clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

National Signing Day

This is national signing day.  Below is an UNOFFICIAL list of the players that we fully expect to officially sign to a letter of intent.  As the day goes on I will update any new names or if anybody comes off the list.

Pos Player Home Rivals Rank Scout Rank ESPN Rating Status
WR Hayo Carpenter (JUCO) CA 4 5 n/a signed
RB Hasan Lipscomb TX 4 3 76 signed
QB Moses Alipate Minn 3 3 81 signed
ATH Bryant Allen MO 3 3 79 signed
OL Josh Campion Minn 3 3 40 signed
DE Matt Garin Minn 3 4 78 signed
ATH Kendal Gregory-McGhee CO 3 3 78 signed
TE Ra'shede Hageman Minn 3 4 79 signed
DB Kerry Lewis TX 3 3 79 signed
DT Joey Searcy TX 3 2 74 signed
WR Victor Keise FL 3 2 74 signed
OL Ed Olson Minn 3 3 73 signed
LB Brent Singleton FL 3 3 77 signed
DB Kenneth Watkins MI 3 2 77 signed
OL Brooks Michel IN 3 72 signed
OT Jeff Wills (JUCO) PA 3 2 n/a signed
ATH Nike Rengel Minn 2 2 76 signed
K Dan Orseske Chicago 2 2 75 signed
CB Michael Carter (late switch)
FL 4 3 79
signed
OG Eric Jacques (late aditn)
FL 3 40 signed

Today doesn't have the same thrill that it did a year ago when Brewster was signing a consensus top 25 recruiting class that had Gopher fans awfully excited.  We were getting signatures from seven 4-star kids and a deep class that on paper was without question the best in Gopher history.  This year we are lacking the top end names and some are less than thrilled with this recruiting class.  In one sense this is accurate.  2008's class was incredibly top-heavy landing certain caliber players that we were not used to signing.  2009's 18 likely signees has a very different flavor, it will not be ranked and it will not have the buzz that surrounded 2008. 

But just because it is not as sexy as last year does not mean this is class is "bad" or "weak" or even "as good as your average Mason class."  On paper it is still very good, just not great.  I'm not going to comment on all of them but here are my thoughts...

  • Brewster did a much better job landing Minnesota kids.  We missed out on WR-Bryce McNeal but after him Brewster was able to land every kid he made an offer to.  This was very different from a year ago where we had a great overall class but were unable to keep four of the top five in state kids.  This year?  We are keeping five of the top six.  This is much better.
  • This is a need based class.  Take a look at our current roster, we are very young at nearly every position.  But we do have some needs.  Another threat at WR, someone talented enough to step up and grab the tailback position, offensive line and athleticism.  A lineman heavy class is not sexy but the four offensive linemen, a TE or two and at least two defensive linemen are necessary for future depth and potentially major contributors. 
  • Fewer JUCOs is a good thing.  We received a nice boost of talent with our JUCOs last year but the lifeblood of a program are the high school recruits.  This year we are brining in just two JUCOs at key positions.  This really is the way to take care of it building your program.
  • You may see one of these guys playing at The Barn next year.  Bryant Allen is a candidate for Mr. Basketball in Missouri this year and by all accounts this speedy PG will play for Tubby next season.  A two-for-one and some walk on depth at PG for a hoops team that will be making a deep NCAA Tournament run next year! :)
  • Pipelines are forming.  Three more Texas recruits and four from Florida in this class.  Brewster is making headway into the states where the talent pool is deepest.  Not all will pan out but landing seven kids from TX/FL is usually better than landing seven kids from Iowa and Wisconsin.  If Brewster can get a third of his class from Minnesota, a third from TX/FL/CA and a third sprinkled from around the country that should be a solid formula for building a team with deeper talent.

There will be dozens of websites with info on National Signing Day, I'll do my best to keep things up to date as soon as I hear anything concrete.  There is a U of MN press conference at 3:00 so by then we should have a complete list of who has signed.