Sean Foster to Minnesota: Gophers Land 4-Star OT Prospect

Jerry Kill's 2016 recruiting class got a huge boost with the addition of 4-star offensive tackle prospect Sean Foster.       

Per Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports, Foster announced his commitment to the University of Minnesota on Sunday with this declaration:

"

The family feel and how the coaches react with the players. They have the best coaching staff and one of the best education programs I have ever seen. They made me feel at home right when I got up there and it's going to be fun being a Gopher for the next four years.

"

According to 247Sports' composite rankings, Foster is the No. 25 offensive tackle recruit in the 2016 class from Carmel Catholic High School in Illinois. He's listed at 6'8" and 285 pounds already, with room to get bigger as his body matures. 

Foster's commitment came in a hurry, as he tweeted April 3 about being in Minneapolis for a visit with the program:

After that, Kyle Goblirsch of 247Sports quoted Foster as saying that the visit was "unreal." Less than two weeks later, the Illinois native has given his commitment to the Golden Gophers. 

Foster's commitment is a testament to the slow build that Kill has done since taking over as head coach in 2011. The Golden Gophers won three games in his first season, jumped up to six in 2012 and have won eight in each of the last two years with three consecutive bowl appearances. 

The Big Ten is regaining its status for elite talent after being down for a couple of years. Minnesota is a program on the rise. Ohio State is the defending national champion. Michigan is entering the Jim Harbaugh era. It's quickly becoming an exciting conference to watch. 

Foster seems to have realized where the Golden Gophers are going and feels he can help them get there in a hurry.