Brandon Collier
FILE - Santa Margarita defensive lineman Hero Kanu (45), seen pursuing Servite's Noah Fifita during a Trinity League game at Santa Ana Stadium in Santa Ana on April 15, 2021. American colleges are again tapping the European pipeline for football recruits. The early signing period begins Wednesday when high school kids make their final decisions. Recruits from Germany, Sweden, Denmark and England plan to sign with programs including Michigan, Vanderbilt, West Virginia, Illinois and Texas A&M. At the top of the European list is defensive lineman Hero Kanu of Germany. The 17-year-old Kanu outgrew soccer and only started training for American football two years ago. (Leonard Ortiz/The Orange County Register via AP)
Hero Kanu heads international class of college FB signings

By Ken Maguire Dec. 13, 2021 02:01 PM EST

FILE - Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019 file photo, Georgia Tech defensive lineman Sylvain Yondjouen of Belgium (32) poses with linebacker Demetrius Knight II (17) and running back Jamious Griffin (22) after an NCAA college football game against Miami, in Miami Gardens, Fla. Football in Europe usually means "soccer." But increasingly European kids are excelling at American football. So much so that Europe has become a pipeline of recruits for college football programs — and increasingly for schools from the Power Five conferences. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, file)
Europe the 'next frontier' in US college football recruiting

By Ken Maguire Dec. 17, 2020 12:42 PM EST

In this photo taken on July 27, 2019, German quarterback Alexander Honig poses for a photo ina TCU uniform after participating in a football camp at the Big 12 Conference school in Fort Worth, Texas. TCU offered Honig a scholarship after the workout. Honig looks and sounds the part of big-time American college football recruit. The quarterback is nearly 6-foot-6 and 235 pounds. He has a scholarship offer to play at TCU. But the unusual part is Honig is German. It's rare for an American college program to recruit a European as a quarterback. The 18-year-old Honig is taking his talents from Bavaria to Texas with dreams of becoming an NFL QB. (Susanne Honig via AP)
German QB with 'big arm' has big plans for TCU career

By Ken Maguire Sep. 10, 2020 08:30 AM EDT

FILE - In this Jan. 7, 2019, file photo, Alabama coach Nick Saban reacts during the first half the team's NCAA college football playoff championship game against Clemson in Santa Clara, Calif. A former college football player from Ohio now living in Germany is trying to open a pipeline to the United States for European recruits. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson, File)
Euro steps: Top football programs discover European recruits

By Ralph D. Russo Jun. 06, 2019 06:11 PM EDT