Gophers land three football recruits who originally pledged to other programs

P.J. Fleck and his Gophers football staff have been persuasive this weekend, getting three recruits who previously committed elsewhere to flip their decisions to Minnesota on Sunday.

Cade McConnell, an offense lineman once committed to TCU; Hayden Schwartz, a defensive lineman who previously pledged to Nebraska; and Maverick Baranowski, a linebacker who was headed to Air Force, all announced that they've decided on the Gophers. The early signing period begins Wednesday.

McConnell, of Choctaw (Okla.) High School, is a 6-5, 300-pounder who committed to TCU in February before decommitting in November. He made his official visit to Minnesota last weekend before announcing on Twitter that he has picked the Gophers. A three-star recruit who is ranked 33^rd nationally among interior offensive linemen by the 247Sports composite ratings of major recruiting services, McConnell had narrowed his choices to TCU, Texas Tech, Vanderbilt and the Gophers and intends to sign his national letter of intent when the early signing period opens Wednesday. His other Power Five offers were from Iowa State and Kansas.

Schwartz, 6-4 and 244 pounds from the Bolles School in Jacksonville, Fla., announced his decision to Jacksonville.com. He committed to Nebraska in July before reopening his recruiting in October. The three-star recruit is ranked 93^rd nationally among defensive linemen by the 247Sports composite. He has 25 offers from Power Five programs, including Michigan, Maryland, Northwestern, Indiana and Penn State of the Big Ten.

Schwartz's father Bryan was a linebacker for the Jacksonville Jaguars from 1995-99.

Baranowski, of Spruce Creek High School in Port Orange, Fla., announced his decision on Twitter. He is a 6-3, 210-pounder who does not yet have a rating in the 247Sports composite, and FBS schools that offered him scholarships include Army, Navy, Tulsa and Kent State. He committed to Air Force in August of 2020 before flipping to the Gophers during his visit this weekend.

The additions of McConnell, Schwartz and Baranowski give the Gophers 19 players in their 2022 recruiting class.

Note

Former Gophers linebacker James Gordon IV, who entered the transfer portal in November, committed to South Florida.