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Here is a nice preview for NSD 12/20/2017 by Ryan Burns.
Rashad Bateman is definitely the crown jewel of this class.
Let's hope all twenty-six stick with their commitment and sign tomorrow! Can't wait!
Vicious Vic has a lot of weapons to throw to.
One thing looming in the back of my mind - is there a possibility that Verdis Brown may become a Gopher? Maybe PJ Fleck has something up his sleeves and is waiting for this semester to be over.
Minnesota Gophers football recruiting: Get ready for the college football early signing period with help from GopherIllustrated
Ryan Burns
Get ready, MINNESOTA GOPHERS FOOTBALL RECRUITING FOLLOWERS: The Early Signing Period will change the process as we know it.
Beginning Dec. 20, through Dec. 22, high school prospects can put pen to paper and sign their National Letter of Intent — a rite of passage usually reserved for the first Wednesday of every February.
There’ll still be a traditional National Signing Day on Feb. 7 in 2018, but we expect that after the pre-Christmas, three-day marathon, most programs will have the vast majority of their classes locked in. With so many prospects choosing to enroll early now to get a jump on the competition, we’re already starting to see many uncommitted blue-chippers announce decision dates in that Dec. 20-22 span.
Here’s what you need to know as it relates to GOPHER FOOTBALL RECRUITING with Dec. 20 looming.
- How many commits does Minnesota have and how many are designated as early-signees?
Minnesota currently has 26 verbal commitments that'll become official tomorrow morning. Coach Fleck addressed the evident needs for talent upgrades at quarterback, offensive line and wide receiver in this class. The Gophers will ink the #1 JUCO quarterback in California's Victor Viramontes, and have a PWO QB commit from Zack Annexstad of IMG Academy, who has turned down P5 offers to come play at Minnesota. Both will enroll early at Minnesota. On the offensive line, Minnesota's OL class will top to bottom be the highest rated in the Internet era, led by four-star guard Curtis Dunlap, who will be the highest rated OL commit for Minnesota in the Internet era. At wide receiver, the crown jewel of the class is four-star wide receiver commit Rashod Bateman, of whom, the Gophers held off in-state Georgia, and SEC schools such as Texas A&M, Tennessee, Ole Miss and South Carolina four.
The following recruits will sign tomorrow, and plan on enrolling in January.
Meet Rashod Bateman, thanks to Midwest analyst Allen Trieu.
In late March, the state of Georgia played their championship basketball games.
In Class 7A, the matchup was Tift County against Norcross.
Norcross got off to a fast start. They were up 19-12 with just under four minutes to go in the half when Tift County junior Rashod Bateman came off a pick and threw down an alley-oop over Norcross’ 6-foot-8 senior center. That started a run which allowed the Blue Devils to be within two at the half.
Aided by Bateman’s four three-pointers and 18 points, Tift County came back in the second half to win the title.
Penn State and Virginia Tech offered Bateman basketball scholarships, and that was even before the AAU circuit, but he decided football was the sport he wanted to play. He had a good junior season on the gridiron, and he entered the spring with offers from Georgia State, Tulane, Samford, Coastal Carolina and others in football. High-major programs were eager to see more of him as the athleticism was obvious.
Minnesota was one of those schools. The Gophers loved him on tape, and wanted to get in on him before others had a chance.
A satellite camp at The University of West Georgia where the Minnesota staff would be guest coaches, was the perfect opportunity. If his camp performance confirmed the talent they saw on film, Bateman would have an offer.
He was everything they thought he would be and then some. The Gophers offered on the spot. Bateman jumped on the offer and committed to Fleck and the Gophers, posing for pictures, ironically, with his state championship basketball shirt on.
When he told the staff he would be a Gopher, they celebrated with the vigor of a group that knew they may have just snuck one past the SEC.
Bateman confirmed their excitement as a senior when he caught 83 passes for 1,539 yards and 21 touchdowns.
The SEC caught on. After the season, Georgia offered and came after him hard. Head coach Kirby Smart came to Tift County. South Carolina offered, so did Texas A&M and Tennessee. Georgia wanted him to take an official visit. After some consideration, he decided not to go. He was a Gopher.
- Other than Bateman, who can provide the biggest instant impact for Minnesota in 2018?
