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Gophers Recruiting Notebook: First 2028 In-State Offer, DL Miss, LB Cuts to Top 6

Minnesota is having another busy week on the high school recruiting trail.
Tony Liebert|
Brodie Metzger on an unofficial visit to Minnesota.
Brodie Metzger on an unofficial visit to Minnesota. | Picture via: @brodie_metzger (X)

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Minnesota Golden Gophers

The Gophers wrapped up their spring portion of the offseason after last Saturday's Maroon-Gold spring game, but they've remained busy on the high school recruiting trail. They sent out their first in-state 2028 offer, a top 2027 linebacker target dropped his top six finalists, and a 2027 defensive line target committed elsewhere. Let's break it all down.

Gophers send first 2028 in-state offer to Brodie Metzger

Minnesota officially handed out its first in-state offer in the class of 2028 on Wednesday to Metzger. He's heading into his junior seasont at Hills-Beaver Creek High School, which competes at the nine-man level in Minnesota. Listed at 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, he plays linebacker and wide receiver for the Patriots, but he's being recruited as a linebacker at the next level.

Metzger was on campus for an unofficial visit to Minnesota on April 4, but he officially announced his offer on Wednesday. He holds other scholarship offers from Iowa, Iowa State and South Dakota State. He will be one of hte top local names to watch in the 2028 cycle.

Anitoni Tahi verbally commits to Kansas State

Tahi's Basha High School teammate in Chandler, Arizona, Dajohn Yarborough, surprisingly left Minnesota out of his top five finalists on Monday. Tahi made his commitment on Wednesday afternoon, and the Gophers were alongside Wisconsin, Arizona State and Kansas State as finalists. It seemed like an opportunity to soften the blow of missing on Yarborough, but that was not the case, as Tahi committed to the Wildcats.

Tahi is listed as a three-star prospect and the 1,167th-ranked player on the 247Sports Composite for the class of 2027. Minnesota has many other targets it can shift its focus to along the defensive line, such as Shakopee's Nehemiah Ombati, among others. Nevertheless, it's a D-line target off the board.

Four-star linebacker Tate Wallace includes Gophers as Top 6 finalist

Wallace has been one of Minnesota's top targets in the 2027 recruiting cycle for months. Hailing from Iowa City, Iowa, he's a consensus four-star prospect and a top-400 player in the class. He has already been on campus for three unofficial visits, a school camp, and he's locked in for an official visit at the end of May.

Wallace included Minnesota alongside Notre Dame, Nebraska, Arizona State, Arizona and Wiscon as his top six finalists on Thursday. The Gophers have seemingly positioned themselves well, and adding him to their 2027 class would be significant.

Grant Eslinger gets invited to Gophers camp

Eslinger is the son of former Gophers center and College Football Hall of Famer Greg Eslinger. Grant is entering his junior season at Orono High School as a linebacker/tight end, and he appears to be on Minnesota's radar for the 2028 cycle.

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Tony Liebert
TONY LIEBERT

Tony Liebert is particularly known for his coverage of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers, though he also contributes to coverage of the Minnesota Vikings, Timberwolves and Twins. His writing style is noted for providing in-depth analysis and insights, making him a go-to source for fans looking for comprehensive coverage of Minnesota sports.

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