Big Ten Recruiting: RB Berkley Edwards commits to Minnesota
(Video courtesy DerekDenham)
RB Berkley Edwards had no desire to follow in his family's footsteps.
The 5-foot-9, 189-pounder declined to try and recreate the careers of his brother, Braylon, and his father, Stan, as he committed to Minnesota and shunned an anticipated preferred walk-on role at Michigan this week. Edwards is a three-star prospect, according to Rivals. He rushed for 1,329 yards and 21 touchdowns on 204 carries and caught 15 passes for another 105 yards and a touchdown this season for Chelsea (Mich.) High.
“They made Berkley feel like the No. 1 back in the United States of America and they never wavered from that,” Stan, a former standout for the Wolverines, told to 247Sports. “It came down to this is the right place for him. As Berkley put it, ‘I didn't choose Minnesota, Minnesota chose me.'”
The first-team, all-state player also had an offer from Cal.
His brother Braylon, a former All-American at Michigan and standout in the NFL, had grown critical of the Michigan coaching staff for failing to recruit his sibling.
Respected university. I still don't understand how my father and I were all-Americans at Michigan but they don't give Berk a shot.
— Braylon Edwards (@OfficialBraylon) November 30, 2012
The Gophers also garnered a commitment from three-star DE Hendrick Ekpe last week.
Ekpe, a 6-foot-4, 220-pounder, from Lewisville (Texas) High also held offers from Southern Methodist, Iowa and Northwestern. In the end, he opted to join his brother DT Scott Ekpe with the Golden Gophers.
Minnesota now has 11 commitments for its 2013 class.
(Video courtesy TJsimmons2)
Hoosiers land linebacker: Indiana added a 16th member to its 2013 class when it received a commitment from LB T.J. Simmons this week.
The 6-foot, 227-pounder is a 2-star prospect from Lakeland (Fla.) High who committed to Western Kentucky, but he recently reopened his recruitment before deciding to head to Bloomington.
Simmons also held offers from Iowa State and Toledo.
For more up-to-the-minute news and analysis from Big Ten bloggers Dave Carey and Mike Singer, follow @CBSSportsBigTen.
