Gophers receive commitments from Cole Kramer and Jason Williamson

[Heracles]

I didn't know a whole lot about Kramer. I get that the level of competition is much different, but I came away much more impressed with his arm and athletic ability than Annexstad after watching highlights. 247 has Annexstad rated at 86, and Kramer rated at 82.

Who knows how they justify that, and I'm obviously a total amateur, but I would expect Kramer's rating to increase if they're objective in their decisions.

 

[mkAz]

I didn't know a whole lot about Kramer. I get that the level of competition is much different, but I came away much more impressed with his arm and athletic ability than Annexstad after watching highlights. 247 has Annexstad rated at 86, and Kramer rated at 82.

Who knows how they justify that, and I'm obviously a total amateur, but I would expect Kramer's rating to increase if they're objective in their decisions.

It may have something to do with Kramer's size, 247 lists him at 6'1, 180.

 

[MinnesotaNice]

Both Kramer and Annexstad are accurate passers with seemingly solid mechanics and decision making. Where they seem to lack versus higher rated prospects is arm strength. Bachmeier has a little more giddy up on his throws. That can make a big difference when trying to fit a tight window or complete a 15 yard out route to the wide side of the field against Big 10 defenders.

 

[Heracles]

Both Kramer and Annexstad are accurate passers with seemingly solid mechanics and decision making. Where they seem to lack versus higher rated prospects is arm strength. Bachmeier has a little more giddy up on his throws. That can make a big difference when trying to fit a tight window or complete a 15 yard out route to the wide side of the field against Big 10 defenders.

I thought that Kramer had more zip on his throws than Annexstad. Also, Kramer has one more year of working out/camping/practicing/etc in high school. I would expect it to improve before the end of his senior year.

Intangibles are a whole different thing. Annexstad has proven he can compete against elite competition, but it also helps when you have 5 kids with Alabama, etc offers blocking for you, and a mess of elite playmakers around you. So, who really knows. Not sure the competition disparity can really be weighted that heavily.

 

[WHB Brewer]

Both Kramer and Annexstad are accurate passers with seemingly solid mechanics and decision making. Where they seem to lack versus higher rated prospects is arm strength. Bachmeier has a little more giddy up on his throws. That can make a big difference when trying to fit a tight window or complete a 15 yard out route to the wide side of the field against Big 10 defenders.

Who cares about arm strength for 15yd out routes? How often is that really needed?

Give me a guy who can lead, read a defense and deliver the ball where it needs to be on time. Don't require a rocket arm.


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[Gopherguy0723]

Close the border, and get Benhart and Carroll. We'd have a heck of an O-line.

 

[Vandy]

Who cares about arm strength for 15yd out routes? How often is that really needed?

Give me a guy who can lead, read a defense and deliver the ball where it needs to be on time. Don't require a rocket arm.


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Delivering the ball on time often requires velocity. Many, MANY passes made this season by our quarterbacks arrived at the receiver far too late, allowing the defender to close on the play, and IF the pass completed....very few or NO yards were gained after the catch.

Getting the ball there quicker and allowing the receiver to gain yards after the catch is awfully important.

VV's video highlights show that he had pretty good velocity well into intermediate distance throws..

 

[MinnesotaNice]

Who cares about arm strength for 15yd out routes? How often is that really needed?

Give me a guy who can lead, read a defense and deliver the ball where it needs to be on time. Don't require a rocket arm.


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If a QB lacks arm strength to make certain throws, it makes the defensive play calling a lot easier and allows defenders an extra half second to recover when they get beat. On the other hand, a QB with a "rocket arm" may have an extra half second to do the things you mentioned like read the defense or get the ball to a WR on time. You end up with a special QB when they can do it all.

 

[Buck_Buchanan]

Let's not forget one Mr. Jay Carroll

Jay is from Winona. Jay played his football at Winona Cotter, they were a member of the Mississippi Valley Conference and later the Don Bosco.
Great player as well but don't believe he played in Big 9.

 

[Buck_Buchanan]

I thought that Kramer had more zip on his throws than Annexstad. Also, Kramer has one more year of working out/camping/practicing/etc in high school. I would expect it to improve before the end of his senior year.

Intangibles are a whole different thing. Annexstad has proven he can compete against elite competition, but it also helps when you have 5 kids with Alabama, etc offers blocking for you, and a mess of elite playmakers around you. So, who really knows. Not sure the competition disparity can really be weighted that heavily.

