I like consolidating these threads, just so that way you guys can see the recruiting process as it evolves, as well as fill in missing gaps if you read some posts and not others.
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SATURDAY UPDATE
The Gophers have 23 commits and will sign 28, so there are five spots left (not including Creamer’s spot). Besides getting a DB in addition to Creamer and at least two defensive tackles, Minnesota’s taking more or less of a “best player available” approach to finishing the class.
Creamer is of course visiting Rutgers this weekend and remember he’s still a Gopher take. He visited Iowa last weekend and the Hawkeyes are certainly competitive but I get the feeling that Iowa isn’t all that confident that they’ll land him, and Iowa’s recruiting other corners as well. I would also be surprised if he flips to a lower-tier school like Rutgers without having really built a relationship with their coaches.
Minnesota likes all of the corners visiting this weekend: Imhir Smith-Marsette, Jeffrey Lubin, and Justus Harris. Minnesota thinks Harris will be the easiest to land, so he’s likely the corner that they push for a commitment from first since they don’t want to take their chances of not landing a corner in the class. They should be able to flip him.
I’m confident Boye Mafe will be a Gopher. What I’m hearing from Rutgers’ end is that they don’t have room for him anymore and thought they might not get him even if they did.
Minnesota believes they’ll land both Malcolm Robinson and Royal Silver. That’s huge with Steven Richardson, Andrew Stelter, and Merrick Jackson all graduating after next season. I don’t think there’s much competition for Robinson, and competition for Silver is Florida Atlantic and Central Michigan. Like I said, Minnesota wants both and is very confident that they’ll be able to beat both teams. USF commit Kelvin Kegler is no longer being recruited, and Northern Iowa commit and current visitor Austin Schirck has taken his place as a backup plan.
Minnesota’s done at running back with Holston and Warren not visiting.
The only wide receiver that would be a take is Jafar Armstrong. Missouri and Notre Dame are both confident they’ll land him, but Minnesota is confident too. I can’t think there are many better closers out there then PJ Fleck, and Armstrong really did love his visit. If I had to guess, though, I don’t think Armstrong will be a Gopher.
I’m confident in Harris, Mafe, Robinson, and Silver. That’s four, and if Armstrong commits that would finish the class. If he doesn’t commit, I’m not sure where the fifth would be added. It could be Schirck, one of the other corners if they’re able to get them, or a late qualifier.
***Between the thread above and below, there were threads announcing two silent verbals (Harris and Robinson).
SUNDAY NIGHT UPDATE
There are two spots left, and the remaining targets I mentioned in the previous war room are Malcolm Robinson, Royal Silver, and Boye Mafe. I'm including Trey Creamer as a commit since technically he's still committed.
Despite adding Smith-Marsette and Harris, Creamer is still a take for Minnesota. The Gophers very recently felt confident they'd keep him, and I'm not sure if that's changed or not. Rutgers also now feels confident.
As I've said for a while now, I'm quite confident that Robinson and Mafe will be Gophers. Based off what I know, I think Robinson and Mafe are both takes over Silver and that it's not first come, first serve (or first come publicly, first serve), but I don't say that with 100% certainty. Silver may be just as much of a take as the other two but I kind of doubt that. Silver would get the final spot if Creamer goes elsewhere, though. There's no DB backup plan for Creamer and the Gophers are completely fine with that.
Lastly, I would think the silent verbal (one of the names above) will go public really soon. I spoke to him tonight and he was very open about his commitment and didn't care if others knew, but I'll still let him be the one to announce it.
10:15 PM UPDATE: ROYAL SILVER COMMITS
The reason that I'm surprised Silver was able to commit is because I know both Robinson and Mafe have very committable offers.
What happens now that Silver has committed?
MONDAY 8:30 AM UPDATE
Malcolm Robinson was the silent verbal I've been alluding to. The Gophers are now full at 28 including Trey Creamer, and I'm including him because he hasn't announced his decommitment yet.
Boye Mafe has had a committable offer since Fleck took over but appears to have dragged his feet for too long. This is just an unfortunate situation as, unlike many who prolong their recruitment far more than needed, Mafe is not attention seeking and literally just took far too long to make a decision. I don't believe his offer at Rutgers is committable either, as they're full on the defensive line barring something changing with their class last minute.
Now, it's very possible, I'd say likely, Creamer isn't a part of the class in which case Mafe would get the last spot. A couple days ago Minnesota was fairly confident they'd keep Creamer but I'm not sure that's the case anymore. Remember, Rutgers feels confident after their visit. He's a take and big want for Iowa as well. I don't think there's the same level of confidence with Iowa, though.
Creamer has always been a take, even after taking his visits, so now there's a situation where there are two players that are takes with one spot left. Since (a) Creamer's the one currently committed, (b) Minnesota sees Schirck as a defensive end, and (c) Mafe to my knowledge never received an in-home visit, I'm fairly confident the spot is Creamer's to lose. However, I'm sure he'll be given a deadline for when he needs to give a firm answer by. Minnesota wants to sign all 28 on Signing Day and want to move on if they don't think he'll be a part of the class.
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SATURDAY UPDATE
The Gophers have 23 commits and will sign 28, so there are five spots left (not including Creamer’s spot). Besides getting a DB in addition to Creamer and at least two defensive tackles, Minnesota’s taking more or less of a “best player available” approach to finishing the class.
Creamer is of course visiting Rutgers this weekend and remember he’s still a Gopher take. He visited Iowa last weekend and the Hawkeyes are certainly competitive but I get the feeling that Iowa isn’t all that confident that they’ll land him, and Iowa’s recruiting other corners as well. I would also be surprised if he flips to a lower-tier school like Rutgers without having really built a relationship with their coaches.
Minnesota likes all of the corners visiting this weekend: Imhir Smith-Marsette, Jeffrey Lubin, and Justus Harris. Minnesota thinks Harris will be the easiest to land, so he’s likely the corner that they push for a commitment from first since they don’t want to take their chances of not landing a corner in the class. They should be able to flip him.
I’m confident Boye Mafe will be a Gopher. What I’m hearing from Rutgers’ end is that they don’t have room for him anymore and thought they might not get him even if they did.
Minnesota believes they’ll land both Malcolm Robinson and Royal Silver. That’s huge with Steven Richardson, Andrew Stelter, and Merrick Jackson all graduating after next season. I don’t think there’s much competition for Robinson, and competition for Silver is Florida Atlantic and Central Michigan. Like I said, Minnesota wants both and is very confident that they’ll be able to beat both teams. USF commit Kelvin Kegler is no longer being recruited, and Northern Iowa commit and current visitor Austin Schirck has taken his place as a backup plan.
Minnesota’s done at running back with Holston and Warren not visiting.
The only wide receiver that would be a take is Jafar Armstrong. Missouri and Notre Dame are both confident they’ll land him, but Minnesota is confident too. I can’t think there are many better closers out there then PJ Fleck, and Armstrong really did love his visit. If I had to guess, though, I don’t think Armstrong will be a Gopher.
I’m confident in Harris, Mafe, Robinson, and Silver. That’s four, and if Armstrong commits that would finish the class. If he doesn’t commit, I’m not sure where the fifth would be added. It could be Schirck, one of the other corners if they’re able to get them, or a late qualifier.
***Between the thread above and below, there were threads announcing two silent verbals (Harris and Robinson).
SUNDAY NIGHT UPDATE
There are two spots left, and the remaining targets I mentioned in the previous war room are Malcolm Robinson, Royal Silver, and Boye Mafe. I'm including Trey Creamer as a commit since technically he's still committed.
Despite adding Smith-Marsette and Harris, Creamer is still a take for Minnesota. The Gophers very recently felt confident they'd keep him, and I'm not sure if that's changed or not. Rutgers also now feels confident.
As I've said for a while now, I'm quite confident that Robinson and Mafe will be Gophers. Based off what I know, I think Robinson and Mafe are both takes over Silver and that it's not first come, first serve (or first come publicly, first serve), but I don't say that with 100% certainty. Silver may be just as much of a take as the other two but I kind of doubt that. Silver would get the final spot if Creamer goes elsewhere, though. There's no DB backup plan for Creamer and the Gophers are completely fine with that.
Lastly, I would think the silent verbal (one of the names above) will go public really soon. I spoke to him tonight and he was very open about his commitment and didn't care if others knew, but I'll still let him be the one to announce it.
10:15 PM UPDATE: ROYAL SILVER COMMITS
The reason that I'm surprised Silver was able to commit is because I know both Robinson and Mafe have very committable offers.
What happens now that Silver has committed?
- If Creamer is a part of the class (which I would lean towards him not being), then the class is full because the silent verbal has the last spot.
- If Creamer is not part of the class then it will finish with both Robinson and Mafe.
MONDAY 8:30 AM UPDATE
Malcolm Robinson was the silent verbal I've been alluding to. The Gophers are now full at 28 including Trey Creamer, and I'm including him because he hasn't announced his decommitment yet.
Boye Mafe has had a committable offer since Fleck took over but appears to have dragged his feet for too long. This is just an unfortunate situation as, unlike many who prolong their recruitment far more than needed, Mafe is not attention seeking and literally just took far too long to make a decision. I don't believe his offer at Rutgers is committable either, as they're full on the defensive line barring something changing with their class last minute.
Now, it's very possible, I'd say likely, Creamer isn't a part of the class in which case Mafe would get the last spot. A couple days ago Minnesota was fairly confident they'd keep Creamer but I'm not sure that's the case anymore. Remember, Rutgers feels confident after their visit. He's a take and big want for Iowa as well. I don't think there's the same level of confidence with Iowa, though.
Creamer has always been a take, even after taking his visits, so now there's a situation where there are two players that are takes with one spot left. Since (a) Creamer's the one currently committed, (b) Minnesota sees Schirck as a defensive end, and (c) Mafe to my knowledge never received an in-home visit, I'm fairly confident the spot is Creamer's to lose. However, I'm sure he'll be given a deadline for when he needs to give a firm answer by. Minnesota wants to sign all 28 on Signing Day and want to move on if they don't think he'll be a part of the class.
