Notre Dame Football Recruiting: Breaking Down The Commits – 2021 Offensive Tackle Blake Fisher

In the Notre Dame football recruiting class of 2021, Blake Fisher adds to the long list of top Offensive Linemen who picked the Irish during the recruiting process.

Writer’s note: Over the next few weeks, I will review the 2021 Notre Dame football recruiting class and all of its commitments – giving a detailed breakdown of each Irish pledge.

The massive linemen from Avon, Indiana became the second commit in the 2021 class on June 15, 2019. His addition started Notre Dame’s offensive class off with two highly rated cornerstone piece – a Quarterback and an Offensive Tackle.

Recruiting Rankings

According to the 247Sports Composite, Blake Fisher ranks as the 51st prospect and 8th Offensive Tackle in the 2021 class. The major recruiting services all rank Fisher in the 103rd or higher with Rivals ranking him the highest at 22nd overall. There is a large spread between high (22nd) and low (103rd) but recruiting pundits clearly believe Fisher is a solid four-star recruit.

Film Review

As soon as the video begins to play, Fisher’s power immediately jumps off the screen. Most FBS recruits can physically dominate players who will only see Friday night lights. But, Fisher show extreme power with his hands, especially in pass protection, by whipping opposing Defensive Ends.

Fisher is listed at 336 lbs. However, he appears very solid at that weight. Typically, players at his age are flabby if they weigh in that range. Playing at that size does not appear to be a problem for Fisher. He is quick in pass protection and moves to the second level well in run blocking. Fisher also clearly has a nasty streak that all recruiters and coaches desire in their players. He does not want to just block the opponent, he wants to bury the opponent.

Historical Context

In comparison to the current starters along the Irish Offensive Line, Fisher is only outranked by Graduate Student Tommy Kraemer who ranked as the 26th prospect in the 2016 class. The other five Notre Dame players who have started games for the Irish, Patterson, Eichenberg, Lugg, Hainsey and Banks, all rated as four-star prospects. Patterson ranked the lowest at 369th overall. Clearly, Fisher is in great company and will start multiple years at Notre Dame based on historical precedent.

Bottom Line

Blake Fisher almost certainly starts multiple years in South Bend. The biggest question is where will he play once he dons the Blue and Gold. Comparing his size and playing style to other Irish Offensive Linemen, Fisher appears best suited for Right Tackle or Guard. Under Brian Kelly, Notre Dame typically finds the best five linemen – ignoring where players might be slotted. Fisher probably sees the field in 2022 as a starter.