2021 NFL Draft: Who will be next year’s LSU and dominate draft boards? (Teams to Watch: Texas and Minnesota)

[BleedGopher]

per Kyle:

However, every year there’s a team towards the top of the draft selection numbers that seems surprising. This year Michigan tied for second with 10 selections while Utah tied for fifth with 7. So who could be those teams to watch? Texas and Minnesota.

As for Minnesota, the P.J. Fleck ties are starting to come through (See what I did there?). In his final season with Western Michigan, Fleck saw three former Broncos selected in the 2017 draft, the most for WMU in a seven-round draft. Now, Fleck is having a similar impact with the Gophers, seeing five selected in the 2020 NFL Draft.

For next year’s class, Fleck already has the media buzzing about 2021 NFL Draft prospect Rashod Bateman who is challenging Ja’Marr Chase for the best wide receiver in college football. Add quarterback Tanner Morgan and a total of 18 seniors or graduate students on the roster and you’re just a little bit of success away from seeing a lot of draft picks from Minnesota.

Minnesota also has the potential to become a Cinderella story. Despite their conference, they have been regarded as one of the lesser schools that play in the Big Ten. Should they begin to compete with the best of the conference each week, that attention could play well for those entering the 2021 NFL Draft.

2021 NFL Draft: Who will be next year’s LSU and dominate draft boards?

LSU tied the NFL record for most players selected in a single draft, but who will replicate that success in the 2021 NFL Draft next year?

nflmocks.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[Gold Rush]

There is no doubt Morgan and Bateman are highly coveted, but also remember the first couple years of Fleck's recruiting were not as strong as the last couple years. Minnesota will put out more prospects in the following years but next year I don't think there will be high numbers of draft picks.

 

[Otis]

Off the top of my head who could be drafted:
Rashod Bateman
Tanner Morgan
Mohammed Ibrahim
Daniel Faalele
Curtis Dunlap
Andries
Offensive Lineman - just because I can't remember his name doesn't mean he isn't good.
Offensive Lineman - see above
Autman-Bell - Late Rounds
Coney Durr
Ben St. Juste
Aussie Punter????

That's 12 I just don't see it happening. That's a lot of underclassmen.

 

[PitinoFan]

Off the top of my head who could be drafted:
Rashod Bateman
Tanner Morgan
Mohammed Ibrahim
Daniel Faalele
Curtis Dunlap
Andries
Offensive Lineman - just because I can't remember his name doesn't mean he isn't good.
Offensive Lineman - see above
Autman-Bell - Late Rounds
Coney Durr
Ben St. Juste
Aussie Punter????

That's 12 I just don't see it happening. That's a lot of underclassmen.

Add Boye Mafe.

 

[GopherinPhilly]

I think Morgan stays for his SR season and so do the offensive linemen. 2021-2 is our year for playoffs and 10 draft picks after we over perform and win Big Ten Title and play for Natty!

 

[Word]

Off the top of my head who could be drafted:
Rashod Bateman
Tanner Morgan
Mohammed Ibrahim
Daniel Faalele
Curtis Dunlap
Andries
Offensive Lineman - just because I can't remember his name doesn't mean he isn't good.
Offensive Lineman - see above
Autman-Bell - Late Rounds
Coney Durr
Ben St. Juste
Aussie Punter????

That's 12 I just don't see it happening. That's a lot of underclassmen.

Typically only about 2 punters drafted every year. Pretty unlikely that our punter will be one of the top 2 in the country.
I don't see Autman-Bell, Dunlap, or St. Juste as getting drafted either for 2021. I could see possibly Autman-Bell after his senior year, but not 2021.
I think our offensive line is decent, but my guess is only Andris and Faalele have good chances to be drafted.
If Morgan has another year as good or better than last year he will for sure be drafted whenever he decides to turn pro. Bateman is likely a 1st rounder.

 

[MGGopher]

Draft order:

Bateman
Faalele
Morgan
Durr
Ibrahim
Andries
St. Juste

Morgan, Ibrahim, and Andries could return if they're not predicted to go high enough.. Mafe could leave if he has a monster year.

