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Only one day after Corey Crooms Jr. became the Gophers’ first addition from the transfer portal this offseason, his teammate Ryan Selig grabbed an oar on his way to Dinkytwon. Selig a 6-foot-2, 230-pound linebacker recorded 72 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, and 1.5 sacks last season with the Broncos. After entering the portal in late November, he received other top offers from Wake Forest, Iowa State and Indiana before settling on his commitment to Minnesota. He will have one season of eligibility with the Maroon & Gold.
RTB🛶 pic.twitter.com/fKHeQc7qfA
— Ryan Selig (@ryanselig_) December 12, 2022
Who is Ryan Selig?:
Hailing from Lake Villa, Illinois, Selig committed to his only division one offer Western Michigan after playing for Lake Community High School. Transitioning from tight end and linebacker early in his Broncos’ career, Selig originally settled at linebacker. He finished his four-year career with 153 total tackles, 13.5 TFLs, and six sacks. As a graduate transfer, he will now have one season of eligibility remaining.
- Scouting Report:
Ryan Selig fits the mold of Gophers’ linebackers i.e. Moriano Sori-Marin and Jack Gibbens. Selig does not have athleticism that jumps off the screen but plays with a level of instinct that will help him succeed at any level. Gibbens and Sori-Marin both did a great job of cleaning up tackles for the Maroon & Gold over the last two seasons, Selig has a similar athletic profile and skillset to both those players.
Instant Reaction:
The Gophers’ hiring of TE coach Greg Harbaugh Jr. last offseason has paid off for them. Coming to Minnesota from Western Michigan, Harbaugh has now brought two former Broncos to Dinkytown. Ryan Selig will have a great chance to start alongside Cody Lindenberg at the Will linebacker spot next season. As I mentioned earlier, he fits the Gibbens/Sori-Marin mold to a T. This is certainly not a program-changing commitment, but it fits a glaring need that his defense had and there is no reason why Selig cannot be a great option for the Gophers next season.
This is how the transfer portal works. The Gophers lost some potential starters with Michael “Flip” Dixon and Braelen Oliver, but they’ve now added two potential starters, Corey Crooms and Ryan Selig. Before you make any drastic opinions on this Gophers roster for next season, give it some time and see how things play out.
What is next?:
The Gophers still have glaring needs along the defensive line. That should be priority No. 1 for Coach Fleck and his staff, but Selig and Crooms are great starts to the transfer portal season. With still 37 days until the winter transfer portal window closes, I imagine that the Gophers will be very busy, with d-line, o-line and running back as potential positions to target.
Early national signing day is also only a few weeks away, so make sure to stay connected and keep an eye out for any more roster news.
The #Gophers have already added two players from the transfer portal (@CroomsCorey and @ryanselig_), but they're far from over.@TonyLiebert breaks down everything he is hearing about the Maroon & Gold from within the portalhttps://t.co/EQekpYPozG
— GopherHole.com (@GopherHole) December 12, 2022