Minnesota star moving up charts
St. Paul (Minn.) Cretin-Derham Hall has become a Division I football factory and the latest off the assembly line is strongside defensive end Scott Stephenson.
The 6-foot-4, 251-pound two-way lineman has an offer from Minnesota and has lined up two official visits at this point.
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"I've gotten both a written and an oral offer from Minnesota," Stephenson said. "I'm going there to visit the Gophers on Nov. 30. I'm then going to Kansas State on Dec. 7 and will take January visits to Purdue and North Carolina. I don't have dates with those guys yet."
So what makes Stephenson a big time college recruit?
Stephenson said it's a combination of things like his size, speed (4.9 seconds), vertical (28 inches) and his ability to make big plays when it counts.
"I had at least one sack in each of our playoff games, and I think I really stepped it up when it counted toward the end of the season," Stephenson said. “Most of the teams are recruiting me to play on defense, but a few like Kansas State like me at offensive line.
“I think I use my hands a lot. I don’t let the offensive linemen get their hands on me, plus I’ve really worked hard on my acceleration all summer.”
With all of the new recruiting attention, Stephenson said things are just starting to get fun.
“I never thought I would have these type of schools after me,” he said. “I never thought North Carolina, Kansas State and people like that would want me, but I worked really hard all off-season and busted my butt.”
Stephenson said he doesn’t have a clear-cut leader, but likes Minnesota, K-State and North Carolina.
“Minnesota is the first to offer and it’s close to home,” Stephenson said. “Kansas State is a top 20 team, but they suffered a couple of tough losses this season. And North Carolina said the offer from them is sitting on the head coach’s desk to approve.”