James Onwualu, a 6-1, 185-pound wide receiver from Cretin Derham Hall, is the state’s mostly highly recruited player from the Class of 2013.
James Onwualu, a 6-1, 185-pound wide receiver from Cretin Derham Hall, is the state’s mostly highly recruited player from the Class of 2013. Onwualu sat down with GopherHole.com this past weekend to talk about the Gophers and the latest news on his recruitment.
Onwualu accumulated 1,092 yards and 17 touchdowns this past season as a wide receiver and running back for the Raiders. He helped lead the team to an 11-1 mark, losing to Wayzata 42-0 in the Class 5A state semifinals.
Onwualu was a standout at the Under Armour All American combine in Orlando and the Army All American combine in San Antonio.
GopherHole: What is the latest on your recruitment? I know that you have picked up several offers so far.
James Onwualu: Definitely. It has been exciting. Everything has been coming in pretty fast. I have been trying to take the visits that I can and talk to the coaches that I can.
GopherHole: How many offers are you up to right now?
James Onwualu: I think that it is eight or nine. Minnesota, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Iowa, Michigan State, Michigan, Stanford and Purdue. I just got Arizona yesterday. That is my newest one.
GopherHole: Have you had a chance to go to any Junior Days or any plans to go to any in the next couple of weeks?
James Onwualu: I stopped down at Iowa a couple of weekends ago with my mom for their Junior Day. I was just down at Stanford this weekend. I had a good visit there and I believe that Minnesota’s is next weekend, so I am excited to go over there.
GopherHole: Have you thought much about what camps you are going to try to go to this summer?
James Onwualu: You know what, I am thinking about committing early, so I think that by then I am really going to have what I want and be done.
GopherHole: What is the main thing that is going to make pick School A over School B and C?
James Onwualu: Obviously, the level of football is important to me, but also academics. I have taken it seriously throughout high school and I plan on doing the same in college and also the atmosphere.
GopherHole: Have you thought much about what you are going to try to major in at college?
James Onwualu: As of now, I think that I am going to follow after my brother and go into business, but I’m not sure. That could change at any time.
GopherHole: I know that you are a good student. What is your GPA?
James Onwualu: Right now, it is 4.2.
GopherHole: Have you taken the ACT yet?
James Onwualu: I just took the ACT last weekend, so I don’t know what I got yet.
GopherHole: What are you hearing from the Gophers?
James Onwualu: They are excited about me. I have gotten to sit down with them a little bit. They are recruiting me pretty hard and they really want me to come in and help them turn around their program.
GopherHole: Does the fact that they signed a lot of the top players from Minnesota in Coach Kill’s first full recruiting year show that they are trying to get the top local kids?
James Onwualu: Definitely. I think in the past years, they haven’t really focused on Minnesota as much. I think that it is important to keep our best players in-state and that is one of the things that really helps them out. It is great to keep kids that have grown up together, playing together.
GopherHole: Did you get a chance to go to many college football games this past season?
James Onwualu: I went to one of their games since they are right in the back yard. I also went over to Wisconsin and also saw a Notre Dame and Iowa game.
GopherHole: Did you have a favorite team growing up?
James Onwualu: Not really. I just like watching college ball. I’ve always been a fan of college ball. I just like the intensity and just the focus that a lot of college players have.
GopherHole: I got a chance to see your games versus Lakeville North and Wayzata and you played both wide receiver and running back. Have you talked to the college coaches about what position you will play in college?
James Onwualu: Right now, I have all my offers as a receiver, but that could really change. I’ve been talking to Alabama, who I could potentially be playing safety for. Michigan, I have my offer for as a wide receiver, but I have been talking to Coach (Greg) Mattison from Michigan and even though they have offered me as a receiver, I could be playing safety over there.
GopherHole: Are you just going to be playing offense for Cretin or would you play both sides of the field?
James Onwualu: I think that I am going to be all over like last year. I played a little bit of corner, depending on the receiver, but I could be playing safety and I think that I’ll be all over again.
GopherHole: Last year, you played both wide receiver and running back. Do you like being that versatile player who can play more than one position?
James Onwualu: Yes, definitely. I think that it helps out with the offense a lot. This year, we are going to have Blake Banham (younger brother of Gopher women’s basketball standout Rachel and Gopher football running back Cole), who is going to be a great running back. I know the Banham’s on the U of M system, but he is going to be a great running back for us this year, so that may keep me at receiver or we might be doing two backs in the backfield, so I am pretty excited about it.