Official 2022 Gophers Football Recruiting Thread: Links, Tweets, Videos, Rumors

[MNVCGUY]

I think there is talent. EP has come back to the crowd and urban sprawl has created some new good programs. Players are no longer coming from 1-4 programs, but found all over the state.

I think there are two different discussions. There is talent in the state but most years the talent pool is really shallow. 2016 was an example of a rare year where the total talent pool in Minnesota was pretty deep but most years there are a couple guys that are legit D1 prospects and the rest are lower level D1 and down guys. The tough part about evaluating Minnesota kids is that the overall competition is so weak that it is tough to know just how good a top athlete is because he faces so few other top athletes.

Take a guy like Riley Mahlman. How many D1 caliber defensive lineman has he gone against in his career, my guess is very very few. And he plays for a team that doesn't pass so scouts are making their judgement on him almost entirely on his build because frankly there is really no way to know how he will fare against skilled defensive lineman.

In terms of the overall programs there are very few truly great teams in Minnesota. EP flashes at times but even those great EP teams probably would have gotten crushed by top teams from other states. Someone else commented on this but the 2020 Rosemount team would have had a shot to go for the state title had there been a traditional tournament. Great for them but that team was not loaded with talent. The fact that a team with no QB, 1 solid RB, and a good defense would have been good enough to contend for the state title tells you that there is just not that much strong competition in the state.

 

[Some guy]

I’m not talking about recruiting classes either. I don’t see much difference between the depth of talent this year compared to some of the classes 5-10 years ago. Maybe the depth of quality teams is worse, but I don’t follow that very close.

The state championship teams from 8-15 years ago would dominate the state championship teams from the last couple of years IMO

I have no data to back this up. Just my opinion.

 

[MplsGopher]

The metro football landscape is confusing with the 6 classes and what not. For the South metro Rosemount, Lakeville North, Lakeville South, Burnsville, Eagan, Eastview, Farmington and I think maybe Shakopee are all grouped together.

In terms of those football programs, Rosemount has had a pretty long run of success, Eastview and Eagan are really struggling. I know numbers across the board are way down but Eastview and Eagan are really struggling to get players. Those are big schools with football programs that struggle to get over 50 kids on the roster. South and North have both had some decent success in recent years. Farmington has improved in recent years and is growing as is Shakopee.

Do you think top kids that would normally be in the Eastview and Eagan (and AV, for that matter) attendance boundaries, open enroll to other schools to play for better programs?

I'm wild guessing that happens all over the metro, to some extent.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Do you think top kids that would normally be in the Eastview and Eagan (and AV, for that matter) attendance boundaries, open enroll to other schools to play for better programs?

I'm wild guessing that happens all over the metro, to some extent.

Have no data to back this up but feel like that happens way more in basketball then it does in football at the high school level. But with open enrollment as common as it is, it is really tough to know for sure what the motivation was behind the decision.

 

[MplsGopher]

Have no data to back this up but feel like that happens way more in basketball then it does in football at the high school level. But with open enrollment as common as it is, it is really tough to know for sure what the motivation was behind the decision.

As you said, these are large, metro public high schools. Unless, for example, they have a much higher percentage of kids who are socioeconomically/ethnically outside the "typical" for whom participates in football, it wouldn't make sense for them to have far fewer kids out for football than schools in Lakeville, for no reason.

Eagan, I don't think has ever been good at football? Eastview has had its times though? AV, maybe now that they can play 5A they're more competitive, similar to a Coon Rapids or Hopkins situation?

 

[MaxyJR1]

I think there are two different discussions. There is talent in the state but most years the talent pool is really shallow. 2016 was an example of a rare year where the total talent pool in Minnesota was pretty deep but most years there are a couple guys that are legit D1 prospects and the rest are lower level D1 and down guys. The tough part about evaluating Minnesota kids is that the overall competition is so weak that it is tough to know just how good a top athlete is because he faces so few other top athletes.

Take a guy like Riley Mahlman. How many D1 caliber defensive lineman has he gone against in his career, my guess is very very few. And he plays for a team that doesn't pass so scouts are making their judgement on him almost entirely on his build because frankly there is really no way to know how he will fare against skilled defensive lineman.

In terms of the overall programs there are very few truly great teams in Minnesota. EP flashes at times but even those great EP teams probably would have gotten crushed by top teams from other states. Someone else commented on this but the 2020 Rosemount team would have had a shot to go for the state title had there been a traditional tournament. Great for them but that team was not loaded with talent. The fact that a team with no QB, 1 solid RB, and a good defense would have been good enough to contend for the state title tells you that there is just not that much strong competition in the state.

2016 is a little skewed because of the impact the class had on the Gophers. Looking back MN puts out about 10 P5 players per year.
Is that much different than 15 years ago? I think It’s probably higher now.

 

[MNVCGUY]

2016 is a little skewed because of the impact the class had on the Gophers. Looking back MN puts out about 10 P5 players per year.
Is that much different than 15 years ago? I think It’s probably higher now.

