Dexter Foreman

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Actually I think a fair number of QB's change positions or go somewhere else when they are not in the top 3 spots, but I don't have numbers to back that up. I know I can remember watching many games where a top receiver will be a converted QB. Right now for the Gophers JD Pride is playing WR and it has already been discussed that Leidner will probably switch to a different position as soon as he shows up on campus.

Looking at Rivals past classes for Minnesota:
2011 - Max Shortell - backup
2010 - Tom Parish - Buried on depth chart
2010 - JD Pride - WR
2009 - Moses Alipate - Buried on depth chart
2008 - Gray - Starter now WR last year
2007 - Clint Brewster - Transfer
2006 - Adam Weber
2005 - Marcel Jones - assume he transfered
2004 - John Carlson - not the TE for the Seahawks don't remember how long he was at U
- Andre Sloan El - tried as a WR assume he transferred
- David Wess - Transfer
- Tony Mortenson - mostly a backup but started some
- Mike Macejowski - backup qb
2003 - Pete Martinson - transfer
2002 - Bryan Cupito - Starter

Thinking back the one name that comes to mind in recent gopher history is Jarod Posthumus who was recruited to play QB but ended up at TE. Derek Rackley was a QB who became a great long snapper for us in the late 90's.
 

From Midwest Preps Recruiting Service-

Awards/Achievements:
2008 HM All-State (AP) Athletic Data:
2008 1st Team All-Lake Conference Height: 6-foot-2
2008 Team MVP Weight: 170 pounds
2008 Career Record Holder - Receptions -80 40 yard: 4.34 (Game Speed)
2008 Single Season Record Holder - 50 Receptions Pro-Agility: 4.29 (MWHS Combine)
2008 Top 10 Senior Prospect (Rivals.com) 3-Cone Shuttle: 7.18 (MWHS Combine)
2008 Preseason Dream Team - StarTribune Vertical: 36" (Game Speed)
2008 Team Captain Position: WR/KR/PR
2007 Large School HM All-State (MNPreps.com)
2007 HM All-Lake Conference Game Speed: Mark Ellis 952-944-7733
2007 Led team Receptions, Yards, TD
 

Engel was a Rivals top 10 at one point. I'm glad he decided to come back here, but I don't think he'll be anything too great.

Marcel Jones drank/fought his way off the team. Johnny Carlson graduated with the team I think. I think by the time he was a senior, they had kind of used him all over the place, but never stuck anywhere. Knew him personally a little bit - good kid.
 

warning...super long Marcel Jones story

KoolAid said:
Engel was a Rivals top 10 at one point. I'm glad he decided to come back here, but I don't think he'll be anything too great.

Marcel Jones drank/fought his way off the team. Johnny Carlson graduated with the team I think. I think by the time he was a senior, they had kind of used him all over the place, but never stuck anywhere. Knew him personally a little bit - good kid.
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Yeah, Carlson moved around from LB to S. He was an athetic kid.

The entire recruitment of Marcel Jones was strange. First, the kid was really not that good. He played for his dad at Simley from when he was in 8th grade. He wasn't ready to play varsity until 10th grade, at the earliest (that was even pushing it). It wasn't the case of a kid who was SUPER talented but just a little small, it looked like a good (not great) 8th grader playing against varsity players. A lot of the Simley kids eventually left the program, seeing it for what it was, a shell for the Randy Jones to try to get his son a scholarship. It is part of the reason why the SSP football program started turning around, a lot of kids right on the border of the two schools...chose SSP. A lot started choosing Rosemount as well (Zach Vraa?).

Fast forward to Marcel's JR and SR seasons. He was a decent player, decent arm (probably D2 caliber arm), somewhat athletic, but by no means was he a Big 10 caliber player. It became a running a joke amongst the coaches of that conference, they'd look at the stats that Randy Jones (the HC and Marcel's dad) would give to the newspapers to print. I remember a coach for one of the schools who I am friends with saying, I read in the newspaper that Jones threw for 305 and ran for 150, funny thing, our stats only have the entire team gaining 275 yards.

So the coach built the entire team around Jones, inflated his stats, and single handedly got Jones a scholarship offer from Mason. It made me come to the conclusion that they really never saw him play.

Jones enrolled at the U, inevitably starts having friction with teammates (maybe he wasn't used to actually having to earn anything), gets into a fight and leaves. He goes JuCo....never plays (why? because he wasn't any good), he then goes to UNI and never plays. The kid was really a Div2 (probably D3) player....tops.

Ironically...the year his son left Simley, Randy Jones quit as coach as well. Weird.
 

play hard said:
He transferred from Winona State. Practiced on Scout team this year and used his red shirt year. Led Div 2 freshmen year with +27 yards per reception. Was a top 10 Rivals and all state player out of Chaska. Runs a 4.3 40 yard with great hands. Was Scout Team player of the week for the Michigan State game. Didn't make Roster since started in Sept once school started and has been practicing this fall.
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I think Engel is fast, but I am not sure there are any real 4.3 receivers in the B1G. That is Rick Upchurch fast, basically full speed in about 5 yards and when you see it you know it. I don't think Harvin can run a real 4.3. Everyone else looks stuck in cement compared to a guy actually running a 4.3. Anybody, who can run a real 4.5 and can get stronger and catch a ball will look pretty fast at receiver on this team. I would believe only Jones on our team now can actually run a 4.5. If Engel can run a 4.5 he is fast.
 


corcoran1 said:
I think Engel is fast, but I am not sure there are any real 4.3 receivers in the B1G. That is Rick Upchurch fast, basically full speed in about 5 yards and when you see it you know it. I don't think Harvin can run a real 4.3. Everyone else looks stuck in cement compared to a guy actually running a 4.3. Anybody, who can run a real 4.5 and can get stronger and catch a ball will look pretty fast at receiver on this team. I would believe only Jones on our team now can actually run a 4.5. If Engel can run a 4.5 he is fast.
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Yeah, there was 1 guy who ran a sub 4.3 at the combine last year, a couple guys at 4.34 and a couple more guys at 4.37.
 

