National Signing Day, The 2011 Golden Gopher Recruiting Class - The Jerry Kill Recruits
by GopherNation on Feb 2, 2011 1:00 PM CST
in Recruiting - Football
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PrintPart II of the Gopher 2011 recruiting class (Part I is here).
Now we look at the crew brought to Gopher Nation by Coach Kill. Kill and staff have had less than 2 months to retain previous recruits as well as add to the class. The first few "new" recruits to commit to Minnesota were guys who had previously committed to Northern Illinois. Then Kill and staff landed a few JUCO players at positions of need and finally they worked to fill out the class with guys who had either previously been on the Gophers or Huskies radar.
I recall at Kill's initial press conference he said that on defense you need ends who can get pressure on the quarterback and corners who can defend on an island, "after that you can pretty much do whatever you want." And wouldn't you know it? The majority of Kill's commitments
Commitments by Position (all recruits)
QB - 1
RB - 0
WR - 3
TE - 2
OL - 6
DL - 2
LB - 3
CB - 2
S -3
K - 1
Below is your 2011 Gopher recruiting class starting with the JUCO commits followed by the incoming freshmen.
| Drayquan Crawford - JUCO |
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Position: S Measurables: 6-1 /205 Videos: [1] Rankings: Notes: A nice sized JUCO Safety who has a chance to come in and play right away. Crawford is quoted on GopherIllustrated as saying the coaches appreciate his nose for the ball and his ability to support run defense. The return of Royston for his senior year still leaves one safety position up for grabs and Crawford may be the guy who earns it. UPDATE: Crawford has signed his LOI but is not officially listed with the team yet. |
| Ge'Shun Harris - JUCO | |
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Position: WR Measurables: 6-3 / 215 / 4.55 Videos: [1] Rankings: Notes: A teammate of Crawford's down at Arizona Western CC, Harris is also filling an area of extreme need. He comes in as a big receiver who has a chance to earn playing time immediately. It is always a bonus when guys can enroll in January to participate in spring practices and better prepare themselves for August. JUCO receivers haven't been all that successful as Golden Gophers in recent memory but Harris is a big, possession type guy who is a good blocking receiver and should be able to contribute quickly. |
| John Rabe - JUCO | |
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Position: TE Measurables: 6-4 / 245 Videos: [1] Rankings: Notes: You should use the JUCO ranks to fill positions of need and once again that is what is happening here. Rabe comes to Minnesota to add depth to the TE ranks. We have the likes of Eric Lair at the top of the depth chart but once he and Tiree Eure graduate there is a huge void that Rabe is expected to fill. Rabe comes to us from Elsworth CC in Iowa, he committed to Northern Illinois and then switched to Minnesota when that offer came from Coach Kill. |
| Grayson Levine |
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Position: S Measurables: 6-0 / 195 Videos: [1] Rankings: Notes:One of the first commits to Coach Kill and he comes to the Gophers from Eden Prairie. This is a good move by Kill and staff to keep close ties to a local program that generally turns out prospects every couple years. Levine is not a great athlete but he is a tough kid who may earn his way to the playing field by sheer determination. ESPN had this to say about Levine, "Although lacking great speed this athlete plays with the intensity and instincts which seem to get him in position to make big momentum changing plays. Levine is a boarder line BCS prospect with the toughness and athleticism to play at the next level" |
| Foster Bush |
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Position: OL Measurables: 6-5 / 270 Videos: [1] Rankings: Notes: A Northern Illinois commit who was given a Gopher scholarship and took it. Bush is one of the 10 offensive linemen the program has signed over the past two seasons. "We see a tough battler with the nasty finishing attitude we like to see from offensive linemen." I like his toughness but Bush will certainly spend a year redshirting and will be counted on for depth for a couple years. |
| Marcus Jones |
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Position: DB Measurables: 5-8 / 170 / 4.6 Videos: [1], [interview before semi-final game] Rankings: Notes: Jones was a Huskie commit before switching to Minnesota when he received the offer. Jones is a talented corner who was likely held back by his lack of size but he is productive. As a junior he recorded 107 Tackles, 15 Pass Deflections, 8 Interceptions (2 for TDs), 3 Forced Fumbles, 2 Blocked FG's. This season Jone's led his Wake Forest-Rolesville team to a 14-2 record and an appearance in the North Carolina state title game. Quick, fast, explosive have all been used to describe Jones but the one thing any analysis comes back to is his lack of size. We'll see how much of a factor that becomes but if he can defend well one-on-one between the 20s he'll have some solid value, we'll see. |
