Portal - Potential Incoming players?

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My mind was all ajumble this morning when I saw this tweet...

My first thought was that it was the Zach Evans from TCU who just entered the portal...a 5* out of high school in 2020, and a former #1 high school player in the country. I thought "crap, what is Fleck doing with the RB room?".
Then I realized it was our Zach Evans from Rockwall, Texas who committed in June. Would be nice to have the TCU one, I guess; but I'll stick with the kid from Rockwall...and Mo. And Bucky. And Ky.
Anyway, I can breathe again.
Also, gotta love our Zach Evans' Twitter handle. :ROFLMAO:
 

Gopher028 said:
If memory serves, I remember seeing him in the prep bowl playing LBer and FB(?) and saying to myself "next Blake Cashman"...and....... PJ, correct your mistake and bring him in now.
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Fleck took Oliver, Sori Marin, Rush, and Aune in that class. So would’ve been tough to take the undersized Montero as well. I think he could contribute now, I don’t think he has the physical tools to make the impact Gibbens made, but he is super experienced, would think he could help, not sure we need to add a linebacker that doesn’t project as a starter at some point though.
 



btowngopher said:
Fleck took Oliver, Sori Marin, Rush, and Aune in that class. So would’ve been tough to take the undersized Montero as well. I think he could contribute now, I don’t think he has the physical tools to make the impact Gibbens made, but he is super experienced, would think he could help, not sure we need to add a linebacker that doesn’t project as a starter at some point though.
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Put Montero at the Justus Harris hybrid LB/Nickel Back position. He'd do very well with his experience and athleticism. His size is perfect (about Chris Williamson's). Whoever we have coming up to take the Justus Harris spot wouldn't be nearly as equipped to succeed there.
 

Gophergrandpa said:
Put Montero at the Justus Harris hybrid LB/Nickel Back position. He'd do very well with his experience and athleticism. His size is perfect (about Chris Williamson's). Whoever we have coming up to take the Justus Harris spot wouldn't be nearly as equipped to succeed there.
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I don’t think he has the coverage skills of Harris or Williamson. Montero played inside linebacker at Rice.
 


Gophergrandpa said:
Maybe give him a chance? He's a real football player ...
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I just personally think it’s best not to bring in one year guys if you don’t have to. Should be impact guys if you do. I’m not convinced Montero would be a great fit, I get he’s “one of us” and that’s kind of fun, but I just don’t really see where he’d be an impact add. I could be wrong of course.
 




MNVCGUY said:
Obviously Fleck will do everything possible to make sure a potential transfer is a good fit but that has to be a lot tougher than it is with high school recruits given the amount of time you have to recruit transfers vs. high school guys.
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Well, you're probably right... but it wouldn't shock me that a lot of the transfers that Fleck is homing in on are players he's previously recruited when they were in H.S. so he'll have a bit of a head start with some of 'em.
 

laazrakit said:
Well, you're probably right... but it wouldn't shock me that a lot of the transfers that Fleck is homing in on are players he's previously recruited when they were in H.S. so he'll have a bit of a head start with some of 'em.
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Yeah I think that's pretty common to have some kind of connection to the player already, or have a connection to one of their coaches like Maurice Linguist with Dylan Wright.
 

MaxyJR1 said:
Every program has similar cultural demands. Nothing new to a transfer.
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True... but I'm thinking that Fleck might be willing to turn a blind eye to someone who he doesn't think will be a good rower... There are teams all over the country where the almighty ***** reigns supreme. How many coaches will pass an a player who goes out and gets into a lil' bit of underage drinking trouble? Fleck will... if he hadn't done exactly that with Brennan Armstrong in 2018, how might things have played out differently in the last few years?
 



Gophergrandpa has it right. Montero is going to go somewhere for one year, why not the U.? He played on both sides of the ball for EP in high school and was EP's kick-off guy and extra point kicker. Selective defensive sets, special teams, blocking back on offense, maybe even certain offensive sets.
 

Gopher 461 said:
Gophergrandpa has it right. Montero is going to go somewhere for one year, why not the U.? He played on both sides of the ball for EP in high school and was EP's kick-off guy and extra point kicker. Selective defensive sets, special teams, blocking back on offense, maybe even certain offensive sets.
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You have to balance your needs and the use of a scholarship. Scholarship needs to be an every down type player or starter. If coaches think he is that, maybe take him. He has two public offers right now to Western Kentucky and Eastern Kentucky
 

MaxyJR1 said:
Every program has similar cultural demands. Nothing new to a transfer.
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Every program(?) is an absolute declaration; we have many recent examples that contradict that supposition.

Additionally, I posit that enforcement of said Cultural demands is a completely separate issue.
 
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btowngopher said:
I just personally think it’s best not to bring in one year guys if you don’t have to. Should be impact guys if you do. I’m not convinced Montero would be a great fit, I get he’s “one of us” and that’s kind of fun, but I just don’t really see where he’d be an impact add. I could be wrong of course.
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At least with one year guys you don’t have to worry about them keeping a scholarship if it turns out they can’t contribute. I agree that it makes no sense to bring in someone for a year shot, unless PJ thinks the guy can contribute meaningfully from the get go. But I have a soft spot for Minnesota kids who have done well, and this probably influences my feelings in this one.
 
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btowngopher said:
Corey Gaynor in the portal, former gopher commit back in 2016. Was a captain and starter for Miami.
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Interesting. Had started 24 consecutive games at C and graded out quite well in those, and being named one of four team captains certainly speaks to his character. You just have to wonder how his recovery and rehab from the knee surgery are coming along, but his entry into the portal is at the very least a pretty intriguing thought.
 







MNVCGUY said:
Found this local profile on him. Seems like the kind of kid that would fit great in Fleck's program...

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Does PJ open his recruiting by offering him a chance to sing the national anthem at a Twins / Vikings / Timberwolves / Wild / MN United game?
 

SPB_Gophers said:
Useless Fun Fact: Irondale’s current Head Coach is former Gophers LB James Manuel. Was a solid player.
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Even more useless trivia: MV high school is so-named because all of those suburbs up there used to be Mounds View Township.
 



It would be more fun if they put all the guys names in the transfer portal into one of the big metal spinning drums they use for raffles and then pull names school by school to see who you get.
 

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