Gophers football targets top recruits in Red River Valley

MOORHEAD — The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers football program has taken notice of the Red River Valley’s top talent this recruiting cycle. The Gophers have targeted four players in the region from the Class of 2027. Moorhead Spuds wide receiver David Mack and running back Taye Reich announced on social media last Saturday that they both received offers by the University of Minnesota.

Kindred Vikings lineman Luke Starcevic and wide receiver Brooks Bakko also received offers from the school. The group is among the area’s most sought after Division I prospects. Moorhead sophomore quarterback Jett Feeney, who visited the Gophers’ facilities on March 26, is also likely to receive an offer from Minnesota.



“For these kids to get that opportunity,” said Moorhead head coach Kevin Feeney. “That’s really a credit to them and all the hard work that they put in.” Mack was the No.

3 receiver in Minnesota last season with 18 receiving touchdowns. The 6-foot, 170-pound Mack also hauled in a fifth-best 69 receptions for 930 yards. Continuing to train in the weight room and working on improving his speed are some areas of focus this offseason, but the main emphasis is becoming a better leader, Mack said.

“I can’t get complacent,” said Mack, who is ranked the No. 1 receiver in the state by Prep Redzone Minnesota. “(I) really got to level up my (leadership) and help lead our team in positive ways.

” Reich, who was a dual-threat running back for the Spuds, rushed for 10 touchdowns with 601 yards on 69 carries. He also caught 19 passes for 313 yards and four TDs. The 5-foot-10, 190-pound Reich has also harbored interest from Kansas State, Northwestern, Iowa State and Wisconsin.

“(Reich) is an extremely powerful running back with great knowledge of the game,” Kevin Feeney said. “The coaches that are reaching out at the Division I level (are) excited about his multidimensional style of play.” Starcevic was a first-team all-state offensive lineman for Kindred.

On defense, he logged 11 sacks, 26.5 tackles for loss and 61 total tackles. His brother, Jake, will play at D-I Army-West Point next fall.

The 6-foot-5, 255-pound Starcevic has also received offers from Kansas, and FCS’ North Dakota State and North Dakota. He picked up the group's first offer from Minnesota on Feb. 22.

“(Starcevic) moves incredibly well for (his size),” said Kindred head coach Eric Burgad. “He’s just so fluid and flexible. .

.. What (the schools) see is a lot of nastiness.

Somebody who plays with a lot of edge and somebody who’s really aggressive and physical.” Bakko, a two-sports standout for the Vikings, had 13 receiving TDs on 36 receptions for 778 yards. Defensively, he had three interceptions and 20 tackles.

The 6-foot-5, 200-pound Bakko also received a Division I basketball offer from North Dakota. Kansas State and Iowa State are among schools that have come to watch Bakko workout. Bakko hit the game-sealing tip-in to power Kindred to a Division A basketball state championship in March.

“(Bakko's) just a very driven kid and very goal oriented,” Burgad said. “There can’t be many people that are outworking him. He’s so committed to the weight room, so committed to growing his body and his skill.

” The pair aren’t the only Vikings targeted by Minnesota. In December 2023, the Gophers signed Kindred standout lineman Riley Sunram. The potential for a trio of players all hailing from a town of just over 1,000 has to be rarity in Big Ten football.

“I think they appreciate how our kids play and how they carry themselves,” Burgad said of the school’s relationship with the Gophers program. “If you can find that rare talent like (Sunram), and then for (Sunram) to tell them ‘I got two buddies a few years younger that are pretty special as well.' I suppose you got to keep going back to the well.

” The Gophers last season finished 8-5 overall, 5-4 in the Big Ten and won the Duke's Mayo Bowl 24-10 over Virginia Tech on Jan. 3 in Charlotte, N.C.

For the players visiting the various campuses, walking through the tunnel and out on to the field of a multi-tiered stadium is a mesmerizing experience. “That’s a crazy feeling,” Mack said. “It’s like I can really picture myself running out (onto the field) and getting ready for a game.

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