Sometimes high-upside players thrive, sometimes they fizzle — five Gophers examples

From an NFL standout in the making to a hot-shot quarterback who flamed out quickly, there have been many intriguing players recruited and coached by P.J. Fleck. Here are a few notables:

Rashod Bateman, WR

Fleck was the first to offer Bateman a scholarship, then had to wait as SEC teams like Georgia, Tennessee and Texas A&M came calling. Bateman stayed true to the Gophers and rewarded them with a career that included 60 catches for 1,219 yards and 11 touchdowns in the breakthrough 2019 season. The 2021 first-round draft pick is poised to become the Baltimore Ravens' top receiver.

Daniel Faalele, OT

The massive (6-9, 380 pounds) Australian had played only one season of football before he joined the Gophers in the 2018 season. He started the final eight games at right tackle that season, then blossomed into a first-team All-Big Ten player in 2021. He capped his collegiate career with a bulldozing touchdown run in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl win over West Virginia, then became the first Gophers offensive lineman in 16 years to be selected in the NFL draft, going in the fourth round to the Ravens.

Curtis Dunlap Jr., G

Dunlap came to the Gophers with Faalele from IMG Academy in Florida and developed into a player who started 16 games. He missed the 2020 season because of an Achilles' tendon injury, then started three games in 2021 and was used in a reserve role on the veteran offensive line. He entered the transfer portal in October and landed at Rutgers.

Brevyn Spann-Ford, TE

The 6-7, 270-pounder from St. Cloud always has teased with his athletic ability and now has developed into a prime option for quarterback Tanner Morgan. Spann-Ford had five receptions in his freshman and sophomore seasons but broke out with 23 grabs for 296 yards last year. Look for big things from him this year.

Vic Viramontes, QB

A player who once committed to Michigan, Viramontes arrived in Minnesota in January of 2018 to fanfare after passing for 27 touchdowns and rushing for 22 TDs and nearly 2,000 yards at Riverside (Calif.) City College. Turns out, there was more sizzle than steak, and Viramontes couldn't surpass Zack Annexstad or Morgan on the Gophers depth chart during spring practice. Viramontes transferred back to Riverside, shifted to linebacker, then ended up at UNLV. He started a handful of games over three seasons for the Rebels, his career ending last year.