http://www.twincities.com/2016/03/04/gophers-football-in-early-on-legacy-recruit-demetrius-douglas/
profile: https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/maple/184341
The Gophers offered a scholarship to Demetrius Douglas in late February, but Minnesota’s best possible recruiter won’t be making a hard sell for the maroon and gold.
Instead of steering Douglas east to Minnesota in the 2017 class, his father, Omar Douglas, said he wants to just “provide advice and counsel throughout the process.”
Omar certainly has perspective to share after a four-year run playing for Minnesota from 1990-93. His name sits in the top 10 in Gophers records for career receptions (130), yards (1,681) and touchdowns (14). After graduating with a marketing degree, he played four years in the NFL as a backup with the New York Giants.
“You have that personal connection, but at the end of the day, it’s about him,” Omar told the Pioneer Press. “What is the right fit for him? Where does he want to go?”
As of Thursday night, his son’s most high-profile offer was from Oregon, about 110 miles south of the family home in Portland. The flashy school with countless Nike uniforms was in the College Football Playoff two years ago.
But Demetrius, a cornerback/wide receiver, grew up in Minnesota and was a freshman at Wayzata High School before his family moved west less than two years ago. Omar had a position at General Mills for seven years before accepting a new opportunity with Nike.
“It definitely still feels like home to me,” Demetrius said of Minnesota. “I still have family there. I still have friends there that I like to go back and visit.”
Demetrius attended a Gophers camp last summer, and in the past few weeks, other schools have offered scholarships, including Colorado State, Nevada, Howard and Yale.
“It definitely heated up quick,” Demetrius said. “It’s gotten kind of crazy, kind of overwhelming, but it’s been a cool experience so far.”
It’s just beginning. Ken Potter, his coach at Jesuit High School, said Pac-12 Conference schools such as Stanford, Washington and Oregon State have requested Demetrius’ academic transcripts. “That doesn’t correlate to an offer, but it does correlate to a lot of interest,” Potter said.
Demetrius isn’t in a rush to make a decision before national signing day next February. Come this fall, he’s not expected to come off the field much.
“He’s a lockdown corner that wants the challenge of taking on the team’s best receiver each week,” Potter said. “He has very good speed, and I just think he is getting faster and stronger every day with his work ethic.”
Demetrius missed about six games to start the season because of a lacerated kidney and helped win the state championship in December with a cast on his broken left hand. “He’s a very tough kid,” Potter said.
The busted hand has kept the 5-foot-11, 170-pound athlete off the basketball team this season, but he plans to run track this spring.
Omar compares Demetrius to himself, but says he’s better.
“He’s a long, rangy type of player,” Omar said. “His wingspan is longer than you would expect for someone with his height. He is a smart player. He is a much better player than I was at that age, for certain. He has much better technique, and he is becoming a much better student of the game than I was at that point.”
Omar grew up in New Orleans before following the Mississippi River north to Minneapolis. He gives his son an edge in youthful passion, too.
“He loves the game,” Omar said. “I liked it in high school, and I grew to love it.”
In the 2016 recruiting class, the Gophers had 10 players with ties to Minnesota. For 2017, Minnesota has made inroads with Marshall offensive lineman Blaise Andries, the projected best player in the state, Douglas and others.
“As of right now, there is no order with schools,” Demetrius said. “It’s still very early, but (Minnesota) is definitely there. I’m definitely thinking about all my options. I look forward to coming down in the summer and visiting the school, talking to coaches and walking around campus and seeing how it feels for me.”
The Gophers hope it feels like home again.
profile: https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/maple/184341
The Gophers offered a scholarship to Demetrius Douglas in late February, but Minnesota’s best possible recruiter won’t be making a hard sell for the maroon and gold.
Instead of steering Douglas east to Minnesota in the 2017 class, his father, Omar Douglas, said he wants to just “provide advice and counsel throughout the process.”
Omar certainly has perspective to share after a four-year run playing for Minnesota from 1990-93. His name sits in the top 10 in Gophers records for career receptions (130), yards (1,681) and touchdowns (14). After graduating with a marketing degree, he played four years in the NFL as a backup with the New York Giants.
“You have that personal connection, but at the end of the day, it’s about him,” Omar told the Pioneer Press. “What is the right fit for him? Where does he want to go?”
As of Thursday night, his son’s most high-profile offer was from Oregon, about 110 miles south of the family home in Portland. The flashy school with countless Nike uniforms was in the College Football Playoff two years ago.
But Demetrius, a cornerback/wide receiver, grew up in Minnesota and was a freshman at Wayzata High School before his family moved west less than two years ago. Omar had a position at General Mills for seven years before accepting a new opportunity with Nike.
“It definitely still feels like home to me,” Demetrius said of Minnesota. “I still have family there. I still have friends there that I like to go back and visit.”
Demetrius attended a Gophers camp last summer, and in the past few weeks, other schools have offered scholarships, including Colorado State, Nevada, Howard and Yale.
“It definitely heated up quick,” Demetrius said. “It’s gotten kind of crazy, kind of overwhelming, but it’s been a cool experience so far.”
It’s just beginning. Ken Potter, his coach at Jesuit High School, said Pac-12 Conference schools such as Stanford, Washington and Oregon State have requested Demetrius’ academic transcripts. “That doesn’t correlate to an offer, but it does correlate to a lot of interest,” Potter said.
Demetrius isn’t in a rush to make a decision before national signing day next February. Come this fall, he’s not expected to come off the field much.
“He’s a lockdown corner that wants the challenge of taking on the team’s best receiver each week,” Potter said. “He has very good speed, and I just think he is getting faster and stronger every day with his work ethic.”
Demetrius missed about six games to start the season because of a lacerated kidney and helped win the state championship in December with a cast on his broken left hand. “He’s a very tough kid,” Potter said.
The busted hand has kept the 5-foot-11, 170-pound athlete off the basketball team this season, but he plans to run track this spring.
Omar compares Demetrius to himself, but says he’s better.
“He’s a long, rangy type of player,” Omar said. “His wingspan is longer than you would expect for someone with his height. He is a smart player. He is a much better player than I was at that age, for certain. He has much better technique, and he is becoming a much better student of the game than I was at that point.”
Omar grew up in New Orleans before following the Mississippi River north to Minneapolis. He gives his son an edge in youthful passion, too.
“He loves the game,” Omar said. “I liked it in high school, and I grew to love it.”
In the 2016 recruiting class, the Gophers had 10 players with ties to Minnesota. For 2017, Minnesota has made inroads with Marshall offensive lineman Blaise Andries, the projected best player in the state, Douglas and others.
“As of right now, there is no order with schools,” Demetrius said. “It’s still very early, but (Minnesota) is definitely there. I’m definitely thinking about all my options. I look forward to coming down in the summer and visiting the school, talking to coaches and walking around campus and seeing how it feels for me.”
The Gophers hope it feels like home again.
