Looking Back: The 2022 Gopher Trio

Nate Wahl July 14, 2021 @ 05:06 PM

As I enter my third year of scouting football for Prep Redzone all over the Midwest, I have gotten to uncover a ton of players that have brought themselves to the next level of college football from JUCO all the way to Power 5 level of Division I football. There is not one trio however that I am more excited to watch in the Big Ten than these three University of Minnesota commits in the Class of 2022 from Minnesota and South Dakota in Alexandria (MN) Wide Receiver , Minnetonka (MN) Wide Receiver , and Harrisburg (SD) Quarterback . I reflect on some of the best articles we have written about these three and what I remember from evaluating them for the first time to how they ended up becoming Power 5 prospects headed to the University of Minnesota. Congratulations Fellas! Cade Conzemius Cade Conzemius 5'10" | 165 lbs | WR Minnetonka | 2022 State MN | Wide Receiver | Minnetonka (MN) | 2022 My Evaluation Looking Back: When I first got my eyes on Cade in a game of 7on7 at Eden Prairie High School, I saw a kid that certainly had the playmaking abilities but was lacking the size to debut more of that ability. When I watched Cade play this Spring at the UNI Dome, I saw a young man that completely turned the corner as far as his size and athletic ability came in at least 15-20 pounds stronger than when I first watched him. I remember it like yesterday, how much his footwork had improved to put him in the category as a scholarship level prospect at the next level. After gauging some Division III interest, the tables turned when Cade went down to Ames and put that footwork and speed on display and picked up a PWO from the Cyclones. What happened next? He did the same thing at the Gopher prospect camp this summer and got a dream opportunity to follow in dad's footsteps to continue the family legacy to play football for the Minnesota Gophers.

Recruiting/Player Profile: Cade Conzemius/Minnetonka (2022)

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Kristen Hoskins Kristen Hoskins 5'9" | 165 lbs | WR Alexandria | 2022 State MN | Wide Receiver | Alexandria (MN) | 2022 My Evaluation Looking Back: Kristen was another prospect I learned from his days of playing 7on7 for Potenza Sports. He had such an excellent mix of speed and a superb flex in his hips when it came down to his lower body and footwork; it almost looked like a game of Madden when you cranked up the speed, agility, acceleration, etc. all the way up to 99. The interesting part? At that time, Kristen had no offers and if this young man played anywhere in the South he would have had dozens of offers at that point in time. Being that Alexandria is not a hotbed for Power 5 talent especially in the Big Ten, it took him longer to gain attention even from FCS schools until the Gophers pulled the trigger on this young man and the rest is history.

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Jacob Knuth Jacob Knuth 6'4" | 205 lbs | QB Harrisburg | 2022 State | Quarterback | Harrisburg (SD) | 2022 My Evaluation Looking Back: Jacob was the first prospect I watched on tape before launching the Dakotas site last Fall. He also was one of the first players I connected over messages before launching the site and after he stated to us, "I want to show Power 5 programs across the country that the Dakotas is not just a cow pasture," I was hella motivated to make sure that we do the same with Prep Redzone Dakotas site, making sure that Division I programs across the country know that there is a herd of talent out there that needs to get on your radar. When I watched his tape for the first time, I knew then that this young man checked all the boxes you look for in a Power 5 QB talent. Excellent frame, stellar accuracy, and arm strength, and an excellent will to compete. Knuth, like Hoskins, was in uncharted territory when it came to Power 5 talent, and his story was built the same recruiting-wise. It started with the Dakota's FCS programs lining up with offers and then the ball dropped when the Gophers came into the mix with an offer, in which Knuth would add another Big Ten offer from Iowa and a solid amount of other FBS programs before committing to the Gophers in the end.