Notre Dame football: Is Liam Eichenberg a first round selection in 2021?
By Brad Weiss
The eyes of the college football world are fixed on Mobile, Alabama this week, as the 2021 Reese’s Senior Bowl kicked off their workouts on Tuesday. The Notre Dame football program is well-represented in Mobile this year, as the Irish sent seven players to the prestigious event, the most of any school in the country.
Among those accepting invites to the event was star left tackle Liam Eichenberg, an All-American for the Irish, and someone who played a key role in this team winning ten or more games the last four seasons. Eichenberg was the cornerstone of an offensive line that was one of the best in college football during his time at the school and capped his career off by winnings the Jacobs Blocking Award, given to the best blocker in the ACC.
As we inch closer to the 2021 NFL Draft, Eichenberg has come up on a lot of first-round mocks, but is he really a first-round talent?
Notre Dame football had an anchor at left tackle in Liam Eichenberg
When it comes to experience, and being NFL-ready, you would be hard-pressed to find an offensive lineman that even comes close to Eichenberg. He played over 2,600 snaps for the Irish, and for the most part, the quarterback was kept clean throughout, as he proved to be a dominant player at the collegiate level.
Based on production, one could argue that Eichenberg is not only a first-round talent but possibly the best offensive tackle in this draft class. However, there are some issues with his technique, something that can be worked on at the next level, but based on size and strength, he is the prototypical left tackle.
Next. Notre Dame football produced most OL snaps in the NFL in 2020. dark
There are a bunch of teams in the bottom quarter of the first round who need help up front along the offensive line, specifically the Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers, and Buffalo Bills. This is a pretty rich class in terms of an offensive tackle, but if we are basing it on collegiate accolades, and projectability, there is no reason why Eichenberg is not a first-round talent.