Gophers' 2023 recruiting class ranks 12th in nation after 'Summer Splash' event
P.J. Fleck and the Minnesota Golden Gophers have hit the recruiting trail hard this offseason and it's starting to pay off.
The Gophers' 2023 recruiting class ranked 22nd in the nation heading into the weekend ahead of the program's "Summer Splash" event. With over 30 recruits making their official visit to campus, Minnesota has so far received five commitments, helping the Gophers jump to 12th in the nation and fourth in the Big Ten.
I love showing people our program, University, and state. Minnesota is a special place and more and more people are recognizing that…
— Matt Simon (@CoachMGSimon) June 11, 2022
Uncommitted Recruit: Hey Coach, this class is going to be really special.
Me: Yes! Yes, it is. 😏#SkiUMah #RTB
It started with Maple Grove's Sam Peters, who announced his commitment on Friday night. A 6-foot-4, 225-pound tight end, Peters helped lead the Crimson to the 6A championship game last season and is graded as a three-star recruit by 247Sports.
Peters gives the class some local flavor as he is the No. 7 recruit in Minnesota 2023 graduating class. He is also the sixth in-state recruit so far, joining Osseo's Jerome Williams, Kasson-Mantorville's Reese Tripp, Prior Lake's Greg Johnson and Martin Owusu and Hutchinson's Alex Elliott.
A four-star recruit, Williams figures to be a cornerstone along the offensive line along with three-star linemen Tripp and Johnson, but the Gophers may have found their other future tackle in De'Eric Mister.
A three-star recruit out of Gary, Indiana, Mister is a 6-foot-7, 285-pound offensive tackle that has plenty of room to add to his massive frame. While he needs to add strength, Tony Liebert of GopherHole.com believes he can eventually grow into a legitimate player in the Big Ten.
"He has every physical trait that you could ask for in a Big Ten offensive lineman with incredibly long arms," Liebert wrote. "He has terrific athleticism for his size, but like most players his age, he still has room to refine his tools."
Minnesota wrapped up its weekend haul by landing three defensive recruits in Texas linebacker Latreveon McCutchin, Florida safety Kerry Brown and West Fargo defensive end Karter Menz. All three are rated three-star recruits.
With one four-star recruit and 13 three-star recruits, the Gophers have already built a solid recruiting class, but there's a chance it could get even better.
Four-star Louisiana cornerback MarJayvious Moss told Ryan Burns of Gophers Illustrated that Minnesota was at the top of his list after making an official visit over the weekend. Robbinsdale Cooper athlete Jaxon Howard, who is ranked as a top 100 recruit nationally, also made his official visit to campus, posting photos on his Twitter account.
With my guyssss! Having a blast at the Su〽️mer splash! @UMcoachburns @CoachBrickHaley pic.twitter.com/9P6fbbO6R9
— Jaxon Howard (@11JaxonHoward) June 11, 2022
It presents a real opportunity for Fleck to advance the program three years removed from winning 11 games and winning nine games last season.
