame in February. 2021 PROJECTION • True freshman offensive linemen seldom see the field at Notre Dame, but with Fisher's brute strength and athleticism, he could see time at guard in 2021 before moving over to tackle for the rest of his career. THEY SAID IT Rivals Midwest recruiting analyst Josh Helm- holdt: "Fisher has always been impressively athletic for his size, but there was a concern he could get too big and lose his mobility. This summer, however, Fisher emerged from the spring lockdown in the best shape we have ever seen him. He was leaner and quicker but still a dominant, physical force." National recruiting analyst Tom Lemming: "An explosive athlete, he's very quick for his size with strong and violent hands and does a great job of finishing his blocks. He plays through the whistle, never lets up and is a coach's dream. "There's no doubt he'll be a college All-Ameri- can within four years at either left or right tackle. He keeps his hands inside and has enough power to win early in the down. "Technically sound, he shows great reactions to inside counter moves and can slide and mir- ror with the best of them. Fisher is blessed with tremendous instincts in recognizing and reacting to anything the defense throws at him."