A glance at Minnesota's top recruiting targets in the 2015 class

Ever since Richard Pitino took the job in the spring, all eyes have been on the 2015 recruiting class. With ample time to scout and court players, it would be the new Minnesota coach's chance to truly flex his recruiting potential for the first time.

With two verbal commitments already in pocket, the Gophers staff is off to a great start.

Point guard Kevin Dorsey, a top-100 recruit and Dupree McBrayer, a highly respected three-star combo guard have a chance to form a very impactful backcourt just one year down the road, when seniors Andre Hollins and DeAndre Mathieu will have both expired their eligibilities.

With four scholarships available, two remain.

Let's take a look at the other main targets Minnesota's staff is pursuing:

Point guards:

Jarvis Johnson: Don't be fooled into believing the Gophers have any less interest in the DeLaSalle standout now that they've landed two backcourt pieces for the class -- Minnesota still very much considers Johnson a high priority in its guard-oriented system. The Gophers have been after the local recruit, who lives practically in Minnesota's backyard, since Pitino took the job, and have only intensified their efforts. Johnson, who has lauded Pitino's style of play, has four visits arranged to Minnesota, UNLV, Wisconsin and Baylor this fall, according to his brother, Ty. He likely won't be making a decision until November.

Shooting guards:

KJ Walton:
Walton is the shooting guard prospect the Gophers are pursuing the most at this point of the recruiting season. The four-star recruit out of Brownsburg, Indiana is ranked at No. 100 according to Rivals and is being courted heavily by Butler and Xavier along with Minnesota. According to Rivals, the versatile offensive guard has expressed interest in visiting Dinkytown sometime soon.

Small forwards:

Chris Clarke:
The 6-foot-6 wing is currently ranked 58th in the 2015 class and only moving upward after his recruitment exploded late in the process, getting a big bump in attention in the spring. The Virginia native was in town for the EYBL event in Bloomington earlier this summer and his father, Curt Clarke, made it clear he and his son were serious about the program and the school. The super athletic Clarke narrowed his list last week, naming Iowa State, Virginia Tech, Creighton, Florida, Connecticut and Tennessee as priorities, along with the Gophers.

Kipper Nichols:
The Ohio native stands at 6-foot-6 or 6-foot-7, depending on who you ask, and possibly has room to grow still. Minnesota is very high on the long, smooth wing, along with Maryland, Northwestern, Xavier, Penn State, Nebraska, Tulane and Clemson, and the Gophers are hoping to set up an official visit with the three-star. His recruitment has grown this summer as he's demonstrated an improving jumper from distance on the AAU circuit.

Jordan Murphy:
The San Antonio native is ranked 111th nationally according to Rivals and has lots of defensive potential in his strong footwork and ability to guard spots all over the floor. In addition to Minnesota, the 6-foot-7 forward is also hearing from Baylor, Kansas State, Marquette, Maryland, Oklahoma, SMU, TCU, Texas and Texas A&M.

Tyler Kohl:
The 6-foot-5 Trenton, N.J-native seems intrigued by the Gophers, who represent the biggest program making a strong push for his services. St. Joseph's, Rhode Island, Drexel and Wagner are also involved with the physical and versatile wing, eying his ability to handle, shoot and get to the rim.

Malik Ellison:
La Salle, Maryland, Penn State, St. Joe's and Temple are also vying for the smooth 6-foot-5 Burlington wing. The three-athlete is just the type of ball handling, transition-oriented wing Minnesota head coach Richard is seeking.

Power forwards:

Alex Illikainen:
Minnesota has stayed on the Grand Rapids native like a fitted glove since Pitino and Co. took over the program a year and a half ago. The 6-foot-9 Illikainen transferred to Brewster Academy in New Hampshire for his senior season, but the Gophers appear to be no less in the game at this point. The stretch four visited California this winter, and has scheduled visits to Iowa (this weekend) and Oregon on deck. Otherwise, there are a host of other programs that have extended scholarship offers: Creighton, Indiana, Providence, Wisconsin, Texas Tech, BC, Iowa State, Maryland, Nebraska and Vanderbilt among them.

Centers: