ESPN: Jalen Myrick ready to run with chance to be Minnesota's top cornerback

[BleedGopher]

per ESPN:

Myrick is easily the fastest guy on the roster, and he could outrun both Murray and Boddy-Calhoun. Those guys both posted sub-4.5 times in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine.

It was that speed that got him to Minnesota, along with an assist from Tubby Smith. A family friend lived in Minneapolis and knew Smith, and he handed the Gophers' head basketball coach at the time Myrick's high school highlight tape. Smith brought the tape down to the football office.

"You could see it on the video -- the guy can really, really run," Sawvel said. "You just look at it and go, 'OK, if you can get a guy with that kind of speed and talent, let’s go. Some of the rest of it doesn't matter.'"

Sawvel says Myrick already has the playmaking skill of Boddy-Calhoun, who tied for second in the Big Ten with five interceptions in 2014. What Sawvel would like to see from Myrick now is the day-to-day, play-to-play consistency and all-around ability that Murray brought to the table.

Sawvel wishes the staff would have redshirted Myrick as a freshman instead of forcing him into limited action. That and last season's injury might have slowed his development some. But at a program that has steadily produced NFL-caliber defensive backs in recent years, Myrick has the potential to be the next standout.

"His talent is big," Sawvel said. "Now he just needs the technical skills to match the talent."

If that happens, the Gophers won't miss a beat despite losing two NFL cornerbacks.

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post...n-with-chance-to-be-minnesotas-top-cornerback

Go Gophers!!

 

[die hard gopher]

I had no idea Tubby was involved in his recruitment, very interesting. I though he was playing better than BBC before his injury and was nearly on par with Murray. Skies the limit for him. Hopefully he can run a sub 4.4 at the combine.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Here's hoping he has a great year because we have all seen how tough it can be to replace great corners. No doubt that Myrick is the key to the secondary staying close to as good as it has been in recent years, even with the guys that are departing.

 

[hungan1]

Here's hoping he has a great year because we have all seen how tough it can be to replace great corners. No doubt that Myrick is the key to the secondary staying close to as good as it has been in recent years, even with the guys that are departing.

The Gophers have a reputation of churning out NFL caliber secondary to keep up with. The more the merrier, let's keep the pipeline going.

I'd be extremely happy to see BBC & Murray drafted. Add the other guys and that will be big bonus.

 

[MNVCGUY]

The Gophers have a reputation of churning out NFL caliber secondary to keep up with. The more the merrier, let's keep the pipeline going.

I'd be extremely happy to see BBC & Murray drafted. Add the other guys and that will be big bonus.

If I am totally missing the sarcasm I apologize but not sure we have any sort of reputation with the NFL for producing secondary players. Maybe starting one with the two guys this year potentially....

In terms of active players - Vereen and Thompson are both on practice squads and the one successful guy in the NFL right now is Marcus Sherels who is known far more for his play on special teams as a returner then he is as a DB.

We have put a few other DB's in the league with guys like TC, but again nothing there that would qualify as having a reputation for producing NFL caliber DB's.