From: Blue Earth, Minn.
• Age: 18 • Height: 6-9 •Weight: 300 pounds
• Bench press: 325 pounds • Squat: 425 pounds
• Committed to: Minnesota
• Offers from: Eight of the 12 Big Ten schools and a host of others, including defending national champion Auburn.
• On being a big deal in a small town: "When the first offer came, everybody was talking about it but I wanted to keep it in the family. It got out pretty quick. It was OK, but I got asked about it every day, and I didn't enjoy that. It's hard to keep things secret. I'm glad it was good news; I definitely wouldn't want to be on the other side of it, if it was bad news."
• On preparing for his senior season: "I was one of five guys on our team to go to a personal trainer in Fairmont. He didn't hold back; kicked my butt the first day. I definitely didn't want to go back, but I knew it would be good for me."
BRIAN STENSAAS