Lining up across kids (opponents) with multiple offers from P5 schools and playing a National Schedule helps one grade talent as well. IMG and their opponents are on another level than our HS football teams whether 6A, Metro, or Outstate. Those teams would absolutely destroy any MN team. Whether IMG or their Opponents.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Delivering the ball on time often requires velocity. Many, MANY passes made this season by our quarterbacks arrived at the receiver far too late, allowing the defender to close on the play, and IF the pass completed....very few or NO yards were gained after the catch.

Getting the ball there quicker and allowing the receiver to gain yards after the catch is awfully important.

VV's video highlights show that he had pretty good velocity well into intermediate distance throws..

Yeah, people hear arm strength and immediately equate that to distance. Having a QB that can truly zip a ball into a tight window is huge and something we have not really had for a long time around here.

 

[MplsGopher]

Close the border, and get Benhart and Carroll. We'd have a heck of an O-line.

One thing about that though, the Gophersports.com roster now lists TWELVE (12) offensive linemen who were either true freshman this year (RFr on roster) or are incoming true freshman (Fr on roster). Granted, I realize not all of these guys are scholarship.

With the number of P5 offers that Benhart and Carroll have/are going to have, they're going to want to go to a situation where they can start for 3+ years.


Sometimes, you can be a victim of your own success ...

 

[Off-GridTNgopher]

One thing about that though, the Gophersports.com roster now lists TWELVE (12) offensive linemen who were either true freshman this year (RFr on roster) or are incoming true freshman (Fr on roster). Granted, I realize not all of these guys are scholarship.

With the number of P5 offers that Benhart and Carroll have/are going to have, they're going to want to go to a situation where they can start for 3+ years.


Sometimes, you can be a victim of your own success ...

All the top schools who have offed Carroll have brought in prospects on the same level as him. No guarantee he will play 3+ years anywhere

 

[MplsGopher]

All the top schools who have offed Carroll have brought in prospects on the same level as him. No guarantee he will play 3+ years anywhere

Of course no guarantee. But that wasn't at all the point.

The point is the sheer number of OL we've brought into the program this year and last year.


If they come to Minnesota, for example, they could sit behind Andries and Sassack, then sit behind Faalele and Norton, and then finally be starters ... for one year as 5th year seniors.

 

[goofinSF]

Of course no guarantee. But that wasn't at all the point.

The point is the sheer number of OL we've brought into the program this year and last year.


If they come to Minnesota, for example, they could sit behind Andries and Sassack, then sit behind Faalele and Norton, and then finally be starters ... for one year as 5th year seniors.

How is that different from any top program?


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[dlw4gophers]

Jay is from Winona. Jay played his football at Winona Cotter, they were a member of the Mississippi Valley Conference and later the Don Bosco.
Great player as well but don't believe he played in Big 9.

Yes I knew that. But from Big 9 territory, just chose to play at Cotter instead of WHS. This is why ND could be a issue.

 

[MplsGopher]

How is that different from any top program?

The number

 

[Gopherguy0723]

One thing about that though, the Gophersports.com roster now lists TWELVE (12) offensive linemen who were either true freshman this year (RFr on roster) or are incoming true freshman (Fr on roster). Granted, I realize not all of these guys are scholarship.

With the number of P5 offers that Benhart and Carroll have/are going to have, they're going to want to go to a situation where they can start for 3+ years.


Sometimes, you can be a victim of your own success ...

Guys will move around the line if they're blocked at tackle. We'll put the best out there. Plus, most lineman redshirt. I would not worry.

 

[goofinSF]

The number

Wherever they go competition will be stiff - helmet schools reload every year. Your line of thinking here is foolish.


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[diehard]

Guys will move around the line if they're blocked at tackle. We'll put the best out there. Plus, most lineman redshirt. I would not worry.

You need a number of OL that are starter quality and ready to play. You will always go through some playing a B1G schedule. It's tough in the trenches.

 

[MplsGopher]

Guys will move around the line if they're blocked at tackle. We'll put the best out there. Plus, most lineman redshirt. I would not worry.

No, guys who are that tall are tackles. They would fair poorly on the interior. It has nothing to do with skill or athletic ability, etc. It's purely about leverage and body type.


I'm not making any kind of guarantee or declaration that they will or won't choose Minnesota. I'm merely saying that it will factor into their decision the sheer number of guys we have on the roster, at the moment, who are only a year or two ahead of them.

 

[MplsGopher]

Wherever they go competition will be stiff

Didn't say anything to the contrary.

