RB Zeke Bates commits!

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Per STrib:

Programs offering him scholarships included Power Four conference members Boston College, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest, along with Mid-American Conference schools Akron, Buffalo, Kent State and Toledo.

Bates rushed 83 times for 461 yards and caught seven passes for 78 yards while scoring eight touchdowns as a junior in 2024. He is the ninth player to commit to Minnesota’s 2026 recruiting class.

www.startribune.com

Gophers land commitment from Ezekiel Bates, a running back from Pennsylvania

Boston College, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest were among teams pursuing running back Ezekiel Bates before he committed to the Gophers.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!
 

btowngopher said:
www.si.com

Gophers land first RB commitment in 2026 recruiting class

Ezekiel Bates is the first high school commitment for new RBs coach Jayden Everett.
www.si.com www.si.com

Sounds like he had his junior year cut short by injury, could be keeping him under the radar a bit. Looks like he does everything you’d want a rb to do pretty well.
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Sounds like Shane Marshall last year. Hopefully this one sticks! PJ is good at finding overlooked talent before others
 


BleedGopher said:

Go Gophers!!
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It's wild that we're openly signing paid contracts with players now and yet there's still the wink-wink-nod-nod rule with coaches and acknowledging commitments.

Batman has moved all the way from ROW18 to ROW26. If this keeps up we'll be in the upper deck soon.
 

Just viewed his Junior year highlights on Hudl.

Seems like a PJ-style RB. One cut and go. Never saw him take an arcing, retreating path to get to an edge. Just seek-your-crease and go.

I think there's much he needs to work on, including his physical tools. But his innate sense of how to run is there already. Good addition to the team.
 

From the 26 recruiting thread.


Love taking a shot on a guy like this.
 

touchdownvikings said:
Just viewed his Junior year highlights on Hudl.

Seems like a PJ-style RB. One cut and go. Never saw him take an arcing, retreating path to get to an edge. Just seek-your-crease and go.

I think there's much he needs to work on, including his physical tools. But his innate sense of how to run is there already. Good addition to the team.
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I agree on the physical tools, doesn’t seem to have that 5th gear, and isn’t a beast size wise, but I like his vision and agility and he runs hard. Also displays plus receiving skills. But yeah he seems to fit the Fleck mold. PJ doesn’t seem to worry about speed too much at rb.
 





In track he's run an 11.57 100M and 24.53 200M - definitely not a burner.
 

btowngopher said:
I agree on the physical tools, doesn’t seem to have that 5th gear, and isn’t a beast size wise, but I like his vision and agility and he runs hard. Also displays plus receiving skills. But yeah he seems to fit the Fleck mold. PJ doesn’t seem to worry about speed too much at rb.
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GopherJack said:
Yea, we've never really had any burners at running back with break-away speed.
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Maroney ran a 4.48 at his Pro Day.

Not incredibly fast, but fast enough. That's the range I'd love to see Zeke get to: fast enough that when combined with power, balance and efficient one-cut decision making, he's a real threat to be reckoned with.
 

I can assure you that anyone who can run a 4.54 laser timed 40 is a burner. Last I looked, no back runs 200 meters in the game of football.
 

Jack jones said:
I can assure you that anyone who can run a 4.54 laser timed 40 is a burner. Last I looked, no back runs 200 meters in the game of football.
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Just doesn’t display it on the junior hudl highlights in my opinion.
 



Mo Ibrahim had a 4.52 time in the 40, and he was no burner. I like any offer PJ reels in, but this kid is no burner.
 
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Gophergrandpa said:
Mo Ibrahim had a 4.52 time in the 40, and he was no burner. I like any offer PJ reels in, but this kid is no burners
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I saw the same time from a Google search, i.e., 4.52 -- I think that's was his Pro Day time.

I don't know if you noticed, but between his Junior and Senior year, Mo gained a half-step. He was noticeably faster. Not sure how he did it, but he did.

So this means Zeke is beginning where Mo worked his way to. That's a great start. If Zeke could gain one-half a step, he may just be lightening in a bottle, given his other attributes.

PJ wouldn't have recruited him, if he wasn't a worker and the right kind of person (and, of course, skilled and gifted physically). Zeke will put in even more work than he has to this point and will become dominant.
 

touchdownvikings said:
I saw the same time from a Google search, i.e., 4.52 -- I think that's was his Pro Day time.

I don't know if you noticed, but between his Junior and Senior year, Mo gained a half-step. He was noticeably faster. Not sure how he did it, but he did.

So this means Zeke is beginning where Mo worked his way to. That's a great start. If Zeke could gain one-half a step, he may just be lightening in a bottle, given his other attributes.

PJ wouldn't have recruited him, if he wasn't a worker and the right kind of person (and, of course, skilled and gifted physically). Zeke will put in even more work than he has to this point and will become dominant.
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PJ's successful backs have great vision, instinct, burst and power. This kid might have all that. But rarely have PJ's RBs busted a hole and sprinted 75 yards to a TD, dusting the pursuit. Our backs keep PJ's patient, clock-eating drives alive. Our backs now catch passes and get YAC! Our backs can pass block. Our backs fit the scheme. Current RB star Darius Taylor is no burner either, and all of Gopherland is very happy to have him.
 

Mustang68 said:
In track he's run an 11.57 100M and 24.53 200M - definitely not a burner.
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Those and his 40 time are all sophomore/junior times though too. Still room for improvement.

Anyways he debuts as an 87 on 247!
 

Gophergrandpa said:
PJ's successful backs have great vision, instinct, burst and power. This kid might have all that. But rarely have PJ's RBs busted a hole and sprinted 75 yards to a TD, dusting the pursuit. Our backs keep PJ's patient, clock-eating drives alive. Our backs now catch passes and get YAC! Our backs can pass block. Our backs fit the scheme. Current RB star Darius Taylor is no burner either, and all of Gopherland is very happy to have him.
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That's why I'm excited for Turner. A little bit different type of back than what we're used to. Should be a good change of pace guy to Taylor.
 


Derrick Henry ran a 4.52 and 4.54 at his pro day. Pretty sure he's done ok hitting home runs in the NFL. Bijan Robinson a 4.46 (bring him up for size comp at 5'11", 215#) and hit home runs at Texas and with the Falcons now. A 4.52 is plenty of speed to hit home runs but it's more about how quickly you get through the hole and accelerate than the top end (hence why I'd care a lot more what his shuttle time is than his 40)
 




minnyrules11 said:
Not on the field he wasn't. Nobody thinks Mo is faster than Mar'keise.
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I'd say they are about the same in the home run department. Bucky quicker, Mo stronger, but both bad at the home run.

From NFLdraftbuzzcom:
While Irving's initial burst is impressive, there are concerns about his long-speed endurance, as seen in instances where he's been caught from behind in open-field situations.
 

Best long speed runner Fleck has brought in was probably Bryce Williams. He didn’t have the vision to exploit it often though. Zeke kind of seems like a Rodney Smith clone.
 

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