Gophers football program receives pledges from four in key recruiting weekend

The Gophers football program held is second “Summer Splash” recruiting weekend, and on Sunday coach P.J. Fleck and his staff began receiving commitments from players who made their official visits to campus.

Starting Sunday morning, a pair of offensive linemen were the first players to commit from the group of 13 visitors: Mark Handy, a three-star recruit from La Cueva High School in Albuquerque, N.M., and Daniel (DJ) Shipp, a three-star tackle from Centennial High School in Corona, Calif. Later Sunday morning, linebacker David Amaliri, a Winnipeg, Manitoba, native who played at Clearwater Academy International (Fla.) last year, and Cleveland Heights, Ohio, defensive lineman Jayquan Stubbs pledged to the Gophers

Handy, 6-5½ and 310 pounds, is the second-ranked player in New Mexico and the 36th-ranked interior offensive lineman nationally by the 247Sports composite rating of major recruiting services in the 2025 class. He took official visits to Utah, Duke, California and Baylor over the past couple of months. Handy, who can play the interior line positions or tackle, also was an undefeated heavyweight state wrestling champion this season.

Shipp, 6-6 and 275 pounds, missed the 2023 season because of a knee injury but has received scholarship offers from Boise State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Washington State. He is the 112th-ranked offensive tackle nationally by recruiting-focused website 247Sports.com.

Amaliri, 6-3 and 200 pounds, will play for St. Thomas More High in Oakdale, Conn., this season and is the 14th-ranked player in Connecticut and 114th-ranked linebacker nationally. The three-star recruit has offers from Syracuse, Kent State, North Dakota State and North Dakota.

Stubbs, 6-6 and 249 pounds, plays for Cleveland Heights High and is the 18th-ranked player in Ohio and 57th-ranked defensive lineman nationally in the 247Sports composite. He made official visits to Purdue and West Virginia in the past month and was scheduled to visit Illinois next week. Indiana, Rutgers and Wisconsin were among Stubbs’ other offers.

The additions give the Gophers 21 players who have committed to their 2025 class. As of Sunday morning, Minnesota’s class ranked 19th nationally and sixth among Big Ten teams in the 247Sports composite.