Ryan Burns, a football recruiting authority for Gopherillustrated.com, compares the athleticism of Rockford, Illinois high school senior quarterback Demry Croft with the Vikings Teddy Bridgewater. Burns told Sports Headliners the Boylan Catholic High star could be a special player for Minnesota within a couple of years.
Croft, 6-5, 200, verbally committed to the Gophers last year and is expected to sign a National Letter of Intent this week binding him to Minnesota and making him one of 20-plus players to accept scholarships for head coach Jerry Kill’s 2015 recruiting class.
Bridgewater, who completed over 70 percent of his college passes during his final year at Louisville, was recently voted the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year. “I am not saying he is going to be Teddy Bridgewater,” Burns said. “I am just saying athletic ability-wise, he’s very similar.”
Like Bridgewater, Croft “likes to sit in the pocket, read the defense, (and) not necessarily run,” Burns said. “He doesn’t flinch if he feels pressure. He steps up in the pocket.”
Bridgewater and Croft do put defenses on high alert not just because of their passing but also running. In Croft’s senior season he rushed for 845 yards and 10 touchdowns, while passing for 2,011 yards and 21 touchdowns, according to statistics from Gopherillustrated.com.
“It could be pretty scary on what he could accomplish here down the line in two or three years,” Burns said.
When Burns makes such a statement it’s not only based on abilities Croft has shown but also that Croft has limited experience playing quarterback. He played both receiver and quarterback his junior year of high school.
Burns said Croft compares impressively with quarterback recruits being signed by the other 13 Big Ten Conference schools. “I think he has the potential to be one of the best—if not the best—quarterback of this Big Ten quarterback class in three or four years. I think his ceiling is extremely high. He has all the physical tools.”
Burns predicted Croft will go through a lengthy learning process with the Gophers before receiving significant playing time. “In the first year or two I don’t think he’ll play much. I think he’ll redshirt and sit another year but down the line I think he does have potential to be a pretty good star.”
It looks like Croft will be the only quarterback in the Gophers 2015 recruiting class to be formally announced on Wednesday. He appears to be another under the radar, undervalued high school prospect that Kill and his staff have earned a reputation for identifying and coaching.
Gophers assistant coach Brian Anderson is from Rockford, Illinois and that is a factor in the Croft recruiting. Croft is also a cousin of Donovahn Jones, a wide receiver who was in the Minnesota program until early this winter. Even more important is Croft made such a favorable impression last summer at a Gophers camp for high school players.
“Live evaluations are huge with this staff,” Burns said. “It’s the No.1 thing they look for before offering a kid. They have to see him live. See how he moves.”
After Croft verbally committed to the Gophers, Penn State made a late run at him but he hasn’t wavered on Minnesota, Burns said.
Croft has made Kill and the staff look good so far with not only an impressive senior season but his showing in the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl. At the prep all-star game in Florida last month he completed 12 of 15 passes and threw two touchdown passes.
Worth Noting
Former Gophers center Ray Hitchcock worked last year during the offseason with Nick Connelly and Bronson Dovich, high school linemen from Red Wing and Chaska high schools expected to sign with the Gophers on Wednesday. “Those guys are players,” Hitchcock said. “They are really wide-frame players.”
Connelly is listed at 6-7, 277 and Dovich at 6-5, 295, according to Gopherillustrated.com. Hitchcock said Connelly moves well and could be a defensive end in college. Dovich might increase his weight to 320 and likely be an offensive tackle.
Seth Green, the East Ridge High School junior quarterback who has verbally committed to national power Oregon, might be moving out of Minnesota because of a possible job transfer by his father Bryan Green. “It’s not a done deal,” Raptors assistant coach Dave Fritze told Sports Headliners. “I don’t think his dad knows (yet).”
Green is one of the most highly recruited prep quarterbacks in state history. He can’t sign a National Letter of Intent with Oregon until next February when he will be a high school senior.
The Raptors were 10-2 last season and have the majority of starters returning. Fritze said he would “feel sorry” for Green if he couldn’t finish his senior year at East Ridge with classmates and friends. The Raptors, especially if Green returns, will be among the state’s favorites next fall to be a power. “It would be a huge loss for the program,” Fritze said.
Registration closes at noon on Monday for the Gophers Signing Day Social at TCF Bank Stadium on Wednesday. The fan gathering includes comments by Kill about the Gophers recruiting class. The event begins at 5 p.m. and more information, including cost, is available at Goallineclub.com.
BTN will air a live, two-hour special on Wednesday starting at 2:30 p.m. Minneapolis time evaluating incoming recruiting classes of all 14 Big Ten schools.
Fox Sports North will televise 12 Twins spring training games starting with the March 4 game against the Gophers in Fort Myers.
Saint John’s men’s basketball coach Jim Smith (780-553 career record) tied Lute Olson last week for 15th on college basketball’s all-time wins list. Smith is six wins behind Lefty Driesell (786-394) for 14th.
Condolences to family and friends of former Gustavus Adolphus men’s tennis coach Steve Wilkinson who died last month. Steve coached at Gustavus for 39 years and his 929 wins are the most in collegiate tennis history.
Justin Dahl, who has accepted a basketball scholarship offer from nationally-ranked Northern Iowa, scored his 1,000th point last week for Holy Family Catholic High School. The 6-11 senior could break the school record of 1,138 points set last year by Joe Hanel.