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P.J. Fleck and the Gophers are building something special. Prior Lake, Minn. offensive lineman Greg Johnson committed to Minnesota Saturday night, less than 24 hours after being offered. The 6-foot-5 OT held top offers from Iowa State, Wyoming and Air Force. 247sports ranks him as the No. 3 player in Minnesota and No. 60 OT in the country. Johnson is now the fourth Minnesota player to commit to the hometown Gophers in the 2023 class.
Staying Home! @GopherFootball @Coach_Fleck @Callybrian @KramerCook pic.twitter.com/1VTRKR7kEe
— Greg Johnson (@_gregjohnson16) May 8, 2022
Who is Greg Johnson?:
Greg Johnson is a 6-foot-5, 280+ pound junior student-athlete at Prior Lake high school. After a dominant junior campaign on the gridiron, he quickly rose up the recruiting ranks. After accumulating seven division one offers, his eighth was the Gophers and the rest was history. He also competes in track & field in the spring for the Lakers, proving his athletic versatility.
- Scouting Report:
At 6-foot-5, 280+ pounds, Johnson looks the part of a Big Ten offensive lineman. His footwork and athleticism are tremendous for someone his size, and he consistently showcases his power in the run game. Like most offensive linemen his age, he has room to grow in pass protection, but with his athleticism I expect that to happen rather quickly. He plays tackle for the Lakers, but his size projects him more as a guard, but certainly has positional versatility.
**High School Football Hudl Highlights:
Instant Reaction:
After Johnson’s commitment, the Gophers currently have the No. 19 ranked 2023 recruiting class in the country. That mark would be the highest since Coach Fleck took over as head coach. It is obviously still incredibly early in the process, but something special is brewing. Four of the top six MN players are now committed to the Gophers, as the land of 10,000 lakes continues to bleed Maroon & Gold. Johnson joins his Prior Lake teammate Martin Owusu as the second commitment this week, as the class is truly heating up. There is still a long way to go, but landing a player like Johnson is a major statement from the Gophers.
What is next?:
Now with four of the top six 2023 MN players committed to Minnesota, Jaxon Howard and Elinneus Davis are next on the list. Both players have been offered by the Gophers, so we could continue to see them strike while the iron is hot. NSD is still very far away, but 2023 is looking like a special year for Gophers football recruiting.
Full 2023 class:
- OL Reese Tripp
- OL Jerome Williams
- RB Darius Taylor
- CB Za’Quan Bryan
- TE Pierce Walsh
- DL Martin Owusu
- OL Greg Johnson