In fact, you're just making a strawman argument, either because you don't comprehend what I'm saying, or you're desperately reaching for some reason to believe that Minnesota is and should be the unquestioned front-runner for both.


Again, I'm not making any declarative guarantee that Minnesota is out of the race. I'm simply making an observation about how many OL we have taken this year and last year, and how that probably will be a factor in Carroll and Benhart's decision. At least, it should be a factor. If they want to blindly sign with the Gophers due to home state pride and try to beat all the older guys out from day one, then by all means they should do that.

 

[ncgo4]

I get your point, Mpls, but how many 3+ OL have OSU, Mi, ALA, etc signed compared to Mn? Without this number your argument is kinda hollow.

 

[die hard gopher]

No, guys who are that tall are tackles. They would fair poorly on the interior. It has nothing to do with skill or athletic ability, etc. It's purely about leverage and body type.


I'm not making any kind of guarantee or declaration that they will or won't choose Minnesota. I'm merely saying that it will factor into their decision the sheer number of guys we have on the roster, at the moment, who are only a year or two ahead of them.

Quinn is not too tall to play on the interior. Benhart probably is though.


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[MplsGopher]

Quinn is not too tall to play on the interior. Benhart probably is though.

I was wrong, thank you. I thought they were both in the 6-8/6-9 range.

247 lists Carroll at 6-6, and Benhart at 6-7.


In my opinion:
6-4 and under is solidly interior
6-7 and taller is solidly tackle
6-5, can play tackle well, but more likely interior
6-6, can play interior well, but more likely tackle

 

[die hard gopher]

I was wrong, thank you. I thought they were both in the 6-8/6-9 range.

247 lists Carroll at 6-6, and Benhart at 6-7.


In my opinion:
6-4 and under is solidly interior
6-7 and taller is solidly tackle
6-5, can play tackle well, but more likely interior
6-6, can play interior well, but more likely tackle

Agree with this.

Unless they are 6-7/6-8 and 350 pounds and not very athletic, those guys usually start out on the interior, but otherwise that looks right.


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[MplsGopher]

The problem with playing basketball centers on the interior is that they're going against 6-1/6-2 3xx lbs, extremely powerful interior DL, whose center of gravity and center of force are much lower. It's a really touch task to ask a 6-8 guy to bend his knees that much, to get that low, and still maintain powerful technique against a bull rush or a quick move.

Also tougher for a QB to see over those tall trees!

 

[hungan1]

Honestly, it's a bit of a relief to see a Gopher QB commit that can throw the football well. Beyond just that, from his highlights anyway, it appears that this kid has a pretty good sense for throwing on the run, which could be a huge plus and something we haven't seen much of around here for some time.

He's a legacy player the type that can play that PJ Fleck is after.

Based on his highlights without knowing the competition, he has good QB IQ and has good throwing arm. If he develops at the college level he'll be quite a challenge against defenses.

There is no mistaking he is an exciting talent to watch.

 

[hungan1]

Jason Williamson really put up some eye popping numbers.

<iframe src='//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/5508771/5a1ce43c0427b90f3099a492' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreen></iframe>

Amazing athlete who performs really well against HS competition. Hard to tell where to project him or his development with the Gophers. Everyone is better, or stronger, or faster in college than in HS.

Like Drew Hmielewski, we won't know for sure how he holds up until his junior or senior year.

I am not worried. He has all the tools to do wonders under the Gopher developmental program.

 

[goofinSF]

Didn't say anything to the contrary.

In fact, you're just making a strawman argument, either because you don't comprehend what I'm saying, or you're desperately reaching for some reason to believe that Minnesota is and should be the unquestioned front-runner for both.


Again, I'm not making any declarative guarantee that Minnesota is out of the race. I'm simply making an observation about how many OL we have taken this year and last year, and how that probably will be a factor in Carroll and Benhart's decision. At least, it should be a factor. If they want to blindly sign with the Gophers due to home state pride and try to beat all the older guys out from day one, then by all means they should do that.

I get what you’re saying and I think it’s foolish. I don’t think the gophers are or should be the front runner - a lot of this comes down to relationships and where a particular player feels comfortable spending 4 years developing. I will never fault a kid for choosing a helmet school over the UofM. It’s a hellva ride playing for a top program.

My point is that a top level player will be dealing with competition and top talent no matter where they go, more so at helmet schools. Look at the commit list for Notre Dame or OSU for Oline - you’re really going to tell me that the Gophers have the type of talent that will deter a top recruit but other helmet schools don’t?


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