Things are starting to get interesting. Here's an update on the core remaining targets.
WR
Demariyon Houston: Gophers are his only official. Decommitted from Texas last week and talking to people it’s not clear how bad Texas wanted him. Houston was apparently never a solid Texas commit and wanted to sign in February. Oklahoma is the school to watch with Houston. They have yet to offer but are the homestate school, have been talking to him for a long time, and have visited him in-home and at school. Right now, he’s not a take for OU but the Sooners do like him. It might be a numbers game with OU and if they have room for him as Signing Day approaches.
Ahmarean Brown: Brown will visit Iowa State next weekend and make a decision shortly after.
OL
Isaiah Hookfin: As we’ve said Texas is the team to watch for Hookfin, and he’s visiting UT this coming weekend. The Orangebloods writers are confident Texas wants him and will get him, and Isaiah confirmed with me today he’s visiting Austin this weekend. But remember, Hookfin was also supposed to visit Auburn last weekend (he was at Minnesota instead) and the prior weekend was considering visiting Baylor or Southern Miss. That’s a pretty strange lineup of schools and decisions, so for now I wouldn’t be surprised with any outcome. If he doesn’t commit to Texas or end up visiting Texas this weekend, then I think the Gophers are in pretty good shape.
DL
MJ Anderson: Anderson is announcing his commitment on Wednesday at 3, and I think he’ll re-commit to the Gophers. He didn’t take visits elsewhere after the decommitment, and none of the writers who cover the main schools that were in touch with Anderson after his decommitment expect him to flip to their school. I think he firmed up after the visit.
Chris Daniels didn't end up visiting this past weekend, and I think him wanting to visit Missouri behind Minnesota's back had a lot to do with it. Fortunately, Keonte Schad is now solid and the Gophers might have more defensive line targets than they can take.
Darius Robinson: Remember, after his Minnesota official this past weekend, he announced a top four in no order of Minnesota, Michigan, Missouri, and Colorado. Michigan is kind of a wild card since they're recruiting him as a tight end. He's wanted by Missouri, but like Minnesota, they're short on numbers. And I would be surprised if Colorado is the choice because of the recent coaching change.
Kristian Williams several weeks ago gave a top five in no order of Minnesota, Memphis, Indiana, and Tennessee. Williams texted me that he's planning to sign in February, which I think probably doesn't improve his odds to be a Gopher.
JUCO DE Niadre Zouzoua visited Baylor over the weekend and is likely to commit there, which is fine as I'm not sure Minnesota really had room for him.
DB
Minnesota thinks Damarion Williams might be the best JUCO corner in the country and was the JUCO defensive back they wanted most this past weekend. Now that he's in the boat, we'll see what happens with the other two
Told tonight that TJ Robinson was on an official to Rutgers this past weekend. I think the obvious takeaway from that is that it would be surprising if he signs with Minnesota in nine days.
Independence CC corner Tony Wallace was on campus this past weekend. Wallace committed to Arizona in high school, which of course is where Jahmile Addae was the DB coach at the time. Addae was his primary recruiter then. Wallace went to high school in Desert Pines, the same school as Cameron Wiley and Jordan Howden.
Wallace is a May grad and there's a chance he doesn't sign until February. He took an official to Nebraska and has a committable offer from them. What's interesting is that out of high school he almost signed with the Huskers, so he's pretty familiar with them too. Because of Minnesota's scholarship situation, if I was a betting man, I'd take my odds with Nebraska over Minnesota. He also just picked up an offer from TCU.
I haven't been able to get in touch with Dontye Carriere-Williams since his visit. Vanderbilt is the primary competition right now.
WR
Demariyon Houston: Gophers are his only official. Decommitted from Texas last week and talking to people it’s not clear how bad Texas wanted him. Houston was apparently never a solid Texas commit and wanted to sign in February. Oklahoma is the school to watch with Houston. They have yet to offer but are the homestate school, have been talking to him for a long time, and have visited him in-home and at school. Right now, he’s not a take for OU but the Sooners do like him. It might be a numbers game with OU and if they have room for him as Signing Day approaches.
Ahmarean Brown: Brown will visit Iowa State next weekend and make a decision shortly after.
