Signing day is a week away for the Minnesota Golden Gopher football team and coach Jerry Kill.
Kill has made a point to improve the team’s secondary. The Gophers were one of the worst pass defenses in the country.
Here are the eight defensive backs in the current recruiting class of 2012. Recruits are listed based on their positions provided by Rivals.
Jeremy Baltazar
Community College:Blinn in Brenham, Texas
Height:6-0; Weight: 196; 40-yard dash: 4.5; Bench max: 365; Squat max: 425; Shuttle run: 4.32
Other Offers:Lamar and South Alabama.
Briean Boddy
Community College:Coffeyville in Coffeyville, Kansas
Height:5-11; Weight: 175
Other Offers:None.
Antonio Johnson
High School:Shaker Heights in Cleveland, Ohio
Height:6-0; Weight: 185; 40-yard dash: 4.5; Vertical: 35 inches
Position Rank:No. 157 safety (ESPN), No. 180 outside linebacker (Scout)
ESPN Notes:He is productive as a running back and defensive back…competitiveness and playing speed appear better suited for the safety position at the major collegiate level….tough customer who tackles with authority; does a good job of wrap tackling in space and will punish ball carriers…his trait is run support.
Other Offers:Akron, Ball State, Buffalo, Eastern Michigan, Kent State and Toledo.
Dinero Moss
High School:Piper in Sunrise, Florida
Height:5-11; Weight: 183; 40-yard dash: 4.48
Position Rank:No. 34 safety (ESPN), No. 140 cornerback (Scout)
ESPN Notes:He is a sleeper on the recruiting trail…explosive defensive back with a good nose for the football and ball-hawk type feel for the game…plays the position fast and physical and has a good blend of size and speed for the position…his traits are zone coverage (drive and closing burst), ball skills, run support and instincts.
Other Offers:Connecticut, Florida International, Nebraska, New Mexico and Northern Illinois.
Eric Murray
High School:Riverside University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Height:5-11; Weight: 173
MaxPrep’s Tom Lemming’s Notes:He played both free safety and cornerback, but is best suited to play corner in college…possesses big-time game speed and has the burst to cover fast receivers…he can turn and run, and plant and drive downhill on the ball…shows good recognition and covers a whole lot of ground…his competition may be suspect, but not his talent.
Other Offers:None.
Nick Rallis
High School:Edina in Edina, Minnesota
Height:6-0; Weight: 200
Position Rank:No. 121 safety (ESPN), No. 65 outside linebacker (Scout)
ESPN Notes:He is a bit of a throwback safety who is tough, physical and a very solid run supporter…a good football player who produces on both sides of the ball…above average size with a well-built frame, but does lack the desired height and length…his traits are zone coverage (drive and closing burst) and run support.
Other Offers:None.
Martez Shabazz
Community College:Trinity Valley in Athens, Texas
Height:5-11; Weight: 170; 40-yard dash: 4.36
Other Offers:Baylor, Lamar, South Alabama and Western Kentucky.
Damarius Travis
High School:Pensacola in Pensacola, Florida
Height:6-1; Weight: 194
Other Offers:Florida International and Western Michigan.
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