INTEL | UMass Official Visit Weekend
The Minutemen hosted several official visitors this weekend and the early reports coming out are very positive.
Only a couple weeks before February’s Signing Period, UMass hosted a handful of prospects in the Class of 2025 for official visits.
And based on our sources, it was quite the productive weekend.
One visitor was Delaware offensive lineman Garrett Cooper, who we wrote about after he picked up his offer from the Minutemen earlier this month. Cooper’s coach told us that he would be taking an official visit to Amherst.
Not only did the 6-foot-6, 285-pounder make that trip this weekend, we’re told he was quite impressed with everything he saw. UMass offensive line coach Kurt Anderson made a big impression on Cooper prior to the trip and it sounds like he did the same on the visit as well.
Cooper also has an offer to play at James Madison, but we’ll see what he ultimately chooses.
CHECK OUT COOPER’S SENIOR HIGHLIGHTS HERE
Another offensive lineman, Gavin Wilson, from Greenville, South Carolina was up on an official as well. The 6-foot-6, 275-pounder is currently listed as a Presbyterian College (FCS) commit, but the Minutemen liked him enough to invite him for an official and he made the trip, so there’s certainly some mutual interest there.
CHECK OUT WILSON’S SENIOR HIGHLIGHTS HERE
While immediate turnarounds can be attempted through the Transfer Portal - and there is certainly a need for that, which is why UMass has signed 27 portal guys in less than two months - but Joe Harasymiak is clearly looking at this as a long-term rebuild as well.
UMass will need to replace players who will graduate next year and begin to actually build a lasting foundation. Harasymiak also talked about the need to improve the measurables on the roster from a height and weight standpoint.
At least along the offensive line, players like Cooper and Wilson would go a long way toward accomplishing all of that. In fact, they’re probably bigger than some of the current players on UMass’ roster right now.
UMass fans should pay close attention to both Cooper and Wilson to see what their decisions are over the next couple of weeks.
We’ve stressed the importance of having success at regional power high schools like Don Bosco Prep and Bergen Catholic in New Jersey and Springfield Central in Massachusetts, but the Minutemen clearly see value in recruiting similar high schools that are a bit farther away.
Pennsylvania running back Elijah Faulkner also made the trip. The 5-foot-10, 190-pound Faulkner hails from Central Catholic, one of the most prestigious high school programs in Pittsburgh. The school has produced current NFL standouts Stefen Wisiewski and Damar Hamlin along with a host of former and current college standouts. Oh, and a quarterback by the name of Dan Marino.
This past season, Faulkner was a First Team WPIAL All-Conference selection after running for 1,649 yards and 20 touchdowns for a team that won its league and was state runner-up. He’s also a standout student who earned a Navy offer earlier in the recruiting process. Faulkner may be a little undersized, but he can move, according to one source.
Faulkner could end up being the type of prospect who is key to this rebuild, a high character player from a winning school who was overlooked by some of the sport’s top programs for one reason or another, but is simply an outstanding football player.
CHECK OUT FAULKNER’S SENIOR HIGHLIGHTS HERE
Maryland receiver Elijah Pedro was also in Amherst this weekend. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Pedro has played with and against some of the top talent in the DMV and has produced. He gathered several major offers from schools like Maryland, Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Duke among others earlier in the process.
CHECK OUT PEDRO’S SENIOR HIGHLIGHTS HERE
Just getting players from areas so far away to come visit so late in the process is an achievement on its own, but again, we’re told each of these players was thoroughly impressed with their time on campus.
There’s been a common theme from visitors since Harasymiak took over, almost all of the ones we’ve heard from have mentioned a new energy in the program.
“It's like a jolt has been brought to the building of just good vibes, belief, actual belief and that’s the biggest thing,” one source said.
The other thing that has been noted is something Harasymiak has promised will be a staple of his program and that’s the people. Visitors have taken note of how united the coaching staff is.
People have talked about being “blown away” when they learn that this staff has been working together for only weeks. There is a togetherness from this group that is impossible to miss.
“It's just a different energy.”
With only a couple weeks to go in the process, the Minutemen are still looking to upgrade their roster and these four would do just that.
Whether they’re able to land these guys or not remains to be seen, but if you want to get a feel for the direction this program is headed, check out their highlight tapes for yourself.
UMASS fan from Barnstable on the Cape. Love the energy! I like that the measurables are important to coach Joe. I realize we are not a P3 school. I look at rosters like BC and you see 6'5, 6'6 and6'7. Would be nice to have that size. I realize optimism has been here before. But it does feel different. Go UMASS!