The early signing day for Minnesota was both busy and fruitful. The Gophers recruited far and wide, wrapping up 26 players. Among them are an Australian punter, a Canadian offensive lineman, and a defensive lineman from Munich, Germany.
At most positions, the team has the luxury of letting new players develop, rather than rushing them into the lineup right away. For example:
Wide Receiver
The team signed three: Floridian Douglas Emilien, Kansan Daniel Jackson, and Jonathan Mann of Rosemount, Minnesota. While it’s not out of the question that they could see playing time, there’s no reason to rush any of them into the lineup- barring a rash of injuries, of course. Rashod Bateman, Chris Autman-Bell, and Demetrius Douglas will almost certainly remain atop the depth chart come late August.
Tight End
Austin Henderson of Nashville and Wyatt Schroeder of St. Francis, Minnesota join the tight end group. Ahead of them on the depth chart at the moment are Brevyn Spann-Ford and Jake Paulson.
Offensive Line
The Gophers brought in some big recruits here- literally. Canadian Tyrell Lawrence, from suburban Toronto, is 6’7″ and 345 lbs. Martes Lewis of Indiana is also 6’7″ and weighs in at 320 lbs. Kansas City’s Aireontae Ersery is the smallest of the bunch, at 6’5″ and an even 300 lbs. Again, the offensive line is in good shape as far as returning starters, so barring injury, these guys have time to develop.
Running Back
With the departures of Shannon Brooks and Rodney Smith, the backfield is likely to be The Mohamed Ibrahim Show this season, with appearances by Bryce Williams. Ky Thomas of Topeka will likely see limited action as a freshman.
Defensive Line
The Gophers signed six defensive lineman, more than any other position, and for good reason. Carter Coughlin, Micah Dew-Treadway, Sam Renner, and Winston DeLattiboudere will all be gone next season. Boye Mafe, Esezi Otomewo, and Keonte Schad are back, but that leaves at least one spot up for grabs. Will one of these guys impress the coaches enough to snag it?
- Gage Keys, Hilliard OH
- Melle Kreuder, Munich, Germany
- Ali Saad, Dearborn MI
- Jah Joyner, Danbury CT
- Danny Striggow, Long Lake MN
- Jalen Logan-Redding, Columbia MO
Linebacker
This is another position where there are openings, as Thomas Barber and Kamal Martin are both graduating. Current freshman Braelen Oliver played admirably in Martin’s spot when he was injured and will presumably be a starter in 2020. The four signees who will get a look in camp are:
- Jaqwondis Burns of IMG Academy in Florida (previously committed to Ole Miss)
- Cody Lindenberg of Anoka, Minnesota
- Lucas Finnessy of Wisconsin
- Itayvion Brown of St. Louis MO
Defensive Back
While the state mourns the loss of Antoine Winfield Jr. to the NFL (unless, of course, he ends up with the Vikings), the rest of the backfield is in pretty good shape. Chris Williamson is the only other player who won’t be back in 2020, but that does leave a couple of openings. The team signed five DBs who could compete for those spots:
- Miles Fleming, Columbus OH
- Jalen Glaze, Tallahassee FL
- Victor Pless, Kennesaw GA
- Michael Dixon, Statesboro GA
- Abner Dubar, Anna TX
Special Teams
Kicker Dragan Kesich of Oak Creek, Wisconsin will be added to the mix at kicker. Given how inconsistent the Gophers’ kicking game was this season, he has every chance to make this team. Aussie Mark Crawford will be in the mix to replace the reliable Jacob Herbers at punter. It’s interesting to note that Kesich is listed at 6’4″ and 235 pounds, and Crawford, while no Ryan Santoso, is 6’3″, 225.
In Summary:
It was a very productive signing day for Minnesota. While the offensive players will have an uphill battle to crack the lineup this season, there are several positions wide open on the defense. Stay tuned.
For more on the 2020 class, see what 247 Sports had to say here; you can also read more about early signings from around the Big Ten with LWOS here.
