It’s not often that a college program gets commitments from teammates in the same class. It’s even more rare when they commit on back-to-back days.
Bubba Schweigert added two state champions to the 2021 recruiting class this week when offensive lineman Hunter Harvey and tight end Noah Schaffner committed to UND. Both are coming in as preferred walk-ons. Legacy wide receiver Nick Kupfer committed to UND earlier this year, giving the Hawks three commits from the capital city.
The Bismarck Century duo led the Patriots to their second straight state title last week after defeating Sheyenne 34-0 in the championship game. The Patriots finished the season 10-0 and were one of the more dominant North Dakota teams in recent memory.
Committed #undhawks pic.twitter.com/bAsdlDj3K6
— Hunter Harvey (@huntaharvey) November 22, 2020
Harvey, 6’5″-250, is projected to play offensive tackle at UND. He is raw, having only played the position for one season, but the upside is plenty. Harvey played tight end in previous seasons and was asked to move to tackle to strengthen the offensive line & get more snaps.
The move worked well as he helped pave the way for the likes of RB Cade Garcia, who rushed for 1,259 yards and 17 TD’s. When watching tape it’s obvious that he has some speed to him as he can get out in the open field and run down defenders.
It will naturally be a maturing process for Harvey as he learns the position & nuances of offensive line play but he’s a winner and has a long frame that can easily get into the 290 range. Harvey also wrestles for the Patriots, joining the growing list of former wrestlers on the Hawks roster.
Excited to announce that I will be continuing my football and academic career @UNDfootball ! Thank you to @SamKing10 @dfreund7 @BubbaSchweigert for the opportunity!! pic.twitter.com/dHjuNhAeKz
— Noah Schaffner (@NoahSchaffner) November 23, 2020
Schaffner, 6’5″-215, was the starting quarterback for the Patriots this past season. On the year he completed 48 of 92 passes for 719 yards. He threw 9 TD’s vs. only 3 INT’s. On the ground Schaffner ran for 528 yards and 12 TD’s.
There is a chance Schaffner may not be done growing as has grown 3.5 inches and put on 50 pounds since entering high school. Projected as a tight end at UND, Schaffner has the overall athleticism to be a factor based on his length combined with decent speed.
Schaffner is a well-built kid who could easily get into the 230-235 range and be an H-back type of player. The Hawks employ a predominantly three-receiver offense and have purposely tried to recruit 6’4″and taller tight ends to be the fourth receiver position.