Olson, Schluter, Dew-Treadway, and Schad sign as UDFA

 

[Gophergrandpa]

If they have good years, I think SRs Schleuter and Olson might have potential as Day 3 picks. Lots of experience on what might be a dominating OL?

 

[GoGophersUMN]

Draft order:

Bateman
Faalele
Morgan
Durr
Ibrahim
Andries
St. Juste

Morgan, Ibrahim, and Andries could return if they're not predicted to go high enough.. Mafe could leave if he has a monster year.

Olson, Schluter, Dew-Treadway, and Schad sign as UDFA

About 100 players who still had eligibility left are drafted per year. It's very unlikely that 6-7 of them are Gophers.

Bateman is likely to go. Morgan and Ibrahim have a decent chance of going. I think it's unlikely that Faalele, Andries, St-Juste, or Mafe leave early. Maybe with great years but Faalele is so new to football and getting better every year that he has a good chance to move up with another year and the other three would probably be later rounds with a chance to slip out of the draft.

Most if not all of that list will probably end up getting drafted but a lot of them will probably go in 2021.

 

[GopherWeatherGuy]

If they have good years, I think SRs Schleuter and Olson might have potential as Day 3 picks. Lots of experience on what might be a dominating OL?

People are sleeping on Olson who I think will definitely be drafted. Everyone is enamored with Faalele due to his size, but Blaise and Olson were the two best offensive lineman last season.

 

[Otis]

Faalele's best quality is the interest he brings to the offensive line. Which is where the rest of these guys will get noticed for the quality players that they are!

 

[MGGopher]

About 100 players who still had eligibility left are drafted per year. It's very unlikely that 6-7 of them are Gophers.

Bateman is likely to go. Morgan and Ibrahim have a decent chance of going. I think it's unlikely that Faalele, Andries, St-Juste, or Mafe leave early. Maybe with great years but Faalele is so new to football and getting better every year that he has a good chance to move up with another year and the other three would probably be later rounds with a chance to slip out of the draft.

Most if not all of that list will probably end up getting drafted but a lot of them will probably go in 2021.

You're likely quite right about the number of MN underclassmen who will leave. It's so hard to predict without another year of production to consider. But yeah, I find it unlikely all the players I listed will leave. That's just the order in which I believe they'd be drafted if they did all leave.

I listed Faalele so high because he's an interesting case. I truly believe that a) some NFL franchise is going to fall in love with his measurables and think they can make him an all-pro despite lackluster college production (ala Vikings with Danielle Hunter) and b) I have no idea his affinity for MN or CFB in general. Just don't hear much from him.

Mafe is unlikely to leave, as I said, but edge rushers are so valuable in the NFL. Let's say he leads the B1G in sacks -- or even flashes frequently against highly-ranked teams -- don't you think an agent would be in his ear?

 

[GoGophersUMN]

You're likely quite right about the number of MN underclassmen who will leave. It's so hard to predict without another year of production to consider. But yeah, I find it unlikely all the players I listed will leave. That's just the order in which I believe they'd be drafted if they did all leave.

I listed Faalele so high because he's an interesting case. I truly believe that a) some NFL franchise is going to fall in love with his measurables and think they can make him an all-pro despite lackluster college production (ala Vikings with Danielle Hunter) and b) I have no idea his affinity for MN or CFB in general. Just don't hear much from him.

Mafe is unlikely to leave, as I said, but edge rushers are so valuable in the NFL. Let's say he leads the B1G in sacks -- or even flashes frequently against highly-ranked teams -- don't you think an agent would be in his ear?

In the mid to later rounds of the draft Faalele would be a great pick for any team. At that point it's not a waste if he doesn't end up doing anything in the NFL but it's worth it as a gamble because of how good he could turn out. I don't think teams would be willing to take him in the first 2-3 rounds because of the risk.

Because of that I think he's unlikely to go pro early. He's an amazing athlete but still not a great football player because he doesn't have enough experience. He's going to show more improvement than just about anyone else year over year because he is so new to football so playing an extra year makes a ton of sense.

I think just about any draft-eligible player has a decent chance of going if they lead the conference in a major statistical category. It seems early to talk about that for a guy who had 3 sacks last year.