We've talked a lot on GopherIllustrated about how Minnesota currently doesn't have a quarterback on the roster that's attempted a pass at the collegiate level. With Demry Croft transferred now to Tennessee State and Conor Rhoda graduated, there's a clear opening at quarterback for Minnesota in 2018.
Coach Fleck identified the immediate need, and went out and got the top rated JUCO quarterback in the country in Victor Viramontes.
A former Michigan commit and Cal-Berkley enrollee, Viramontes will give Minnesota a big athleticism boost at quarterback, and fans will see the read option game more prevalent next year. Viramontes will have three years to play three, he'll be on campus next month, and he'll have a great chance to earn a spot as Minnesota's starter.
[video]https://www.hudl.com/video/3/4042376/59cab8f066560b1c3095bca4[/video]
- Which Minnesota commit is going to be the hardest to hold on to?
Truthfully, coach Fleck and staff have already held off most of the schools they need to, with less than 24 hours until NSD.
- PWO QB Zack Annexstad with Pittsburgh among others
- RB Bryce Williams with North Carolina
- WR Rashod Bateman with Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ole Miss and Texas A&M
- WR Jornell Manns with Wisconsin, Iowa State and Pittsburgh
- OL Daniel Faalele with Florida and Georgia
- OL Curtis Dunlap with Florida and Arkansas
- OL Jack York with UCLA, Missouri, Arkansas, Duke and Texas Tech
- OL Grant Norton with Nebraska and Wisconsin
- OL Jason Dickson with Arizona State
- DT Elijah Teague with Michigan State and Oklahoma
- LB Braelen Oliver with Iowa, Duke, Indiana and Georgia Tech
- DB Terell Smith with Indiana, Duke, Louisville and Notre Dame
I don't foresee any decommits at this point, as Minnesota has held off numerous schools already.
- Lastly, where does Minnesota currently sit in the 247Sports Composite Team Recruiting Rankings?
Minnesota currently has the #29 rated class overall, #6 in the Big Ten, and the top class in the Big Ten West.
Yes, ahead of Wisconsin, Northwestern and Iowa among others.
For a five-win Minnesota team in coach Fleck's first real recruiting class, it's been a hell of a start for P.J.
Rashad Bateman is definitely the crown jewel of this class.
Let's hope all twenty-six stick with their commitment and sign tomorrow! Can't wait!
Vicious Vic has a lot of weapons to throw to.
One thing looming in the back of my mind - is there a possibility that Verdis Brown may become a Gopher? Maybe PJ Fleck has something up his sleeves and is waiting for this semester to be over.
Minnesota Gophers football recruiting: Get ready for the college football early signing period with help from GopherIllustrated
Ryan Burns
Get ready, MINNESOTA GOPHERS FOOTBALL RECRUITING FOLLOWERS: The Early Signing Period will change the process as we know it.
Beginning Dec. 20, through Dec. 22, high school prospects can put pen to paper and sign their National Letter of Intent — a rite of passage usually reserved for the first Wednesday of every February.
There’ll still be a traditional National Signing Day on Feb. 7 in 2018, but we expect that after the pre-Christmas, three-day marathon, most programs will have the vast majority of their classes locked in. With so many prospects choosing to enroll early now to get a jump on the competition, we’re already starting to see many uncommitted blue-chippers announce decision dates in that Dec. 20-22 span.
Here’s what you need to know as it relates to GOPHER FOOTBALL RECRUITING with Dec. 20 looming.
- How many commits does Minnesota have and how many are designated as early-signees?
Minnesota currently has 26 verbal commitments that'll become official tomorrow morning. Coach Fleck addressed the evident needs for talent upgrades at quarterback, offensive line and wide receiver in this class. The Gophers will ink the #1 JUCO quarterback in California's Victor Viramontes, and have a PWO QB commit from Zack Annexstad of IMG Academy, who has turned down P5 offers to come play at Minnesota. Both will enroll early at Minnesota. On the offensive line, Minnesota's OL class will top to bottom be the highest rated in the Internet era, led by four-star guard Curtis Dunlap, who will be the highest rated OL commit for Minnesota in the Internet era. At wide receiver, the crown jewel of the class is four-star wide receiver commit Rashod Bateman, of whom, the Gophers held off in-state Georgia, and SEC schools such as Texas A&M, Tennessee, Ole Miss and South Carolina four.
