Feb. 27, 2021: 2022 three-star pro-style quarterback Jacob Knuth (Harrisburg, SD) verbally committed to the Gophers Saturday afternoon.
BY: Tony Liebert
Jacob Knuth is now the third player that Minnesota has committed to its 2022 recruiting class, joining Trey Bixby and Kristen Hoskins. He chose the Gophers over offers from Iowa, Kansas State, Air Force and Army. Knuth, a 6-foot-4 three-star prospect ranks as the consensus top player in South Dakota and No. 776 in the entire country. He will now likely battle ’21 Athan Kaliakmanis to be the future QB of the Gophers’ program.
COMMITTED!〽️🚣 pic.twitter.com/6qkm2rFYX7
— Jacob Knuth (@_jacobknuth_) February 28, 2021
Knuth is one of the most heralded prospects to come out of South Dakota in quite some time. He has been a name on the recruiting scene since early as eighth grade. When he was 13 years old A Youth1.com article said, “This young man just knows how to throw the football and his skills project very well to the next level.” Most recently as a junior, Knuth led the Harrisburg Tigers to the 11AAA South Dakota state championship game where they came up just short. He threw for 2,403 yards and 28 touchdowns in 2020 while also rushing for 463 yards and four more TDs for the season.
At a recent camp at IMG Academy in Florida, Knuth showcased his truly elite athleticism, measuring in at 6-4 200 lbs, running a 4.6 40 yard-dash, and also registering a 33 inch vertical.
- Junior year HS highlights–> http://www.hudl.com/v/2Eh46F
Knuth’s elite size and strong arm makes him a very, very high potential prospect. This is certainly not a move for the Gophers to add depth at the quarterback position. I fully expect him to compete for playing time behind center early in his college career. He continually extends plays with his legs and he is terrific at throwing on the run for someone his age. He’s big enough to absorb hits in the open field as a runner while being elusive enough to evade tacklers. His highlight plays are as good as anyone in the country.
Playing in South Dakota obviously impacted Knuth’s national ranking, but the fact that he’s received three power five offers in the last week, tells me the secret got out quickly. I believe the Gophers got a steal.
This guy is excited. Why aren’t you?
