The Gophers have started to sign their 2015 recruiting class.
The team signed seven recruits on Wednesday who will enroll at the University in January and participate in spring practice. The new signees include junior college players Merrick Jackson, Vincent Calhoun, Garrison Wright and Elijah Battle and high school players Seth Green, Thomas Barber and Tai'yon Devers.
Green is a quarterback, Barber is a linebacker, Battle is a defensive back, Calhoun and Wright are offensive lineman and Jackson and Devers are defensive lineman.
"There is no question that we got better today with the addition of these seven young men," Minnesota head coach Tracy Claeys said in a statement. "They are all tremendous athletes who can run and have length. I am looking forward to their arrival on campus in January and having them compete in spring practice."
Green is listed at 6-feet-four-inches and 218 pounds. He played at East Ridge high school in Woodbury, Minn. before transferring to Allen high school in Texas his senior season. He passed for 1,481 years and 19 touchdowns as a senior while rushing for 865 yards and 10 touchdowns on 99 carries.
Barber is an in-state recruit whose father, Marion, and two older brothers, Marion and Dom, played for Minnesota. He is listed at 6-feet-one-inch and 235 pounds and has 109 tackles as a senior at Robbinsdale Armstrong high school along with two sacks and two pass breakups.
Jackson is a defensive tackle listed at 6-feet-2-inches and 330 pounds. He played two years at Iowa Western and had 70 tackles and 7.5 sacks as a sophomore.
Calhoun listed at 6-feet-four-inches and 330 pounds. He played at Southwestern Mississippi Community College where he was named a NJCAA Second Team All-American.
Wright is from Butler Community College and listed at 6-feet-five inches and 313 pounds. Battle played at Dodge City Community College and had 50 tackles and 11 pass breakups in 12 games this season.
Devers has played football for only two years and is listed as a 6-foot-four-inch, 225-pound defensive end. He played his senior season at Blanche Ely high school and then played one year at Georgia Prep Sports Academy.
Jones transfers out
Fomerly highly touted football recruit Jeff Jones has left the University of Minnesota football program, according to Joe Christensen of the Star Tribune.
Jones is transferring to Iowa Western Community College after struggling academically. He was rated as a four-star running back prospect by ESPN coming out of Washburn high school in Minneapolis.
