Minnesota Football Recruiting: Four-star defensive tackle Rashad Cheney commits to the Gophers

The “Twin Cities Takeover” has come and gone, with Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck and co. hosting an impressive list of committed and undecided recruits. The Gophers received two new verbal commitments over the weekend, the first being JUCO cornerback Damarion Williams and the other being four-star defensive tackle Rashad Cheney.

Previously committed to Alabama and Georgia at separate intervals in his recruitment, Cheney would be the highest-rated defensive lineman to sign with the Gophers, according to 247 Sports.

Get to know Rashad Cheney

Height: 6’2’’
Weight: 275

Power 5 Scholarship Offers: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Iowa State, Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, Miami, Mississippi State, North Carolina, Ole Miss, Penn State, South Carolina, and Tennessee

247 Sports Composite Rating: .8920

Scouting Report

Cheney will be a three-technique defensive tackle in his playing career at Minnesota. For the layman, that means he will line up on the outside shoulder of a guard. The defensive alignment makes it difficult for opposing offenses to double team a three-technique defensive tackle, which is good news for a defensive lineman of Cheney’s size and bad news for the offensive lineman lined up across from him. Cheney’s task will be to get in the backfield and disrupt the play, whether that means making a play on the ball carrier or rushing the quarterback. Quickness is key, and Cheney is fast with his first step and aggressive with his hands. It’s not hard to see how he could make life difficult for opposing offenses and wreak some havoc upfield.

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