| Drew Goodger |
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Position: DE / TE Measurables: 6-5 / 235 Videos: [1] Rankings: Notes: The #10 player in the state of Kansas, and could also end up playing TE as a Gopher. Needs to add some size to his frame and will almost certainly redshirt this fall. Needs to develop but shows some flashes and will potentially end up being a solid contributor over his Golden Gopher career. |
| Quentin Gardener |
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Measurables: 6-0 /190 / 4.44 Videos: none found Rankings: Notes: XXX Ranked #54 overall and #13 WR in the Dallas / Ft Worth area by HS Gametime. Also ranked by Rivals as one of 5 "Super-Sleepers" in this 2011 class where Rivals had this to say about him, "His ability to create space using his running back-shaped body coupled with soft hands made him a dangerous weapon. And he has the power and strength to break simple arm tackles similar to Hines Ward of the Pittsburgh Steelers." Gardner also plays as a DB but will likely be a receiver to start his Gopher career. |
| Steven Montgomery |
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Position: CB Measurables: 5-10 / 185 Videos: [1] Rankings: Notes:Miramar, FL native who was a late signee for the Gophers and one of my favorite recruits in this class. Montgomery had an impressive offer list from schools like Illinois, Kansas, North Carolina and Wisconsin. "Overall, Montgomery shows flashes of good speed and natural explosion, has the frame to get bigger as well. Needs some time to hone his skill-set but brings a lot of physical tools to the table." (ESPN Eval). Good size, good speed and should be a regular contributor early in his career. May very well redshirt this season but he'll see the field often over his four years of eligibility. Claims he can bench 245, squat 345 and has a 34" vertical. |
| Joe Bjorklund |
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Position: OL Measurables: 6-5 / 285 Videos: [1] Rankings: Notes: Rosemount lineman who was one of the last to receive an offer and accept. Bjorklund is the 6th OL committed to this class. Will surely redshirt and could develop nicely down the road and be part of an all-Minnesota offensive line (Olson, Olson, Gjere, Bjorklund and Campion, why not?). |
| Michael Amaefula |
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Position: DE Measurables: 6-2 / 220 Videos: [1] Rankings: Notes: Amaefula comes to us from Arlington, Texas and chose the Gophers over offers from Iowa, Kansas St, Iowa St and other smaller schools. This appears to be a very nice late addition to the class and on top of his abilities as a football player Amaefula is a smart kid. In life after football he wants to be a doctor which is part of the reason he chose Minnesota. Not great size and not highly ranked despite playing on a higher profile team, I would expect a redshirt year for Amaefula. Earned 1st team defensive end on the Section 4-5A Team. |
| Theiren Cockran | |
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Position: DE Measurables: 6-6 / 210 Rankings: Notes: "Another DE added late to the 2011 class. We have several young defensive linemen on the roster but this year's crop of three should be well groomed to replace them in a couple years. Cockran hails from Homestead, FL and had offers from Purdue, Northern Illinois and others but obviously chose the Gophers late. He is rather thin but should have a couple years to grow and develop before he'll be counted on as a pass-rushing end. |
| Derrick Wells | |
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Position: S Measurables: 5-11 / 175 / 4.6 Videos: [1] Rankings: Notes: A very late commit, Wells chose Minnesota over Ball State. 75 tackles and 6 INTs as a JR in Lehigh Acres, FL. DB was a huge area of need and emphasis by Kill and staff. Wells will almost certainly redshirt but will add depth in an area where it is very much needed. |
| Chris Hawthorne |
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Position: K Measurables: 6-4 / 180 Videos: [1] Rankings: Notes: Hawthorne is actually a transfer from NC State and will be eligible to play immediately in 2011 because he was not a scholarship player for the Wolfpack. He is a former soccer player who has only been playing football for two years and should have a very good chance to start for the Gophers this fall. Not technically a part of this recruiting class but he is an additional scholarship to the program and I'm listing him here. |
This group is based largely on need and is full of guys that Kill and staff were recruiting while at Northern Illinois. Quinten Gardner and Steven Montgomery are the highlights of this group (imo) but this entire group looks more and more like a bunch of guys who will potentially be solid contributors down the road but it is lacking anyone who will rise up to be a difference maker at their position.
