Dexter (Mich.) offensive lineman Owen Winder made the trek to Notre Dame last week for Irish Invasion, a journey spanning three hours. Standing tall at 6-foot-6 and weighing 290 pounds, Winder relished the opportunity to showcase his refined skills against the formidable defensive linemen of the 2025 recruiting class.
Reflecting on his performance, Winder remarked, “I did pretty well. There was some great competition out there. I feel I overall improved as a player. There were great players, fast and strong players. It was awesome.”
The event not only provided a gauge of his abilities against fellow offensive linemen of the 2026 class but also served as a valuable preseason tune-up. As football workouts resumed, Winder confronted the rigors of conditioning head-on, acknowledging the immediate challenge of getting back into game shape.
Desiring to refine his craft, Winder eagerly sought guidance from Joe Rudolph, renowned as one of the nation’s top offensive line coaches. “Overall, foot speed, placement with my hands, I feel Coach Rudolph did a great job teaching and preaching that to us,” Winder remarked, underscoring Rudolph’s focus during the camp.
The camp exposed Winder to Rudolph’s meticulous coaching style, yielding immediate improvements. “I feel he’s very technical,” Winder observed. “He breaks down a lot of stuff. For sets, he breaks it down, so when you take it all together, you see those improvements in everything.”
Winder’s summer itinerary includes stops at Kentucky, BYU, and Michigan State camps, each offering opportunities for further growth and exposure. Despite early offers from esteemed institutions such as Duke, Kentucky, and Miami (OH), Winder remains open-minded about his future, aspiring to secure offers from Power 5 programs.
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