I think the number of P5 level players coming out of Minnesota is higher now on average than it was 15 years ago but I don't think you can realistically count on there being 10 players a year that are P5 level from this state.

Doing a quick glance at Minnesota hometown recruits over the years on 247 shows 2016 and 2021 as being deeper years in terms of the number of players that signed P5 offers than most. Many years the number of P5 level players is much closer to 5 than it is to 10. And some years it doesn't even get to 5.

Overall, the talent pool in the state may have gotten a little deeper in recent years, but it is still a really really shallow pool. Which underscores the need for a successful coach here to be able to pull in most of their talent from outside the boarders of the state.

 

[Some guy]

Have no data to back this up but feel like that happens way more in basketball then it does in football at the high school level. But with open enrollment as common as it is, it is really tough to know for sure what the motivation was behind the decision.

Football harder to see because in Minnesota 6a football very few sophomores play varsity.

the transferring happens before they are in Hs

 

[State of Football]

The state championship teams from 8-15 years ago would dominate the state championship teams from the last couple of years IMO

I have no data to back this up. Just my opinion.

In 2007, 6A football was definitely better and stronger. It was still 5A at that time but you had more than 10 high profile D1 kids in one game. Michael Floyd, Adam Weber, Maurice Turner, Billy Turner, Brandon Hoey, ? Binns, and others I cannot recall. Neither of those teams won it that year. Lack of athletes playing is catching up to our talent level in MN unfortunately.

 

[MplsGopher]

In 2007, 6A football was definitely better and stronger. It was still 5A at that time but you had more than 10 high profile D1 kids in one game. Michael Floyd, Adam Weber, Maurice Turner, Billy Turner, Brandon Hoey, ? Binns, and others I cannot recall. Neither of those teams won it that year. Lack of athletes playing is catching up to our talent level in MN unfortunately.

Billy Turner was high profile DI? He went to NDSU.

 

[spermophilus]

In 2007, 6A football was definitely better and stronger. It was still 5A at that time but you had more than 10 high profile D1 kids in one game. Michael Floyd, Adam Weber, Maurice Turner, Billy Turner, Brandon Hoey, ? Binns, and others I cannot recall. Neither of those teams won it that year. Lack of athletes playing is catching up to our talent level in MN unfortunately.

Speaking of Turner, I think Jason Pierre-Paul just blew past him again. What an ass-whipping. Yikes.

 

[MaxyJR1]

Football harder to see because in Minnesota 6a football very few sophomores play varsity.

the transferring happens before they are in Hs

There are a lot of High Schools that don’t even have 10th grade teams anymore. 9th, JV and Varsity. Sophomores are playing JV and dressing g FG or varsity. If you’re a D1 prospect you are playing varsity as a sophomore.

 

[Some guy]

There are a lot of High Schools that don’t even have 10th grade teams anymore. 9th, JV and Varsity. Sophomores are playing JV and dressing g FG or varsity. If you’re a D1 prospect you are playing varsity as a sophomore.

So all 12 of them per year in the entire state?

 

[btowngopher]

I think the number of P5 level players coming out of Minnesota is higher now on average than it was 15 years ago but I don't think you can realistically count on there being 10 players a year that are P5 level from this state.

Doing a quick glance at Minnesota hometown recruits over the years on 247 shows 2016 and 2021 as being deeper years in terms of the number of players that signed P5 offers than most. Many years the number of P5 level players is much closer to 5 than it is to 10. And some years it doesn't even get to 5.

Overall, the talent pool in the state may have gotten a little deeper in recent years, but it is still a really really shallow pool. Which underscores the need for a successful coach here to be able to pull in most of their talent from outside the boarders of the state.

I think you can rely on there being at least 10 P5 level players a year. The trick though is identifying them. There won’t always be ten with P5 offers, but some of those over looked guys will end up proving they were good enough at places at NDSU.

 

[btowngopher]

In 2007, 6A football was definitely better and stronger. It was still 5A at that time but you had more than 10 high profile D1 kids in one game. Michael Floyd, Adam Weber, Maurice Turner, Billy Turner, Brandon Hoey, ? Binns, and others I cannot recall. Neither of those teams won it that year. Lack of athletes playing is catching up to our talent level in MN unfortunately.

Who is Maurice Turner? Floyd was the only four star out of those guys.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

For better or worse, you can only evaluate a HS FB player based on how he performs against his opposition.

In MN, that means when you have a standout player, he might look better in comparison to the level of competition. A player with similar skills in FLA or TX would not stand out because they are likely facing a higher level of competition.

that, in turn, leads some people to over-rate MN talent.

That is one of the differences between FB and hoops. In hoops, the top-level talent plays AAU ball on traveling teams in national tournaments, where you are seeing the best of the best.

In FB, the closest equivalent would be camps and clinics, but it's not the same.

 

[MaxyJR1]

I think you can rely on there being at least 10 P5 level players a year. The trick though is identifying them. There won’t always be ten with P5 offers, but some of those over looked guys will end up proving they were good enough at places at NDSU.

