Minnesota Football Recruiting: Three-star DB Zahir Rainer commits to the Gophers

Virginia safety Zahir Rainer announcement his commitment to Minnesota on Thursday, choosing the Golden Gophers over offers from more than a dozen other Power 5 programs.

Get to know Zahir Rainer

Height: 5’10”
Weight: 185

Power 5 Scholarship Offers: Arkansas, Boston College, Colorado, Duke, Indiana, Maryland, Ole Miss, Penn State, South Carolina, Stanford, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest

247 Sports Composite Rating: .8652

Scouting Report

What stands out the most watching Rainer’s film are his instincts and his football I.Q. Not only does he have a nose for the football, but he has good play recognition. Rainer diagnoses plays quickly and then commits, using his straight line speed to close the gap between him and the ball carrier. He is also a very good tackler and can lower the boom when he has the ball carrier in his sights. Rainer is very versatile as a defensive back, able to play center field as a safety but also play near the line of scrimmage and cover the slot. He is an admitted fan of Antoine Winfield Jr. and I think he has the tools to potentially play to his level at Minnesota.

Hudl Highlights (Link)