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University of Minnesota Athletics
Coach Kill Introduces 2012 Signing Class
2/1/2012 12:00:00 AM | Football
Feb. 1, 2012
Visit Signing Day Central! | Signing Day Press Conference Transcript | Full Press Conference Video Replay | Kill on Big Ten Network
University of Minnesota head football coach Jerry Kill has announced the addition of 31 student-athletes to the Golden Gopher football program.
Of the 31 student-athletes announced by Kill Wednesday, eight were already enrolled in classes at the University of Minnesota. Nineteen signed their National Letters of Intent Wednesday, while four others signed Acceptance of Admission forms.
Twenty-five members of Minnesota's recruiting class will be true freshmen for the 2012 season, while six join the Gophers from the junior college ranks.
"The most important thing for us was to make sure we got kids that fit in here at the University of Minnesota with our system and what we expect," Kill said. "I think we did that. And then of course we needed to improve the athleticism and speed in our football program and I think we did that too."
A wide net was cast to land the 2012 Gopher recruiting class. Thirteen states are represented in the hometowns of the newest Gopher class. Ten of the newest Gophers hail from the State of Minnesota. Texas is next on the list with four, while three come from Florida. Two each are joining the Gopher program from Wisconsin and Ohio, while there was one each from California, Delaware, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Missouri, Illinois and Alabama.
The 2012 Minnesota recruiting class is a little heavier on the defensive side of the ball, with 16 listed in defensive positions. Eleven of the signees are slated to play on the offensive side of the ball, while four are currently listed as athletes and could play on either side.
Defensive back was the most heavily-targeted position. Eight of the student-athletes announced Wednesday are penciled in for the secondary. The defensive line saw the next-biggest influx of talent with six of the new Gophers expected to play on the line of scrimmage. Minnesota signed two linebackers. On offense, three student-athletes each are listed as wide receivers and offensive linemen. The Gophers added two quarterbacks, two running backs and one tight end.
A full roster of the 2012 recruiting class is listed below:
2012 University of Minnesota Signing Day Recruiting Class
| Name | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown/Previous School |
| Duke Anyanwu | ATH | 6-4 | 230 | Blaine, Minn./Blaine HS |
| Jeremy Baltazar* | DB | 6-0 | 190 | Corona, Calif./Blinn College |
| Briean Boddy* | CB | 5-11 | 175 | Wilmington, Del./Coffeyville CC |
| Cedric Dicke** | DB | 6-3 | 200 | Cannon Falls, Minn./Cannon Falls HS |
| Scott Ekpe* | DT | 6-4 | 260 | Lewisville, Texas/Lewisville HS |
| Isaac Fruechte* | WR | 6-3 | 210 | Caledonia, Minn./Rochester CTC |
| James Gillum* | RB | 5-11 | 208 | Pearl River, La./Mississippi Gulf Coast CC |
| Jamel Harbison | WR | 5-11 | 195 | Charlotte, N.C./Mallard Creek HS |
| Tyler Hartmann** | DL | 6-3 | 245 | Andover, Minn./Andover HS |
| Isaac Hayes | OL | 6-2 | 275 | Brooklyn Park, Minn./St. Thomas Academy |
| Jordan Hinojosa | DT | 6-3 | 275 | Miami, Fla./Central HS |
| Ben Holcomb** | DB | 6-4 | 200 | Germantown, Wis./Germantown HS |
| Antonio Johnson | DB | 6-0 | 190 | Cleveland, Ohio/Shaker Heights HS |
| Roland Johnson | DT | 6-1 | 295 | Duncan, S.C./Butler County CC |
| Alex Keith | DE | 6-3 | 230 | Columbia, Mo./Hickman HS |
| Ben Lauer | OT | 6-6 | 265 | Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata HS |
| Mitch Leidner* | QB | 6-4 | 225 | Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville South HS |
| Jack Lynn | LB | 6-3 | 210 | Lake Zurich, Ill./Lake Zurich HS |
| KJ Maye | ATH | 5-10 | 190 | Mobile, Ala./Murphy HS |
| Andre McDonald | WR | 6-2 | 200 | Minnetonka, Minn./Hopkins HS |
| John McKelvey** | ATH | 6-0 | 190 | Hunting Valley, Ohio/University School |
| Eric Murray | CB | 6-0 | 178 | Milwaukee, Wis./Riverside University HS |
| Philip Nelson* | QB | 6-2 | 220 | Mankato, Minn./West HS |
| Jonah Pirsig | OT | 6-9 | 295 | Blue Earth, Minn./Blue Earth Area HS |
| Lincoln Plsek | ATH | 6-4 | 245 | Waco, Texas/Reicher HS |
| Nick Rallis | LB | 5-11 | 220 | Edina, Minn./Edina HS |
| Martez Shabazz* | CB | 5-11 | 165 | DeSoto, Texas/Trinity Valley CC |
| Yoshoub Timms | DT | 6-2 | 265 | Fort Walton Beach, Fla./Fort Walton Beach HS |
| Damarius Travis | DB | 6-2 | 205 | Pensacola, Fla./Pensacola HS |
| Maxx Williams | TE | 6-4 | 235 | Waconia, Minn./Waconia HS |
| Rodrick Williams | RB | 5-11 | 228 | Lewisville, Texas/Lewisville HS |
* = Currently enrolled | ** = Signed Acceptance of Admission Form
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