Jarvis Omersa, a former Gophers forward, hasn’t played organized basketball since leaving then-coach Richard Pitino’s team three years ago.
Omersa, 22, has no desire to return to the hardwood, but he is thinking about a future in a sport he hasn’t played since high school at Orono. Omersa has been training for several months in preparation for a college football scholarship for the 2023 season.
“I always loved football,” Omersa told the Star Tribune. “If I could’ve done things again I would’ve played football throughout high school. It came really natural for me.”
Omersa has received interest from a variety of programs at various levels, including Power Five teams, after tweeting workout videos in late March. He hasn’t heard from the Gophers yet, but he’s hoping for a new beginning somewhere else.
Based on his stats, attracting the attention of college coaches hasn’t been difficult. He is 6-7 and 250 pounds, with a 7-foot wingspan and 44-inch vertical — stats that would catch the attention of pro scouts.
Omersa considered attending the Gophers pro day last month to show off his athleticism to NFL scouts, but he preferred to stay in school. He previously committed to St. Thomas for basketball in 2021 before withdrawing due to COVID-19 concerns.
For the past five months, Omersa has trained with T.J. Dean from TNT Academy, a performance and skill development program in Maple Grove. Dean worked with several Gophers players, including Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman. College coaches have talked to Omersa about playing tight end.
“Every school has been saying we need a really athletic guy who is an end zone threat and can make big plays,” Omersa said. “As far as schools, I’ve heard from a lot. I’m interested in going to a school that is known for developing and putting out tight ends. I want to learn as much as I can and make a name for myself to be able to go to the next level.”
The Gophers have an honorable mention All-Big Ten tight end returning in 6-7 senior Brevyn Spann-Ford, who is an NFL prospect. Omersa said he has gotten advice about playing the position from Spann-Ford, one of his best friends from high school.
“He’s been very helpful,” Omersa said. “He’s told me about the differences between [basketball and football]. We talked about being a better route runner and being able to read situations before the ball is snapped.”
Omersa has lofty goals to also turn himself into an NFL-caliber tight end. He has the physical tools but first needs to enroll in college this summer to go through the eligibility process to be able to play football this fall.
“I’m majoring in communications with a minor in business marketing,” he said. “I’ll hopefully be graduating from whatever school I go, too.”