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2017 TGR Recruiting Awards

MVP

Matt Jessen-Howard: It has to be Vic Viramontes. Not only is Viramontes one of the most talented players in the class but he could be QB1 from day one, so given that level of potential impact it would be hard for me to pick anyone else.

Alex Carlson: Vic Viramontes is an easy one here, so I'm going to pick someone else. Unfortunately, I won't stray too far away. Rashod Bateman spurned a number of SEC schools in the last few weeks leading up to signing day. A four-star with a number of SEC offers that decided to stick with the Gophers, and should be a multi-year starter.

Connor Stevens: Vic Viramontes is the MVP of this class. Coach Fleck needed a QB, and he went out and got one that is probably going to end up starting from day one.

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BEST OFFENSIVE PLAYER

Matt Jessen-Howard: Rashod Bateman. Bateman, against some of Georgia's top competition, was top three in the Peach State in all major receiving categories, which led half the SEC including the homestate Bulldogs to knock on his door in the final weeks. He's a very talented receiver.

Alex Carlson: Since I went with Bateman above, I'm going to go with Bryce Williams here. Williams possesses top end speed and agility. Additionally, I think he can be a solid pass catcher out of the backfield. I think he has a chance to be special. Curtis Dunlap is also a great candidate for this award.

Connor Stevens: Rashod Bateman is going to come in and be a part of the wide receiver group from day one. His athleticism and ability to get the yards after the catch make him the top offensive player in the class.

BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER

Matt Jessen-Howard: Elijah Teague shows everything you'd want in a defensive tackle on film and was impressive when I watched him in Mishawaka, Indiana, even though it was maybe his worst game statistically of the year. It's rare for defensive tackles to make an impact early but Teague has the size and skill to compete for immediate playing time. Braelen Oliver and Terell Smith are both elite athletes with a lot of potential, so they'd be my runner ups.

Alex Carlson: Elijah Teague. I was blown away by Teague's combination of size, speed, and skill. It is extremely tough for offensive/defensive lineman to play as true freshman, but Teague has a chance. We may be talking about an All-Big Ten performer down the road. Braelen Oliver is my runner up.

Connor Stevens: Elijah Teague could very well end up being the best defensive player in this class down the road. He’s big, aggressive, and has good athleticism for a DT. He has a chance to make an impact early for the Gophers.

BEST ATHLETE

Matt Jessen-Howard: Braelen Oliver is as fast of a linebacker as they come and has great body control too. He's an excellent athlete. Terell Smith, Daniel Faalele, Thomas Rush, Vic Viramontes, Jason Dickson, Bryce Williams, and Rashod Bateman could all make their case for this award too.

Alex Carlson: Terell Smith. His ability to play both sides of the ball, and do so well, is why he got the nod here. He was a stud receiver, and then flipped it around and could be a lockdown corner with exceptional ball skills. Jason Dickson is my runner up.

Connor Stevens: Rashod Bateman. His hands, speed, vertical, and ability to make guys miss make him the total package at WR. There’s a reason Georgia, A&M, and Tennessee wanted him late.

FASTEST PLAYER

Matt Jessen-Howard: Terell Smith is legitimately one of the fastest players in the country, being the fastest 100m dash sprinter in Georgia in back-to-back seasons. He almost wins this award by default.

Alex Carlson: Terell Smith. Ran a 10.39 in the 100 at the Georgia Track State Championship last spring. Absolute burner. Has the speed to keep up with fast receivers, size to match up with bigger receivers. My runner up would be Bryce Williams.

Connor Stevens: Terell Smith. Numbers don’t lie. The fastest player in the state of Georgia is coming to Minnesota.

MOST LIKELY TO PROVE THE STAR SYSTEM WRONG

Matt Jessen-Howard: Mayan Ahanotu would be my pick, but it sounds like he may be getting a bump still (no promises, though), so I'll go with Braelen Oliver. Oliver is a 5.5 outside linebacker and not a top 40 outside linebacker by any recruiting outlet but is a high level athlete and has the "HOW" that PJ Fleck so often says he looks for in recruits.

