I can confirm that Minnesota OLB Carter Coughlin (@Cmoe34) has committed to #Minnesota over Ohio State and Oregon. pic.twitter.com/B1bHDwVbrk
— Ryan Burns (@RyanBurnsMN) March 12, 2015
Multiple media reports indicate the Gophers football team received a commitment from a highly recruited linebacker on Thursday.
On his Twitter account, Carter Coughlin announced that he would play football for coach Jerry Kill and the Gophers.
I am very excited to announce my commitment to the University of Minnesota! God is so good! Building and Empire #BrickByBrick〽️
— Carter Coughlin (@Cmoe34) March 12, 2015
Rivals.com ranks Coughlin as a three-star recruit, while 247 Sports.com gives him four-stars and ranks him 22nd among outside linebackers in next year’s class.
He has been regarded as the top high school recruit in Minnesota in the class of 2016. Coughlin chose Minnesota over national champion Ohio State and runner-up Oregon.
According to the Pioneer Press, Coughlin wanted to stay in Minnesota and is encouraged by what he sees taking place in the Gopher football program.
“There is no question that coach Kill can build a program,” Coughlin told the newspaper. “You look at every single program that he’s involved in. Every single program has skyrocketed. Minnesota talks about building its program brick by brick. It’s come such a long way, and it’s only going to go up from here.”
#Gophers football commit Carter Coughlin said he'll work to recruit other in-state players. “That’s a huge part of it for me,” he said.
— Andy Greder (@andygreder) March 12, 2015
Coughlin becomes the highest-ranked in-state recruit since 2014 when Kill locked up running back Jeff Jones.
According to the Star Tribune, Coughlin attended Gophers practice on Thursday and exchanged hugs and with several coaches and players on the team.
