Recruiting: Q&A with 2022 Tight End Prospect Benji Gosnell
Class of 2022 tight end Benji Gosnell (Pilot Mountain, N.C./East Surry HS) recently spoke with Nathan Atkins of Irish Breakdown about the recruitment process, the impact of CoVID-19 on his football season, and his use of self-affirmations and visualization on the field.
While Notre Dame is among one of roughly 20 offers for Gosnell, the 6-foot-4 recruit announced Ohio State, Florida and the nearby Tar Heels as his three finalists back in late August. See below for more of his thoughts!
The last we heard, Ohio State was very high on you. Would you say that's still the case?
BG: Yeah, I talked to Coach [Kevin] Wilson (tight ends coach) today, and I think I'll be talking to the head coach (Ryan Day) later today. They told me I'm the number one tight end target for the program and one of the class's top targets.
How do you feel about traveling up north to play in Ohio? Are there any other schools that have been contacting you? Where's Notre Dame in the mix?
BG: I'm not sure if you know, but I released my top three schools a bit ago. They're Florida, Ohio State, and North Carolina. I actively talk to or text with Coach [Tim] Brewster (Florida tight ends coach), Coach [John] Lilly (North Carolina tight ends coach), and even Coach [Mack] Brown. Clemson also talks to me a lot via Twitter.
I haven't heard from Notre Dame for a few months. I'm not sure they're interested anymore since Jack Nickel committed. A lot of teams only bring in one tight end a year.
I love the cold, though. One of the things I'm looking forward to about our football season starting February 6th is that we'll get to play in the cold and maybe a little snow.
Obviously, North Carolina has Mack Brown, a coach with a championship pedigree, and they're right in your backyard. Do you feel any extra pressure if you decided to go to UNC over another school?
BG: No. My last name is pretty common around North Carolina; in my family, I'm one of 13. My oldest brother is 34, and I'm the second youngest at 17. So I wouldn't expect to go there and have people recognize me by my last name.
I think there's more pressure in leaving the state than staying in-state. Typically, when guys go out of the state, its to better themselves or take on a better opportunity, so I think that's tougher.
13 kids! What's Thanksgiving like around the house? Given how big you are, are you able to sit at the adult table, or are still at the kid's table?
BG: I tend to sit with my older brothers. They're both brilliant, so my IQ goes up by sitting around them. They were good at football too, but there wasn't Hudl or anything like that when they played, so they went into the Marine Corps.
With that many siblings, how's the recruitment process been? Is this the first time your family has gone through this? Are you having fun?
BG: My brother Stephen is a wide receiver at North Carolina right now, so we've done it before as a family. But for me, it's exciting, and I really like the process and can be a bit overwhelming at times.
How so?
BG: Beginning in September, I had a bunch of coaches texting and calling me. I can't imagine what a guy like Bryan Bresee (Clemson freshman DL) had to go through during his recruiting process.
Talk about your football season and what's going on with COVID-19. How are you dealing with the lack of football right now?
BG: The season was rescheduled to start on February 6th, so right now, my team has weekly 7-on-7s with teams in the 336 area code, like Greensboro and Winston-Salem. It's been a lot of fun.
I'm also training for the other two sports I play, baseball and track.
When you're not running track or playing baseball, what do you do for fun?
BG: Can I say training for other sports (laughs)? I've gotten into long-distance running: nothing too crazy, but about three-six miles. I'm also big into visualization and understanding how our brains work.
How did you get into visualization? What type of stuff do you do, and do you use it before the game?
BG: I got into it through [former Navy Seal] David Goggins. He was a speaker on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast and talked about it. I take time to visualize and remind myself of the work I put in to get here, think about my future and where I want to go in my life, and I talk to myself and do self-affirmations.
What do you say?
BG: It sounds a little corny, but in the huddle, I'll say things like, "you're a monster, and no one can stop you." Things like that. It's not just about thinking the things in my head; it's about saying them out loud as well.
Let's wrap with a couple of fun questions. What's on the pregame playlist?
BG: I listen to the same five songs on repeat about two hours before a game, and then an hour before the game, I'll listen to a podcast or something motivational. The songs are:
"24" - Money Man and Lil Baby
"The Marine Corps Hymn" - United States Marine Band
"Lose Yourself" - Eminem
"Love the Way You Lie" - Eminem and Rihanna
"All There" - Jeezy
Who's a guy in the NFL or college that you model your game after?
BG: I wouldn't say I model my game after anyone, but my favorite player to watch is George Kittle. He can do it all. He's a physical blocker, fast, has excellent route running technique, and he's smart.
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