Alex Carlson: Nathan Boe. I hinted to this during my scouting report of him, but I truly believe he can be a very good center for the Gophers. I loved his motor and mindset as a player. He'll have to gain some strength, but from a playing style standpoint, I'm a believer. Austin Beier is my runner up.

Connor Stevens: Josh Aune gets my vote here. He was playing against lesser competition, but the numbers he put up this year were ridiculous at times. I think he has the chance to outplay his two-star rating.

MOST PERSONABLE

Matt Jessen-Howard: I'll say Brevyn Spann-Ford. Brevyn was always responsive to my texts and calls and took interests in what I wrote about other members of the 2018 recruiting class, too. Benny Sapp and Alex Reigelsperger would also be good choices.

Connor Stevens: Alex Reigelsperger wins the award here. He was always willing to talk, and even liked to see how we were doing on calls.

HARDEST HITTER

Matt Jessen-Howard: Braelen Oliver. Oliver has great closing speed and can deliver a pop. There's a reason why Fleck called him "Thumper" at the press conference. Mariano Sori-Marin, Thomas Rush, CJ Smith, and Josh Aune would have also been good choices.

Alex Carlson: Mayan Ahanotu. His highlights show him absolutely destroying quarterbacks. He builds up force with his big body and strength and delivers it. He'll be an exciting player to watch. Jack York would be my runner up.

Connor Stevens: Thomas Rush gets my vote here. He’s fast and reads the hole very well. His anticipation while the play is going allows him to explode through the gap and make big hits on the ball carrier.

BEST RECRUITING MOMENT/TIME

Matt Jessen-Howard: As Minnesota's best class of the decade, there are many great moments to choose from. I'll go with the eLITe18 Palooza. The event was maybe the largest official visit weekend in the history of the NCAA, which makes it a huge recruiting moment in its own right. It also assured that 25 of the commits would be signing in December, which shouldn't be overlooked. The event was very important to connect the class and keep them all committed, despite many commits having other major options trying to pull them away.

Alex Carlson: I'm going to go a different approach here and say Benny Sapp committing. Every recruiting class has to start somewhere, and someone has to commit first. Regardless of what Sapp's situation was with his offers at that point, he had a name/following to himself and he chose the Gophers early. That built a foundation and some buzz to start the recruiting season that Fleck built off of.

Connor Stevens: Getting the two four-stars in Daniel Faalele and Curtis Dunlap has to be the moment.

SMARTEST RECRUIT

Matt Jessen-Howard: Austin Beier. Beier is an excellent student and very articulate through phone calls and texts. He's also very fundamentally sound for a high school lineman, which indicates that he's been able to understand the technique he's been taught. Jornell Manns, Jack York, Thomas Rush, Mariano Sori-Marin, and Nolan Edmonds are also exceptional students. Edmonds' texts are the most gramatically correct texts l I've ever read.

Connor Stevens: I have to give this award to Austin Beier. His 4.0+ GPA speaks for itself, along with his high test scores. His off-field smarts should translate well to the field.

BEST RECRUITER

Matt Jessen-Howard: This is hard. PJ Fleck was the visionary of the class and is one of the most involved head coaches in recruiting in the nation. GM Gerrit Chernoff was the organizer and designer of the class. But the best recruiter? I'll say Mo Linguist. Linguist is extremely well-liked and was able to land a slew of Georgia talent very early in the recruiting cycle that helped set the tone for the rest of the class. Ed Warinner, Matt Simon, Benny Sapp, and Zack Annexstad would have also been good choices. Warinner was heavily involved in the commitments of over ten new Gophers and played a big role in filling needs. Matt Simon led the recruitment of many local prospects, and Benny Sapp and Zack Annexstad played key roles in helping the coaches recruit.

Connor Stevens: Mo Linguist wins the award here. He went into Georgia and got several guys touted by SEC and other P5 schools.

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