Gopher Football Recruiting, Final Visit Weekend Updates

National Signing Day is Wednesday and that makes this the final visit weekend available for undecided recruits to make one final visit and coaches to give their final pitches. The Gopher Football Empire Class of 2016 is looking to be one of the best in recent memory but it is not yet complete. A little update here as National Signing Day quickly approaches.

WEEKEND VISITORS

I'll start with this weekend's visitors to campus.

Noah Fant - TE/DE - Omaha Canceled last minute

Iowa commit who is looking around.  Fant is the most interesting of the visitors this weekend and would be a fantastic last minute addition to the class.  Sounds like he would excel at either TE or DE but will likely start his career on offense.  For me, this is the number one kid I'm watching as signing day approaches.

DeMarcus Williams - QB/Ath - Alabama

Williams is a kid who was being recruited by Jay Johnson when he was still down with the Rajin Cajuns.  Now the Gophers are interested in the quarterback who could move to receiver at some point.  I expect he will be a Gopher before the weekend is over and will sign his name on the dotted line come Wednesday.

Daniel Thomas - DB - Alabama

This safety is currently in town and will be leaving for Auburn to finish the weekend.  He currently does not hold an Auburn offer but he would clearly jump at that if he gets one.

TaMarion Johnson - DE - Michigan

At one point this recent decommit from Miami (OH) was planning to hit up Minnesota, Iowa St and Purdue this weekend.  It appears as though he is just coming to the Twin Cities.  A position of need and a solid prospect, this would be a nice, late find for the Gopher staff.

Preferred Walk-Ons

Chris Mack is a kicker who is visiting this weekend. And Calvin Swenson is a Wisconsin DB who is choosing to visit Minnesota where he's been asked to walk-on.

Needs to Decide

Up next we have a handful of kids with offers, who have visited and have yet to decide where they'll take their talents.

Tyrez Lindsey - S - Alabama

Lindsey visited last weekend and is currently a Memphis commit whom the Gophers are trying to flip.

Arkeem Byrd - RB - Georgia

Visiting Missouri this weekend. Byrd has previously said he really likes Minnesota, after his Halloween visit, but it is too far away.  At this point he is running out of scholarship offers from Power 5 schools and he may end up here by default.  I know it sounds like we are ending up going to prom with the ugly chick, but Byrd is a pretty talented kid and we will take him.

Hold on to Your Hats

Dredrick Snelson - WR - Florida

The saga continues and Snelson is eating up the final days of being a sought-after recruit. He is taking an official visit to Penn State this weekend and plans to do a big announcement on signing day.  Hats on the table and will chose amongst Minnesota, Maryland, Central Florida and Penn State.  Where he chooses?  Nobody has any clue.

Coney Durr - DB - Louisiana

Visiting Virginia Tech this weekend and is being strongly pursued by North Carolina, where he visited last weekend.  Durr is a wanted man.

So it appears as though six are in play to make a decision one way or another with Minnesota.  And there is a realistic possibility we lose 2.  I'm sure I'm missing someone and who knows how things shake out in the next few days.  But currently 19 have committed.  Below is the current scholarship chart (numbers, not with names) as it will stand once the 2016 season begins (i.e. FR = current verbals who will be FR this Fall).