While the Gophers football team continues to rank in the Top 15 nationally with its 2018 recruiting class, coach P.J. Fleck went back and added bulk to his 2017 class this weekend.
Ben Davis, a 6-4, 275-pound offensive tackle form American River College in Sacramento, Calif., signed with the Gophers. He'll enroll this summer and be eligible this fall, with four years to play three at Minnesota.
Fleck has said he prefers not to sign junior college players, but the Gophers are staring at a serious depth issue on the offensive line for this fall. Davis can help address that.
The Gophers have been down to five or four offensive linemen for every practice this spring. They have three returning starters recovering from surgery – Jared Weyler, Vincent Calhoun and Garrison Wright. Two others who started last season, Tyler Moore and Connor Mayes, have transferred to other schools.
Davis is in a similar position to Donnell Greene, who came to the Gophers last summer from Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College. Greene played in 13 games for the Gophers last year, starting eight and has been the only healthy returning starter on the line this spring.
Davis announced his decision on Twitter:
