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

Skipping right over flipping MAC offers and going to D3. Fleck leaves no stone untouched in recruiting.
oh please, this Nathan Jones parents played at Abilene Christian, his mom and dad were college athletes so he has great bloodlines. He did have a Vanderbilt offer so no lack of good grades either. We are lucky to get this commitment before Baylor TCU took notice. This guy is going to be a good player for the Gophers!
 


Skipping right over flipping MAC offers and going to D3. Fleck leaves no stone untouched in recruiting.
It's one thing to follow ratings and think they are an indication of talent, it's another to think they are THE indication of talent.

The roster is full of guys with equal offers who PJ & Staff liked, offered early, and have been big parts of our success. If this was the week before signing day, you could make an argument it's a desperation offer.
 


I actually wonder how much time the coaching staff has right now to go chasing (high-profile) kids who enter the portal mid-season like this.
 


I actually wonder how much time the coaching staff has right now to go chasing (high-profile) kids who enter the portal mid-season like this.
I'm sure they can find enough time to find out if he is even interested in considering us as an option :)
 

Go get him PJ

Word from Oregon fans on Reddit is the believe that he'll be at BYU. He is from Orem, UT, his family is very close, and he's apparently Mormon. Citing being homesick as the transfer reason.
 

I'm sure they can find enough time to find out if he is even interested in considering us as an option :)
Send in The Norwegian!!!

wade-gustafson.png



"Heck! Ya come play for da Gophers ... ya cud win da MVP, doncha know!"
 

Word from Oregon fans on Reddit is the believe that he'll be at BYU. He is from Orem, UT, I guess that family is very close, and he's apparently Mormon. Citing being homesick as the transfer reason.
Damn! Mormons. Every time.

No chance to sway him with cocaine and hookers.
 





I thought someone reported they seem him as a future OL.
I think that is on his profile as well. Perhaps that was what they projected with him playing at ACU where he may not need to bulk up as much, but in the B1G would actually project at a Ko Kieft type of role?
 

Damn! Mormons. Every time.

No chance to sway him with cocaine and hookers.
Not directly on topic but, how many of us could know why a kid who played high school football at Orem, Utah would be a 5 star and another guy the same measurables from the highest-level high school leagues in Texas, Ohio, or Florida might be a 4 star?

How are these differences measured when one guy is not playing against highest competition?
 



Not directly on topic but, how many of us could know why a kid who played high school football at Orem, Utah would be a 5 star and another guy the same measurables from the highest-level high school leagues in Texas, Ohio, or Florida might be a 4 star?

How are these differences measured when one guy is not playing against highest competition?
It’s just guess work at that point.
 

Re the Nathan commitment: I think that our two "lowest rated" recruits--Nathan and Alvarez--have high upsides in our offensive system. Both are listed as TEs. Significantly, both are all around athletes. And both have rangy frames that could easily add more good weight. And I'll bet both are non-prima-donna, solid citizen type kids who will add quality and character to the locker room.

Spencer Alvarez is 6'7", 255 (when he committed) and could be a 275 lb. BSF type tight end or, possibly, add a little more weight and slide over to OT. In an offensive scheme that plays 6 and sometimes 7 OL in its "heavy" packages, having big TEs who can block (and are also athletic and can catch) is a big deal. New commit Nathan Jones, also a TE at 6'5, 240" looks to be more in the Ko Kieft, Bryce Witham mold. Ko Kieft has been here forever, and has been a huge part of our running game success. I am intriqued by both of these TE recruits because they weren't necessarily based on ratings by services. They appear to be based on the "eye test." And I really trust PJ's ability to eye ball all-around athletes with big upside in his offensive scheme. New commit Nathan, BTW, is rated higher (0.8355) than Antoine Winfield Jr. (0.8285) was. Our expectations have changed some after several years of PJ recruiting.
 

I think that is on his profile as well. Perhaps that was what they projected with him playing at ACU where he may not need to bulk up as much, but in the B1G would actually project at a Ko Kieft type of role?
When Nathan was first listed on the Gophers' 2022 commitment list (247), his position showed as "OL," which is probably where Abilene Christian had him pegged. Within a couple of days, Nathan's position was changed on the Gopher commits page to "TE." I think there is a high probability that we are seeing one of the potential Ko Kieft successors being brought on board.
 



Not directly on topic but, how many of us could know why a kid who played high school football at Orem, Utah would be a 5 star and another guy the same measurables from the highest-level high school leagues in Texas, Ohio, or Florida might be a 4 star?

How are these differences measured when one guy is not playing against highest competition?
One thing to consider with rankings today compared to rankings a few years ago is the number of camps. These players are being evaluated more and more against each other and not within the silos of their own states. There is also the fact that it's very rare that measurables are the "same". 6'5" 280 lbs can look very different, when you taken into account flexibility, strength, speed, quickness, frame, height, arms length, weight, age (Boye Mafe was a REALLY young recruit) - - It's probably not as common as you'd think that people have the "same" measurables. Similar - sure. Same - rare.

So for the slight difference between some recruits, I'd guess it comes down to camp evaluations and slight differences in the measurables.

The real difficult people to assess are the people who, for whatever reason, don't go to as many or any of the camps.
 


All-State pays the corresponding school several thousand dollars for that privilege. The nets are supposed to be raised prior to the kicker taking his position.
To be more specific, Allstate makes a donation to each school's scholarship fund, in the amount of $300 (IIRC) for each made field goal.
 


Re the Nathan commitment: I think that our two "lowest rated" recruits--Nathan and Alvarez--have high upsides in our offensive system. Both are listed as TEs. Significantly, both are all around athletes. And both have rangy frames that could easily add more good weight. And I'll bet both are non-prima-donna, solid citizen type kids who will add quality and character to the locker room.

Spencer Alvarez is 6'7", 255 (when he committed) and could be a 275 lb. BSF type tight end or, possibly, add a little more weight and slide over to OT. In an offensive scheme that plays 6 and sometimes 7 OL in its "heavy" packages, having big TEs who can block (and are also athletic and can catch) is a big deal. New commit Nathan Jones, also a TE at 6'5, 240" looks to be more in the Ko Kieft, Bryce Witham mold. Ko Kieft has been here forever, and has been a huge part of our running game success. I am intriqued by both of these TE recruits because they weren't necessarily based on ratings by services. They appear to be based on the "eye test." And I really trust PJ's ability to eye ball all-around athletes with big upside in his offensive scheme. New commit Nathan, BTW, is rated higher (0.8355) than Antoine Winfield Jr. (0.8285) was. Our expectations have changed some after several years of PJ recruiting.

Alvarez will for sure become an OT.
 

All-State pays the corresponding school several thousand dollars for that privilege. The nets are supposed to be raised prior to the kicker taking his position.
Inside joke between us bro, but thanks for being the Brian McCann for college football sponsors🧐
 



Welcome Max! He comes from a great little town over in Wisconsin. Have been there a few times.
 

Welcome Max! He comes from a great little town over in Wisconsin. Have been there a few times.
He has impressive highlights. I realize he is playing against other small towns in Western WI, but he still looks impressive.
 

Jones comes in at a 3* and rated ahead of our TE commit from Columbia Heights. Class is now #45 for 2022.
 

Doesn't it seem like we need some more linebackers?
We really only play two backers. For next year in terms of scholarship linebackers we will have:

1 RS Sr, 3 RS Jr, 1 Jr, 2 RS So, 1 RS Fr
 




Top Bottom