It would be nice if Engel could a 4.3 40. Right now I would be satisfied if someone could catch a ball with any consistency. I thought before the season that McKnight would be able to at times compensate for Gray's inexperience and inadequacies as a qb. That did not happen. It sucks cuz I thought he could get into the league as a mid to late round draft pick, but now I don't see him getting drafted at all.
 


I could still see someone taking a flyer on McKnight in the later rounds based on potential. But I could just as easily see him end up going undrafted which is some cases is a good thing because you can be selective on where you play to a certain degree and can target teams with needs. I think McKnight is the only player in the senior class that has a shot at hearing his name called on draft day.
 



I think Royston has the potential to be a UFA
 

I actually think there will be a couple others who have legitimate chances of making an NFL roster.

I wouldn't be shocked if Gary Tinsley played in the NFL.
Jacobs definitely has a chance.
Outside chance...Bunders
Royston has a chance.
McKnight will absolutely be signed as a FA (at minimum).
 

Forgot about Tinsley. He might be the only other that has an outside shot of hearing his name called. However I totally agree with you that all the guys mentioned above have a shot at making it on an NFL roster through the FA process.

I think you could add Lair and Wynn to that list as well as guys that could potentially make someone's roster. If Stoudermire does not get an extra year he would have a shot at being a special teams guy similar to Marcus Sherels. Heck even a guy like Kirksey has decent size so if he would dedicate himself he could maybe catch on somewhere. My main point is that none of these guys outside of McKnight and maybe Tinsley have any shot at being drafted.
 

play hard said:
From Midwest Preps Recruiting Service-

Awards/Achievements:
2008 HM All-State (AP) Athletic Data:
2008 1st Team All-Lake Conference Height: 6-foot-2
2008 Team MVP Weight: 170 pounds
2008 Career Record Holder - Receptions -80 40 yard: 4.34 (Game Speed)
2008 Single Season Record Holder - 50 Receptions Pro-Agility: 4.29 (MWHS Combine)
2008 Top 10 Senior Prospect (Rivals.com) 3-Cone Shuttle: 7.18 (MWHS Combine)
2008 Preseason Dream Team - StarTribune Vertical: 36" (Game Speed)
2008 Team Captain Position: WR/KR/PR
2007 Large School HM All-State (MNPreps.com)
2007 HM All-Lake Conference Game Speed: Mark Ellis 952-944-7733
2007 Led team Receptions, Yards, TD
Click to expand...

You really need to chill with your man crush on this guy. Let things unfold and we will see how good he is. He has yet to play in a Division 1 game.
 



Fuzzy Rumpton said:
You really need to chill with your man crush on this guy. Let things unfold and we will see how good he is. He has yet to play in a Division 1 game.
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Clearly a family member or close friend of Engel. But, again, I'm not supposed to say anything and just let people pimp their player of interest with unrelenting vigor.
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
Yeah, Carlson moved around from LB to S. He was an athetic kid.

The entire recruitment of Marcel Jones was strange. First, the kid was really not that good. He played for his dad at Simley from when he was in 8th grade. He wasn't ready to play varsity until 10th grade, at the earliest (that was even pushing it). It wasn't the case of a kid who was SUPER talented but just a little small, it looked like a good (not great) 8th grader playing against varsity players. A lot of the Simley kids eventually left the program, seeing it for what it was, a shell for the Randy Jones to try to get his son a scholarship. It is part of the reason why the SSP football program started turning around, a lot of kids right on the border of the two schools...chose SSP. A lot started choosing Rosemount as well (Zach Vraa?).

Fast forward to Marcel's JR and SR seasons. He was a decent player, decent arm (probably D2 caliber arm), somewhat athletic, but by no means was he a Big 10 caliber player. It became a running a joke amongst the coaches of that conference, they'd look at the stats that Randy Jones (the HC and Marcel's dad) would give to the newspapers to print. I remember a coach for one of the schools who I am friends with saying, I read in the newspaper that Jones threw for 305 and ran for 150, funny thing, our stats only have the entire team gaining 275 yards.

So the coach built the entire team around Jones, inflated his stats, and single handedly got Jones a scholarship offer from Mason. It made me come to the conclusion that they really never saw him play.

Jones enrolled at the U, inevitably starts having friction with teammates (maybe he wasn't used to actually having to earn anything), gets into a fight and leaves. He goes JuCo....never plays (why? because he wasn't any good), he then goes to UNI and never plays. The kid was really a Div2 (probably D3) player....tops.

Ironically...the year his son left Simley, Randy Jones quit as coach as well. Weird.
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Oh man, bringing back some memories. I played in that conference and Marcel was maybe the 5th or 6th best QB in the league. They actually had 3 really good running backs, but daddy wanted Marcel to air it out every play. They'd win maybe 3 games every year, that's about it. If he really applied himself, he could have played safety at the D-II level. Too much of a whiny little b*tch though
 

I heard his speed is 4.1, but I heard it was timed orally. "1 thousand one, 1 thousand two..."
 


ncgo4 said:
I heard his speed is 4.1, but I heard it was timed orally. "1 thousand one, 1 thousand two..."
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I heard it was "One thooooooooooooooooooooooousand one. One thooooooooooooooooooousand two. . ."
 

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