Interview With Tim Brewster: One of College Football’s Most Accomplished Recruiters

[MNfootballfan]

His first full year recruiting class has just graduated. How many were invited to the combine and drafted in the NFL? ZERO! He supposedly got some talent. However, it appears he was a "star chaser" (like some on this board) and wasn't able to clearly evaluate the talents and shortcomings of these players.

Contrastingly, Mason didn't get the heralded recruits a lot, but clearly was able to get some quality, unheralded players. (I can't believe I just stuck up for Mason.) Time will tell...but it looks like Kill may be able to do the same thing....see 2012 Mr. Irrelevant.

These guys were not drafted or invited to the combine, but if you want to nitpick, this is part of his first class:
Tramaine Brock finished the season on the 49ers active roster
Traye Simmons plays with the Chargers
Simoni Lawrence has been in-and-out of NFL teams and camps, I don't know if he is on or off a roster currently.
Cedric McKinley is on the Patriots roster
That is four players that are in or were in the NFL.
Eric Lair has a tryout with the Packers
DaJon McKnight and Brandon Kirksey has a tryout with the Vikings
By all accounts Gary Tinsley would have had a chance in the NFL with some team

Still in school with legit chances to given a chance in the NFL:
Troy Staudemire - probably a draft pick
Spencer Reeves
Keanon Cooper
Marqueis Gray - not sure on what position, but someone will work him out.
Possibly Xzavian Brandon

 

[OddStack]

Don't lump me in with the Mason lovers; I feel his time was up. The cupboard was bare when he left...zero of Brewster's first year seniors were invited to the combine. Mason left nothing. However, he got more than average lineman and rb's to be big...and they weren't Wacker guys. Brewer, Lehan, Ron Johnson, Karon Riley, Utecht, Reid, Hosack, A. Montgomery, Spaeth, Payne, Decker....all non-OL, non-RB Mason recruits...all played in NFL. (Some were drafted...not sure how many and don't care.)

As for flameouts, Brewster got some of those recruits b/c they were fringe guys to many programs. One thing he was able to sell is immediate playing time.

I know there are some guys in the NFL, but I was speaking to draftees not FA's. If we go that route, Mason is responsible for Lee Campbell, Nate Triplett, and Weber with those guys.

I liked Brewster originally b/c I was anti-Mason at the end; however, Brewster was wwwaayyy out of his league. I agree that he didn't develop squat!!! I also feel he left the cupboard bare. Of those mentioned as a chance at the NFL; Staudemire and maybe Cooper are the only ones that may have a chance for getting drafted at this point.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

I know there are some guys in the NFL, but I was speaking to draftees not FA's. If we go that route, Mason is responsible for Lee Campbell, Nate Triplett, and Weber with those guys.

I liked Brewster originally b/c I was anti-Mason at the end; however, Brewster was wwwaayyy out of his league. I agree that he didn't develop squat!!! I also feel he left the cupboard bare. Of those mentioned as a chance at the NFL; Staudemire and maybe Cooper are the only ones that may have a chance for getting drafted at this point.

I don't disagree with you that he left the cupboard pretty bar and I don't disagree with you that he wasn't succesful developing talent.
I also think Gray has an outside chance of getting drafted. He will be an absolute work out warrior, and I think he'll get a look on the second day of the draft.

That said, my entire point was that the talent level that Brew brought in wasn't that bad. It was how he managed the talent and cultivated their abilities. It still left us in the final perdicament of being a bad football team, but I really believe that the talent was there. The 2008 class is going to have NUMEROUS players who will play in the NFL. It is just a fact. It likely won't have more than 1 or 2 drafted players, but that is partially because of the dysfunction around our program.

Simoni Lawrence will still be competing for an NFL job this year.
McKinley was with the Patriots last year
Simmons was in the NFL last year
Brock has turned into a pretty good football player

Who knows what happens with Cooper, Gray, Royston, Stoud. . .

My guess is that we will see that 7 guys from that 2008 class will have productive NFL Careers. That's not bad for U of MN in terms of overall talent. Brew could not mesh that talent and he was an ultimate failure, but I still think he gets bashed about his recruiting more than is deserved.

 

[Formo]

"There is a belief that if my guy goes with Tim Brewster, he will be there for my guy."

It's awesome how he speaks about himself in the 3rd person.

You didn't even read the entire article, did you? That statement was Brew quoting what he wanted HS coaches to say. Thus, NOT 3rd person (not that there's a problem with 3rd person talking anyway).

 

[John Galt]

These guys were not drafted or invited to the combine, but if you want to nitpick, this is part of his first class:
Tramaine Brock finished the season on the 49ers active roster
Traye Simmons plays with the Chargers
Simoni Lawrence has been in-and-out of NFL teams and camps, I don't know if he is on or off a roster currently.
Cedric McKinley is on the Patriots roster
That is four players that are in or were in the NFL.
Eric Lair has a tryout with the Packers
DaJon McKnight and Brandon Kirksey has a tryout with the Vikings
By all accounts Gary Tinsley would have had a chance in the NFL with some team

Still in school with legit chances to given a chance in the NFL:
Troy Staudemire - probably a draft pick
Spencer Reeves
Keanon Cooper
Marqueis Gray - not sure on what position, but someone will work him out.
Possibly Xzavian Brandon

You're kidding, right?

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

You're kidding, right?

I couldn't figure that one out either, the only things that I could think were:

He meant Brandon Green (both WRs, both have "Brandon" in their name)

or

He confused him with Broderick Smith (another Brew WR who left. I know X. Brandon didn't leave, but, I don't know).

 

[FanSinceTheFifties]

Can anyone direct me to a table or other data source showing the outcome of each of Brewster's UM recruits? Curious about the experience each got at the U and what impact they each had on the community. Anything like this out there?

 

[MNfootballfan]

You're kidding, right?

Your'e right - I stand corrected! I am embarrassed for myself. That was 'my bad'. I meant Brandon Green - got the wrong Brandon.

Side not to Bob: Where did Broderick Smith ever end up playing? K-State? I thought he was going to be a stud...