Official 2021 Gophers Football Recruiting Updates Thread: Links, Tweets, Videos etc

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PitinoFan said:
Athan’s dad beating down a Kansas fan.

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I am sure it happens to some degree in most classes but love the obvious connections we are seeing being formed between recruits and families for the 2021 class. No guarantees in anything but would think the more connected the players and families are the more likely it is that the kid stays committed and signs on the dotted line when signing day rolls around.

Maybe wasn't paying attention but don't recall seeing some of this same level of connection between the 2020 guys. But I remember back in 2016 there was a lot made about how tight that group of players was during the recruiting process (granted most of the high profile guys that year were from in-state).
 

Little write up on the B1G schools and where they currently rank nationally. Looks like Greg Sciano having an impact already. Poor Illinios. B1G West represented well with WI, MN and Iowa.
michigan.rivals.com

Breaking Down The 2021 Big Ten Recruiting Classes, & Where U-M's Stacks Up

Michigan's recruiting class ranks No. 6 nationally and No. 2 in the Big Ten, & already contains five Rivals250 players.
michigan.rivals.com michigan.rivals.com
 





per Shama:

The Gophers’ 2021 recruiting class has moved up to No. 18 in the latest 247Sports national rankings after the recent verbal commitment of four-star cornerback Steven Ortiz Jr. from Goodyear, Arizona. Minnesota beat out prominent programs for Ortiz, including Penn State, Oregon and Washington, according to an online story last Thursday from the Arizona Republic.

“I love the energy of the coaching staff,” Ortiz said in the article. “It’s a program on the rise.”


Go Gophers!!
 




Irving is an absolute beast. I'd like to see him here.
 

per Greder:

“I want to choose my own path,” Ortiz told the Pioneer Press. “I don’t want to go somewhere because all my boys are there. I don’t want to go somewhere because it’s a White Out. I want to choose my own future.”

Ortiz, a two-time Class 4A all-state player at Desert Edge High School in the Phoenix suburb of Goodyear, knows the stars next to his name carry expectations.

“It motivates me,” said Ortiz, who plans to enroll at the U next January. “It lets me know I have a target on my back and the coaches expect a lot from me, so I’m just trying to get on their good side about grinding and getting my head in the playbook early and pretty much work for everything.”

Ortiz became a starting safety at the beginning of his freshman season in high school, moved to cornerback as a sophomore, and as a junior last fall, he returned to safety and mixed in time at nickel back. He said Gophers coaches want him to play nickel at the U.

“He has some of that DB swagger to him,” former Desert Edge head coach Jose Lucero said. “… He works extremely hard. He is never going to miss a weight-room day, never going to skip a rep. He is always going to give everything he has.”

www.twincities.com

Gophers football’s top 2021 recruit Steven Ortiz has ‘swagger’ and savvy

Arizona high school defensive back Steven Ortiz had ample reasons to pledge to perennial top programs Penn State or Washington during his recruiting process. Ortiz visited Happy Valley when more th…
www.twincities.com www.twincities.com

Go Gophers!!
 

BleedGopher said:
per Greder:

“I want to choose my own path,” Ortiz told the Pioneer Press. “I don’t want to go somewhere because all my boys are there. I don’t want to go somewhere because it’s a White Out. I want to choose my own future.”

Ortiz, a two-time Class 4A all-state player at Desert Edge High School in the Phoenix suburb of Goodyear, knows the stars next to his name carry expectations.

“It motivates me,” said Ortiz, who plans to enroll at the U next January. “It lets me know I have a target on my back and the coaches expect a lot from me, so I’m just trying to get on their good side about grinding and getting my head in the playbook early and pretty much work for everything.”

Ortiz became a starting safety at the beginning of his freshman season in high school, moved to cornerback as a sophomore, and as a junior last fall, he returned to safety and mixed in time at nickel back. He said Gophers coaches want him to play nickel at the U.

“He has some of that DB swagger to him,” former Desert Edge head coach Jose Lucero said. “… He works extremely hard. He is never going to miss a weight-room day, never going to skip a rep. He is always going to give everything he has.”

www.twincities.com

Gophers football’s top 2021 recruit Steven Ortiz has ‘swagger’ and savvy

Arizona high school defensive back Steven Ortiz had ample reasons to pledge to perennial top programs Penn State or Washington during his recruiting process. Ortiz visited Happy Valley when more th…
www.twincities.com www.twincities.com

Go Gophers!!
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Hmmm. Can't help but think that "White Out" comment is about Penn State - who was one of his final 5. They must really push the whole White Out thing hard in recruiting. Love it even more that we got him!
 




