Minnesota Football Recruiting: Quarterback Brennan Armstrong commits to Gophers

(*Editor's note...What the heck does "Commitment to Eight" mean? It is our new recurring title for recruit commitments referencing a commitment to work towards the Gopher's Eighth National Championship.)

P.J. Fleck landed his quarterback this weekend when Brennan Armstrong gave his verbal commitment to be Elite and Golden. Armstrong is an Ohio native and one of the best pure quarterbacks in the Midwest.

This kid plays with toughness. He is able to make plays with this feet when things breakdown. But as a passer he is accurate and decisive. For the first time in a very long time the Gophers are getting a quarterback who is a pure quarterback.

Quotables

Ryan Burns of GopherIllustrated ($cout) has some fantastic quotes from Armstrong in his commitment recap. So many that it was hard to pick just one. This is the time that I point out that this is going to be an Elite recruiting cycle and picking up a subscription to Gopher Illustrated might not be a bad investment for you.

What put Minnesota over the other schools recruiting me was definitely coach Fleck. He's just a great fit for me at a school I want to play at, and everything just aligned for me at Minnesota. The people overall at Minnesota when I was on my visit were just different, and those are the kind of people I want to be around. I'll be able to get a great business degree for their business school, and the football program is already in a good place, but I'll be able to help coach Fleck really take it to the next level now. When I called him tonight to commit, he told me now that I'm in the boat, I'll be in the only quarterback they take for the 2018 class, so they'll be done now. I'm just so happy that this weight is off my back, and that I can tell you the recruiting process is over and that I'm a Golden Gopher now.

Scout Analyst, Bill Greene, breaking down Armstrong and his fit at Minnesota.

This is the smartest player on the field, the toughest player on the field, and the great leader that Gopher coaches are going to love. His high school coaches rave about his work ethic and his leadership skills. He's been putting up big numbers and winning big games since he was a freshman starter, and I expect that to continue at the next level. While he might not have the ceiling of an Andrew Luck, Armstrong has a very high floor and there is almost a zero bust rate with this type of kid.

Measurables

Height: 6' 2"
Weight: 205 lbs.

Big 4 Ratings:

Power 5 Offers - North Carolina, Iowa State, Virginia, Rutgers

Highlights

Junior year highlights:

TDG Analysis

In Two Words - if you have to remember just two things about this player...

• Quick Release
• Smart

Absurd Comparisons

Sit down for this one, but I’m going with Drew Brees. The Bill Greene article above also made this comparison to Brees. Armstrong is accurate, quick release and most importantly he is decisive in his throws. Not blessed with elite height, but is awfully productive anyway and capable of making plays on his feet.

Scheme Fit

Quick release, decisive with his throws and plays with toughness...this is exactly the type of quarterback for Fleck. Not much more to be said, but I wouldn’t at all be surprised to see him starting early in his career. This is a great fit and a talented kid. Expect that by the time National Signing Day rolls around next February, Armstrong will be a 4-star recruit with other schools making a push to flip him.

I think Adam Weber better beware, some of his records may be in jeopardy.

Impact on Other Prospects?

That’s it. This is your quarterback for the 2018 class and he’s one of the top QBs available. I’m haven’t been this excited about a QB recruit since MarQuies Gray.

Recruiting Map

Be patient