The staff has been busy in Texas this month and especially this week with offers to three-star offensive tackle Grant Polley and running back Kennedy Brooks.
In recent years, Minnesota has recruited Texas well by getting receiver Rashad Still, offensive guard Connor Mayes and center Tyler Moore, LB Everette Williams, DLs and brothers Scott and Hendrick Ekpe and freshman LB Jaylen Waters, who was the defensive MVP of the spring game (10 tackles, and an interception returned for a touchdown)
What do the Gophers need in Texas?
The most obvious is a quarterback. Dual-threat QB Kamron Fields became the first quarterback the staff offered during the spring evaluation period, and so far is the only one.
"I like how they believe in me and trust me enough to lead their team," Fields said. "I was honored to be the first QB they offered (this spring) in the 2017 class. That says a lot to me, considering all the other QBs they've looked at."
Fields is also the first quarterback the staff has offered under new offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Jay Johnson, who joined the staff in December after spending five seasons at UL-Lafayette.
"Coach Johnson has been recruiting me for a couple of weeks," Fields said. "We've talked on the phone, and he came to watch me throw with (Minnesota running backs) coach (Pat) Poore this week."
You can read more of our interview with Fields here
Who are the possible commits?
Derek Kerstetter, OL. Two coaches from Minnesota recently made an on-camps visits to Kerstetter, who was offered in March. Kerstetter was visited by Minnesota running backs/co-special teams coach Pat Poore this month and a week later offensive line coach Bart Miller. He said he wants to visit Minnesota this summer
Braydon Johnson, WR: Minnesota offered on the 18th, his fifth offer. Johnson has received all five offers this month, the first coming from Iowa.
Josh Thompson, DB. Minnesota was the 10th school to offer at the time and Johnson is now up to 23, but everyone knows Minnesota has a reputation for producing a great secondary.
The prize recruits in Texas?
Brooks, a three-star prospect rated the 21st best RB in the nation by Rivals. Brooks has more than a dozen offers, most of them power conference programs.
Polley is the 39th rated offensive tackle in 2017 and 65th-rated recruit in the state of Texas. Polley, who was previously committed to Kansas but recently de-committed, is one of the most increasingly sought after prospects in 2017.
Amaud Willis-Dalton, OLB. Ranked the 25th best OLB in the nation.
We talked with Willis-Dalton soon after receiving an offer from Minnesota in March. He was initially impressed with how personable the coaches were.
"They just really show a lot of interest in me as a player, and not only as a player," Willis-Dalton told GI. "They also want me to be successful in life and in the feature. They seemed very team and family oriented. They have a great bond with their players and they care about their players. "
In recent years, Minnesota has recruited Texas well by getting receiver Rashad Still, offensive guard Connor Mayes and center Tyler Moore, LB Everette Williams, DLs and brothers Scott and Hendrick Ekpe and freshman LB Jaylen Waters, who was the defensive MVP of the spring game (10 tackles, and an interception returned for a touchdown)
What do the Gophers need in Texas?
The most obvious is a quarterback. Dual-threat QB Kamron Fields became the first quarterback the staff offered during the spring evaluation period, and so far is the only one.
"I like how they believe in me and trust me enough to lead their team," Fields said. "I was honored to be the first QB they offered (this spring) in the 2017 class. That says a lot to me, considering all the other QBs they've looked at."
Fields is also the first quarterback the staff has offered under new offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Jay Johnson, who joined the staff in December after spending five seasons at UL-Lafayette.
"Coach Johnson has been recruiting me for a couple of weeks," Fields said. "We've talked on the phone, and he came to watch me throw with (Minnesota running backs) coach (Pat) Poore this week."
You can read more of our interview with Fields here
Who are the possible commits?
Derek Kerstetter, OL. Two coaches from Minnesota recently made an on-camps visits to Kerstetter, who was offered in March. Kerstetter was visited by Minnesota running backs/co-special teams coach Pat Poore this month and a week later offensive line coach Bart Miller. He said he wants to visit Minnesota this summer
Braydon Johnson, WR: Minnesota offered on the 18th, his fifth offer. Johnson has received all five offers this month, the first coming from Iowa.
Josh Thompson, DB. Minnesota was the 10th school to offer at the time and Johnson is now up to 23, but everyone knows Minnesota has a reputation for producing a great secondary.
The prize recruits in Texas?
Brooks, a three-star prospect rated the 21st best RB in the nation by Rivals. Brooks has more than a dozen offers, most of them power conference programs.
Polley is the 39th rated offensive tackle in 2017 and 65th-rated recruit in the state of Texas. Polley, who was previously committed to Kansas but recently de-committed, is one of the most increasingly sought after prospects in 2017.
Amaud Willis-Dalton, OLB. Ranked the 25th best OLB in the nation.
We talked with Willis-Dalton soon after receiving an offer from Minnesota in March. He was initially impressed with how personable the coaches were.
"They just really show a lot of interest in me as a player, and not only as a player," Willis-Dalton told GI. "They also want me to be successful in life and in the feature. They seemed very team and family oriented. They have a great bond with their players and they care about their players. "
