MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Jerry Kill wasn’t a big name when he came to the University of Minnesota to replace Tim Brewster as the Gophers football coach, but he may have landed his first big recruit.

Sources told WCCO-TV’s Mike Max that Jonah Pirsig, a 6-9, 285-pound left tackle from Blue Earth, gave Kill a verbal commitment to play for the Gophers in 2012.

Pirsig is a four-star recruit according to several online services and had 10 Division I scholarship offers, including Wisconsin and Ohio State.

Pirsig gave Kill a verbal commitment Saturday morning. As many as three of the state’s top current players have no given Kill a commitment. Mankato West quarterback Phillip Nelson gave Kill a verbal commitment back in February, and Andre McDonald of Hopkins verbally committed to the Gophers, but he is still weighing his options after receiving a few other offers.

Due to NCAA rules, Kill cannot comment on Pirsig until he signs a letter of intent to attend Minnesota. That should happen in February. Nonetheless, it’s a big find for Kill.