A busy weekend of football recruiting for the Gophers has paid dividends, with five players, all on defense, giving verbal commitments to coach P.J. Fleck for the Class of 2019.
Sunday night, cornerback Solomon Brown of Largo, Fla., became the fifth player of the day and the 16th in the Class of 2019 to commit to the Gophers. He joins defensive tackle DeAngelo Griffin of Crisp County High School in Cordele, Ga.; linebackers Donald Willis of Garfield Heights, Ohio, and James Gordon IV of Plant City, Fla.; and defensive back T.J. Robinson of Riverview, Fla., who all committed Sunday morning after weekend official visits. All five players have three-star ratings in the 247Sports.com composite rankings.
The four commitments moved the Gophers up to No. 19 nationally and fourth in the Big Ten in the 247Sports composite rankings of major recruiting services. In 247Sports' own rankings, the Gophers are 13th nationally and second among Big Ten schools.
Brown, 5-11 and 170 pounds, had offers from 22 other schools, including Iowa, Indiana and Rutgers of the Big Ten. He is the 110th-ranked cornerback in the Class of 2019 in the 247Sports.com composite.
Griffin, 6-1 and 295, had scholarship offers from 17 other schools, including Power Five programs that included Arkansas, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina and South Carolina. He is ranked 85th nationally at defensive tackle.
Willis, 6-1½ and 202, had offers from Illinois, Purdue and Rutgers of the Big Ten, along with Boston College, Iowa State and West Virginia. He is ranked 54th nationally at outside linebacker.
Gordon, 5-11 and 214, had offers from Cincinnati, Iowa State, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina and Purdue, among others. He is ranked 71st nationally at outside linebacker.
Robinson, 6-3 and 181, originally committed to South Florida but switched to the Gophers on Sunday. He also had offers Cincinnati, Iowa State, Louisville and South Florida, and is ranked 127th nationally at safety.
