PJ Fleck’s recruiting train continues to steam through even in the middle of a pandemic. Four-star pass rusher, Trey Bixby is the Gophers’ first commitment in the class of 2022.
Standing at a reported 6’5” 250 pounds, Bixby should be a tremendous building block for Fleck’s 22’ class. The Lakewood, Ohio native has a tremendous ceiling in large part due to his motor and closing speed being off the charts. I would imagine Gophers d-line coach Chad Wilt will love to work with Bixby in hopes of reaching his true potential.
First, Happy Birthday to my Mom! I’m not here today without you! ❤️ya
Second, thank you to every single school that showed interest in me or gave me an opportunity at a college education and to play at the next level.
With that said… 👀〽️#RTB #SkiUMah #GoGophers #HYP22 pic.twitter.com/sN4wPqfinP
— Trey Bixby (@TreyBixby_91) August 13, 2020
It is impossible for a football team to have too many pass rushers, so Bixby should have every opportunity to contribute. Last season as a sophomore at St. Edward high school he recorded 75 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 5 TFLs and 13 QB hurries. Coming off of a 2019-20 campaign where teams struggled mightily to pass and run on the Gophers, as they ranked in the top 10 in fewest yards allowed rushing and passing per game in the country. They might not need Bixby right away, but he will certainly add much-needed depth.
Standing at 6-foot-5, Bixby will almost certainly play as a traditional four-tech hand in the dirt defensive lineman. After only completing two seasons of varsity football it is remarkable to see the level of instinctual play on the defensive line that he has developed. His ability to rely on his pass-rushing skills rather than pure size and athleticism is very promising for a young player like Bixby.
The Ohio native is currently the 220th player in the 2022 class according to 247sports making him a four-star recruit. The Gophers beat out Penn State, Arkansas and Michigan State for Bixby’s services and they might’ve won the lottery with his commitment.