Penn State football’s Class of 2023 is quickly beginning to take shape.

Four-star offensive lineman Alex Birchmeier committed to the Nittanay Lions Thursday afternoon, becoming the first 2023 prospect to call dibs on James Franklin’s program. He chose Penn State over Notre Dame, Arizona State, and Auburn, among others.

According to 247Sports, Birchmeier is currently ranked the No. 1 interior offensive lineman in his class. He’s also pegged as the No. 1 overall prospect from Virginia.

The 6’5″, 275-pound lineman is a native of Ashburn, Virginia. He’ll play two more seasons at Broad Run High School before packing up and heading to Happy Valley to join the Nittany Lions.

Although he’s alone at the moment, Birchmeier could lay the groundwork for an impressive Class of 2023. Penn State’s 2022 recruiting class currently ranks No. 3 in the nation and No. 2 within the Big Ten, according to 247Sports’ rankings.

Check out Birchmeier’s tape to get a sense of what he’ll bring to Happy Valley in a few years.

About the Author

Matt DiSanto

Matt proudly served as Onward State’s managing editor for two years until graduating from Penn State in May 2022. Now, he’s off in the real world doing real things. Send him an email ([email protected]) or follow him on Twitter (@mattdisanto_) to stay in touch.

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