The following recruits will sign tomorrow, and plan on enrolling in January.
Meet Rashod Bateman, thanks to Midwest analyst Allen Trieu.
In late March, the state of Georgia played their championship basketball games.
In Class 7A, the matchup was Tift County against Norcross.
Norcross got off to a fast start. They were up 19-12 with just under four minutes to go in the half when Tift County junior Rashod Bateman came off a pick and threw down an alley-oop over Norcross’ 6-foot-8 senior center. That started a run which allowed the Blue Devils to be within two at the half.
Aided by Bateman’s four three-pointers and 18 points, Tift County came back in the second half to win the title.
Penn State and Virginia Tech offered Bateman basketball scholarships, and that was even before the AAU circuit, but he decided football was the sport he wanted to play. He had a good junior season on the gridiron, and he entered the spring with offers from Georgia State, Tulane, Samford, Coastal Carolina and others in football. High-major programs were eager to see more of him as the athleticism was obvious.
Minnesota was one of those schools. The Gophers loved him on tape, and wanted to get in on him before others had a chance.
A satellite camp at The University of West Georgia where the Minnesota staff would be guest coaches, was the perfect opportunity. If his camp performance confirmed the talent they saw on film, Bateman would have an offer.
He was everything they thought he would be and then some. The Gophers offered on the spot. Bateman jumped on the offer and committed to Fleck and the Gophers, posing for pictures, ironically, with his state championship basketball shirt on.
When he told the staff he would be a Gopher, they celebrated with the vigor of a group that knew they may have just snuck one past the SEC.
Bateman confirmed their excitement as a senior when he caught 83 passes for 1,539 yards and 21 touchdowns.
The SEC caught on. After the season, Georgia offered and came after him hard. Head coach Kirby Smart came to Tift County. South Carolina offered, so did Texas A&M and Tennessee. Georgia wanted him to take an official visit. After some consideration, he decided not to go. He was a Gopher.
- Other than Bateman, who can provide the biggest instant impact for Minnesota in 2018?
We've talked a lot on GopherIllustrated about how Minnesota currently doesn't have a quarterback on the roster that's attempted a pass at the collegiate level. With Demry Croft transferred now to Tennessee State and Conor Rhoda graduated, there's a clear opening at quarterback for Minnesota in 2018.
Coach Fleck identified the immediate need, and went out and got the top rated JUCO quarterback in the country in Victor Viramontes.
A former Michigan commit and Cal-Berkley enrollee, Viramontes will give Minnesota a big athleticism boost at quarterback, and fans will see the read option game more prevalent next year. Viramontes will have three years to play three, he'll be on campus next month, and he'll have a great chance to earn a spot as Minnesota's starter.
[video]https://www.hudl.com/video/3/4042376/59cab8f066560b1c3095bca4[/video]
- Which Minnesota commit is going to be the hardest to hold on to?
Truthfully, coach Fleck and staff have already held off most of the schools they need to, with less than 24 hours until NSD.
- PWO QB Zack Annexstad with Pittsburgh among others
- RB Bryce Williams with North Carolina
- WR Rashod Bateman with Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ole Miss and Texas A&M
- WR Jornell Manns with Wisconsin, Iowa State and Pittsburgh
- OL Daniel Faalele with Florida and Georgia
- OL Curtis Dunlap with Florida and Arkansas
- OL Jack York with UCLA, Missouri, Arkansas, Duke and Texas Tech
- OL Grant Norton with Nebraska and Wisconsin
- OL Jason Dickson with Arizona State
- DT Elijah Teague with Michigan State and Oklahoma
- LB Braelen Oliver with Iowa, Duke, Indiana and Georgia Tech
- DB Terell Smith with Indiana, Duke, Louisville and Notre Dame
I don't foresee any decommits at this point, as Minnesota has held off numerous schools already.
- Lastly, where does Minnesota currently sit in the 247Sports Composite Team Recruiting Rankings?
Minnesota currently has the #29 rated class overall, #6 in the Big Ten, and the top class in the Big Ten West.
Yes, ahead of Wisconsin, Northwestern and Iowa among others.
For a five-win Minnesota team in coach Fleck's first real recruiting class, it's been a hell of a start for P.J.