OL
Isaiah Hookfin: As we’ve said Texas is the team to watch for Hookfin, and he’s visiting UT this coming weekend. The Orangebloods writers are confident Texas wants him and will get him, and Isaiah confirmed with me today he’s visiting Austin this weekend. But remember, Hookfin was also supposed to visit Auburn last weekend (he was at Minnesota instead) and the prior weekend was considering visiting Baylor or Southern Miss. That’s a pretty strange lineup of schools and decisions, so for now I wouldn’t be surprised with any outcome. If he doesn’t commit to Texas or end up visiting Texas this weekend, then I think the Gophers are in pretty good shape.
DL
MJ Anderson: Anderson is announcing his commitment on Wednesday at 3, and I think he’ll re-commit to the Gophers. He didn’t take visits elsewhere after the decommitment, and none of the writers who cover the main schools that were in touch with Anderson after his decommitment expect him to flip to their school. I think he firmed up after the visit.
Chris Daniels didn't end up visiting this past weekend, and I think him wanting to visit Missouri behind Minnesota's back had a lot to do with it. Fortunately, Keonte Schad is now solid and the Gophers might have more defensive line targets than they can take.
Darius Robinson: Remember, after his Minnesota official this past weekend, he announced a top four in no order of Minnesota, Michigan, Missouri, and Colorado. Michigan is kind of a wild card since they're recruiting him as a tight end. He's wanted by Missouri, but like Minnesota, they're short on numbers. And I would be surprised if Colorado is the choice because of the recent coaching change.
- Michigan: I’m told there’s a chance Robinson already has or will have a committable offer to Michigan by the December Signing Day. The Wolverines want him as a tight end, though, and I’m not sure that’s where he wants to play.
- Missouri: Sounds like the Tigers are an option but it’s kind of a numbers game. They’re about to flip Chris Daniels and are also talking to Kristian Williams (see below) and Isaiah McGuire. Missouri wants to take two of the four DTs they’re talking to and Power Mizzou thinks that at this point all have a committable offer. Both Williams and McGuire are taking officials this weekend, so we’ll see how things shake out.
- Colorado: Just went through a coaching change but his primary recruiter was retained. Robinson’s fifth official visit was to Minnesota, but what’s interesting is that, because of NCAA rule changes, he could take a sixth visit to Colorado because of their coaching change. He already visited Boulder in September and really liked it. So with one last weekend before Signing Day, does he go to Ann Arbor or take a free visit to Boulder? The answer might be telling of whether or not he has a committable offer from Michigan.
Kristian Williams several weeks ago gave a top five in no order of Minnesota, Memphis, Indiana, and Tennessee. Williams texted me that he's planning to sign in February, which I think probably doesn't improve his odds to be a Gopher.
- Indiana: Visited IU this past weekend.
- Missouri: Visiting Mizzou this coming weekend. As I said above, Missouri may have more DT targets than they can take. He visited Indiana this past weekend and is visiting Missouri this coming weekend.
- Memphis: Williams is from Memphis and the Tigers believe they have a real shot to get him. The Tigers have prioritized him a long time, are actually pretty decent, and Williams being from Memphis I'm assuming is friends with a handful of players on the team.
- Tennessee: The Vols have made in-home visits, but Tennessee doesn't have room for him at the moment.
JUCO DE Niadre Zouzoua visited Baylor over the weekend and is likely to commit there, which is fine as I'm not sure Minnesota really had room for him.
DB
Minnesota thinks Damarion Williams might be the best JUCO corner in the country and was the JUCO defensive back they wanted most this past weekend. Now that he's in the boat, we'll see what happens with the other two
Told tonight that TJ Robinson was on an official to Rutgers this past weekend. I think the obvious takeaway from that is that it would be surprising if he signs with Minnesota in nine days.
Independence CC corner Tony Wallace was on campus this past weekend. Wallace committed to Arizona in high school, which of course is where Jahmile Addae was the DB coach at the time. Addae was his primary recruiter then. Wallace went to high school in Desert Pines, the same school as Cameron Wiley and Jordan Howden.
Wallace is a May grad and there's a chance he doesn't sign until February. He took an official to Nebraska and has a committable offer from them. What's interesting is that out of high school he almost signed with the Huskers, so he's pretty familiar with them too. Because of Minnesota's scholarship situation, if I was a betting man, I'd take my odds with Nebraska over Minnesota. He also just picked up an offer from TCU.
I haven't been able to get in touch with Dontye Carriere-Williams since his visit. Vanderbilt is the primary competition right now.
