National Signing Day Exciting For High School Seniors
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- For the University of Minnesota football program, they hope they have upgraded with a collection of recruits that have upside and are coachable.
Yes, it's National Signing Day for high school football players. Athletes who had already committed to colleges signed letters of intent to their schools Wednesday, and are furthering dreams in the process.
Mike Max gives us a local look at who signed where.
The skill players went northwest, to four- time defending FCS national champion North Dakota State. That includes DeLaSalle wide receiver Marquise Bridges and Hutchinson running back Robby Grimsley, who may play defense.
Another one is Rosemount running back Dmitri Williams, who moved to Minnesota as a kid from New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina forced his family out.
"I was with my mom and my brother and all I remember is everything was flying around, it was really windy and we were at our cousin's house outside watching the storm. The water was really high," Williams said.
The two biggest names to make it official Wednesday are headed to the two colleges that played in the national championship game last month. They were Cretin-Derham Hall's Jashon Cornell and DeLaSalle's Drayton Carlberg. Cornell signed with Ohio State and is already enrolled in school, and Carlberg signed with Oregon.
"We felt like Ohio State was low on the defensive side and they needed more players. I feel like I would have a position down there," Cornell said. "I'd be able to start right away or be second string, so my chances will be good to be on the field early."
Two of the state's best offensive linemen are staying home to play for Jerry Kill and the Gophers. Nick Connelly from Red Wing is a big tackle, so is Chaska's Bronson Dovich. His 292-pound frame takes up some space in the hallways.
He's wanted to be a Gopher since he started playing football.
"I grew up a Gopher fan. I've lived here all my life and when they gave me the offer it was really hard to turn down," Dovich said. "When the coaches came in, I'd have to say they were the best coaches I talked to in the whole process. I really had a good time talking to coach (Matt) Limegrover and coach (Mike) Sherels along with coach Kill. I really just bought into what they were saying and connected with them pretty well."
The Gophers are hoping that the past season proves a building block, that Wednesday they got a better recruiting class because they are a better football program.
