Glenbard West’s 2017 TE Alex Pihlstrom recently picked up his first offer and is hungry for more. We talked schools showing serious interest in him, his deserving teammates and what’s next for his recruiting.

I had a chance to meet Alex in person a few weeks ago at the EdgyTim showcase and he is every bit of 6’6″ 225lbs. He had a good showcase showing off his great size and routinely using it to make catches over the overmatched DB’s. He’s definitely a sleeper out of the 2017 class.

You can find Alex on Twitter @apihlstrom45 .

Alex Pihlstrom

Tight End
Glenbard West
Glen Ellyn, IL

Ht: 6’6″
Wt: 225 lbs
Class: 2017

Commitment status: Undecided

LPI: You guys played up this year in 8A, yet still finished the season very well at 10-3. Now that your season is over, what are you going to do to take your game to the next level this offseason?

AP: Now that football is over, I go straight into basketball which will keep me conditioned as well as us lifting twice a week. I’ll usually lift four times a week which helps tremendously with getting me bigger and stronger. In the spring, I’ll do my offseason trying with Hard Gainers Athletics, which I have been doing since my sophomore year. I started with them at the weight of 180 so I am hoping by the end of spring to be about 235/240 while still maintaining and improving my speed.

LPI: What skill set can you bring to the table for a college football program?

AP: As a tight end, I think I bring a good matchup as a guy who can be used in the run game with my hand in the ground but fast enough to split out and act as a big target for wide receiver. I think I am a tough player that will do anything a coach asks me to do. I am also a huge red zone threat because of my height and jumping ability.

LPI: What schools have you been in touch with recently and do you have any planned visits coming up?

AP: I recently got your first offer from Valpo and have been talking to a lot of PFL schools such as Butler, Dayton, Murray St. I am also talking to Columbia in New York as I went to a camp there in the summer. I’m hoping to plan visits with those schools and more as they come in contact.

LPI: You scored a 32 on the ACT and have a 3.60 GPA. On and off the field, how do you demonstrate leadership?

AP: It is important to me to be the best role model I can be on the field with my work ethic and attitude I give every day as well as that same attitude in the classroom every day. I do a lot of leadership clubs to try and teach other students with what I have learned in leadership and how they can be leaders themselves. It is really important to me no matter if we win or lose, I display what kind of competitor, teammate, and person I am to the rest of the community.

LPI: Tell me about some of your teammates that can play at the next level, but are getting overlooked by college coaches.

AP: I strongly believe that Coach Hetlet does a great job with our linebackers because they are fast, physical, and just light people up which really brings momentum to the game. I think Jackson Goleash, and Eric Samuta really know everything about the position and could do anything you ask them to do. Chris Langan also is one of the strongest and fastest people I know, and he really succeeds at setting the edge at outside linebacker. I also think Dionte Moorehead is an under looked player because he did not have as many tackles as he could have because he was doing his assignment every time and letting our linebackers fill the holes he helped make. And Cole Brady was on target the whole season, being so successful in play action, which really opened our passing game on top of our ground and pound running game. I think he knows the game well and his accuracy could surprise some coaches.