Preferred Walk-ons
- Jon Christenson, Minnetonka (OL)
- Ernie Heifort, Bemidji (TE)
- Peter Mortell, Green Bay, Wis.(P)
- David Platner, Eden Prairie (K)
- Luke Trucilla, Erie, Pa.(WR/DB)
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Levine
Any chance Grayson Levine could be the next Kyle Theret? Not the best athlete but tough as nails and hard working?
I hope not....Theret should have played LB not S.
He was clueless on passing downs and more often than not had no idea where the ball was when the QB threw it….
As a run support DB he was outstanding and made a lot of great tackles…really could shed blocks and great at slashing in on wide runs.
sorry, but puzzled
sorry, if this seems testy and it is none of my business, of course, but i do not understand the decidedly “meh” reaction you wrote about your recruiting class.
I mean you’ve damned them with faint praise and declared none are “difference makers”?
seems a bit harsh.
it’s mostly full of 3* recruits; it is not an Indiana class of 2* recruits (no offense to IN, but they have a lot of ground to make up). plus, lots of good measurables; only, what?, 3-4 under 6 foot, etc.
compare Wiscy, Iowa, Michigan and tOSU: you find lots of 3* recruits, some of whom are 100% guaranteed to be “difference makers.” I can’t find the link, but someone — maybe Rittenberg — ran an article with the rankings of some of the best B10 players of 2010; a couple had no rankings at all when they started.
also, you have a new Coach; 21 kids is a lot and “solid” is sometimes amazing for a new coach.
seems to me the appropriate response from a writer — you are not just some fan commenting — is to declare every last new member of the gopher team a “difference maker” — even if it is delusional, delusional should be the norm on National Letter of Intent Day — welcome them with trumpets a-blaring and wait until at least the Spring Game to brand them with the unflattering term “solid.” As an example, in our last class, we had a late-added legacy recruit. Please! On measurables alone, he’s not going to amount to much; forget about the 4* and 5* recruits in front of him on the depth chart. we all understood/understand why he was given a scholly. But who cares. We all gamely declared him to be a future-great and welcomed him aboard. That’s what you do on NLOI Day.
sorry for the rant; proceed.
I'd call it solid with some potential upside guys
For starters, I think you’re seeing a bit of Gopher fan apathy because of where the program is at , and how we got here. Tim Brewster came in doing just what you’re suggesting: talking these kids up as the greatest players in the history of the universe. Of course, Brewster and his bravado were all talk as he failed miserably and spectacularily here.
He certainly did bring in some talent (the program is much better shape from a talent standpoint post-Brewster than post-Mason), but I think Gopher fans are in much more of a “wait-and-see” approach with this class and this coaching staff.
Personally, I’m excited to have Coach Kill and his staff here, and believe they can turn a bunch of two and three star players into contributors, starters, and perhaps even difference makers. But we have to wait and see.
The Daily Gopher
I feel like they are all solid
It is good to get plenty of guys who are starters and regular contributors. But nobody (on paper) looks like All-Big Ten material. Not a knock on Kill, nobody looks awesome.
Kill can coach them up to be very good and there are a few guys with some potential but nobody to get thrilled about here. Maybe that is because it is heavy with OL, DL and LBs who are hard to judge.
I like several guys and a ton of three-stars is an upgrade over what Mason used to bring in. But again, nobody to jump up and down about.
what you say here can, and will, be used against you The Daily Gopher
Thanks for the list!
Welcome to the family new Gophers!
Darko is my bodyguard.
by Premier Cherdenko on Feb 2, 2011 11:56 PM CST reply actions
I still can't believe
that the only kickers we signed were a non-scholarship player transfer for the wolfpack and a preferred walk-on.
I don’t know exactly who will be kicking this year, but it will either be
1) Someone who could not be out Ellestad last year (scary)
2) A guy who was not good enough for a scholarship at NC State
3) Preferred walk-on
Does Chip Lohmiller have any kids yet!!
And yes, I know the kicker is not really part of the team and that we have bigger fish to fry, but I had mini-strokes last year whenever they marched out the field goal unit!
kicker will be interesting
Hawthorne is interesting and had he started kicking before his senior year of HS he may have been a scholarship player somewhere.
what you say here can, and will, be used against you The Daily Gopher
by GopherNation on Feb 3, 2011 10:14 AM CST up reply actions
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