I agree that there are 10 P5 guys in this state nearly every year, but who is taking that chance when there are more football rich areas to recruit from. There is a link from HS to the schools if they are willing to build that bridge. I think WI and IA HS football has more kids because they see the success at the next level. NDSU's success (and SDSU) IMO has had a direct influence on HS's in the western part of the state and participation. The 2016 group should give little Johnny's a desire to follow in those footsteps of being a Gopher, if we continue to produce some daft picks.

It would be frosting on the Cake to get local kids based on reputation.

 

[Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0]

One school is not like the others.

Goldy could kick all those birds' asses!

 

[Fan of Ray Christensen]

Apokogies if someone has already mentioned it, but Cretin's drop off in football has also been dramatic.

Eastridge seems to be the best program in the east metro right now, but they don't churn out P5 talent at anywhere near the level Cretin used to.

 

[MNVCGUY]

For better or worse, you can only evaluate a HS FB player based on how he performs against his opposition.

In MN, that means when you have a standout player, he might look better in comparison to the level of competition. A player with similar skills in FLA or TX would not stand out because they are likely facing a higher level of competition.

that, in turn, leads some people to over-rate MN talent.

That is one of the differences between FB and hoops. In hoops, the top-level talent plays AAU ball on traveling teams in national tournaments, where you are seeing the best of the best.

In FB, the closest equivalent would be camps and clinics, but it's not the same.

Very good points, especially the AAU angle. Much less mystery in basketball recruiting because of that fact.

 

[MaxyJR1]

Apokogies if someone has already mentioned it, but Cretin's drop off in football has also been dramatic.

Eastridge seems to be the best program in the east metro right now, but they don't churn out P5 talent at anywhere near the level Cretin used to.

The advantages of the private schools seem to be gone and there are more of them competing for kids.

 

[Tommyboy]

6A football is the most competitive level of football. We have a lot of talent in this state of over 5 million people. Football is not taken serious for the kids that our serious in the state. Many kids are specializing. Look at the number of kids just playing basketball. Cretin was a football powerhouse, now their football team does not have numbers, it has turned into a basketball school at the disappointment of the Alum. Look at TG, they were one of the top football programs, now they have a young basketball coach that has eliminated the senior kids for the last two years and has recruited several basketball players from Park Center and promising them to be starters as freshman. These private schools cannot find numbers anymore. It is easier to find a few kids that can play basketball and make a name for the schools, these short term power moves are alienating the current kids and families that financially support them.

The starting QB for North transferred in from Champlain Park because he would not have started behind the two 6'4 all state QB in front of him. He transferred to North with an All State RB that was living with him and got all the social media attention playing 2a football. He was six foot and 200 pounds. You would have never heard about him if he stayed at CP and played at the 6A level.

 

[GopherNuts]

Bear Alexander committed to Georgia. Nearly impossible to pull elite interior DLinemen out of the south. Though there was interest, always seemed a long shot

 

[MplsGopher]

Bear Alexander committed to Georgia. Nearly impossible to pull elite interior DLinemen out of the south. Though there was interest, always seemed a long shot

Would think that's the same for all positions. Unless, like Bateman, you get there early, they commit, then stick very firmly to their word even when the big SEC boys come calling and who knows what they're dangling in front of these kids and their families.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

Bear Alexander committed to Georgia. Nearly impossible to pull elite interior DLinemen out of the south. Though there was interest, always seemed a long shot

According to TC, known quantity DL guys are so rare that it's nearly impossible for most programs to get the best guys.

The pool for high quality high school DL players just is supposedly just super small compared to linebackers.

 

[skiumah1]

More wins=Higher Star Players. Another 10+ win season and we'll see more of those 4 stars come creepin forward

 

[alaska]

Next commit? anyone leaning already? I'm already excited for this class!

 

[Gophs24]

im hopeing Lucas Heyer commits....no inside knowledge. But we got a 4 star on the Dline committed lets go get a 4 star on the oline to jumpstart this class!

 

[Some guy]

For better or worse, you can only evaluate a HS FB player based on how he performs against his opposition.

In MN, that means when you have a standout player, he might look better in comparison to the level of competition. A player with similar skills in FLA or TX would not stand out because they are likely facing a higher level of competition.

that, in turn, leads some people to over-rate MN talent.

That is one of the differences between FB and hoops. In hoops, the top-level talent plays AAU ball on traveling teams in national tournaments, where you are seeing the best of the best.

In FB, the closest equivalent would be camps and clinics, but it's not the same.

This also plays into who you can offer.

3 star Texas guy who you have seen on film competing well with 4 star Texas A&M kid?

Minnesota guy who has been playing against Duluth Denfeld?

Minnesota guy might be better but there is real hard evidence to support that. More risky to take the kid you haven’t play against top competition.

 

[paulser21]

It would be really nice if ‘21 commit Austin Booker could convince his line mate to jump in the boat...

Caden Curry, Ohio State Buckeyes, Edge

2020: Helped Center Grove to a 14-0 record as a junior and the Indiana 6A state championship.

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