Do we have a legit shot at Avante Dickerson? Or is he a heavy Nebraska lean. Would be quite the secondary class if he jumped on board.
 


btowngopher said:
Do we have a legit shot at Avante Dickerson? Or is he a heavy Nebraska lean. Would be quite the secondary class if he jumped on board.
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I did see him Tweeting on Ortiz's commitment announcement, so he is at least connected with some of our recruits
 

"I like Minnesota. They’re a upcoming team that’s going to be running the game in a few years." Dickerson
 



btowngopher said:
I agree. Unfortunately it doesn't seem that we are in on many at this point.
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I never worry much about stars/rankings for OL recruits. Seems to be the position w/ the lowest correlation between recruit rankings & actual production. Likely just a very difficult position to evaluate at the HS level.
 


skiumah1 said:
Avante Dickerson now #1 on the high choice board with warm interest. Gophers...trending...

247sports.com

Minnesota 2021 Football Prospects

Minnesota
247sports.com 247sports.com
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He’d be another game changer. He’s obviously a skilled DB, but I also like what I see then he has the ball in his hands, either after a int or on offense. This is the type of recruit that usually doesn’t even give us a look.
 

salzie said:
Decent article. I too would like to see us get some high rated OL in pipeline.
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Would love to lock up Cameron James, we had a crystal ball for him a few months ago and seemed to be getting some traction, but haven't really heard anything since then. Wonder if actually seeing the campus is a big deal for him as he's tried to visit twice and had them both canceled.
 

Possumlad said:
I never worry much about stars/rankings for OL recruits. Seems to be the position w/ the lowest correlation between recruit rankings & actual production. Likely just a very difficult position to evaluate at the HS level.
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John Michael Schmidt and Sam Schlueter are good examples of bringing in 3-Star Offensive Linemen and turning them in to 4-Stars IMO.

247sports.com

John Michael Schmitz, New York Giants, Offensive Line

John Schmitz is a 6-4, 260-pound Offensive Guard from Flossmoor, IL. He has committed to Minnesota.
247sports.com 247sports.com

There is a lot more hype with 4-Star Offensive Linemen out of HS because they are few and far in between. Some are as advertised. But, you will find a lot of great developing under rated OLs in almost every roster.
 

Flecknation said:
Can already tell he's gonna be a team leader.
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"Four-star Arizona defensive Steven Ortiz hasn't even been committed a week yet, and he's been incredibly active on the recruiting trail. It also isn't just him, but he's also getting an assist from Mom and Dad too.

Now, Ortiz has requested that he works in silence as he doesn't want the names out there that he's pursuing, but he's doing his part in trying back up his statement of making 2021 that best recruiting class in the history of Minnesota. "
 



D'marion Alexander committing on his bday (April 22nd). Would be a solid get. I love his size.


His comments on his Final 4 schools make me think he is a Gopher in a week. (free article so felt it was OK to copy paste the below)

Minnesota: I’ve already talked to like the whole staff, and they all bring a different type of energy. If you’ve watched me play, I always bring energy. So that’s a big deal to me! They plan to use me as an outside linebacker or edge rusher, it’s like a hybrid position. I think it’s a great plan. Minnesota's program is moving in the right direction.

TCU: It’s close to home, I’ve been talking to the coaches for a little minute now, and I have a tight relationship with most of the staff now.

Texas Tech: Same thing with TCU, just a little bit farther away from home.

Kansas: Great coaching staff, lead by the greatest, Les Miles. They’re a bit similar to Minnesota in my opinion.
 

UpAndUnder43 said:
D'marion Alexander committing on his bday (April 22nd). Would be a solid get. I love his size.


His comments on his Final 4 schools make me think he is a Gopher in a week. (free article so felt it was OK to copy paste the below)

Minnesota: I’ve already talked to like the whole staff, and they all bring a different type of energy. If you’ve watched me play, I always bring energy. So that’s a big deal to me! They plan to use me as an outside linebacker or edge rusher, it’s like a hybrid position. I think it’s a great plan. Minnesota's program is moving in the right direction.

TCU: It’s close to home, I’ve been talking to the coaches for a little minute now, and I have a tight relationship with most of the staff now.

Texas Tech: Same thing with TCU, just a little bit farther away from home.

Kansas: Great coaching staff, lead by the greatest, Les Miles. They’re a bit similar to Minnesota in my opinion.
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who performed the interview? Because yeah it sounds MN likely but if it was a MN reporter, most of these articles tend to take that kind of a slant
 

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