https://www.foxsports.com/stories/c...iling-offseasons-biggest-additions-departures
National transfer class rank: 25
Big Ten rank: 9
Incoming transfers – 15
- CB John Nestor (Iowa)
- LB Jeff Roberson (Oklahoma State)
- IOL Dylan Ray (Kentucky)
- OT Kahlee Tafai (Washington)
- Edge Steven Curtis (Illinois State)
- WR Javon Tracy (Miami of Ohio)
- K Brady Denaburg (Syracuse)
- RB Cam Davis (Washington)
- RB A.J. Turner (Marshall)
- TE Drew Biber (Purdue)
- DL Rushawn Lawrence (Stony Brook)
- WR Logan Loya (UCLA)
- IOL Marcellus Marshall (UCF)
- QB Zach Pyron (Georgia Tech)
- CB Jaylen Bowden (North Carolina Central)
- WR Malachi Coleman (Nebraska)
Biggest arrival: After a quiet first two seasons at
Marshall in which he only carried the ball 23 times for 120 yards and no touchdowns, tailback
A.J. Turner enjoyed a breakout campaign last fall. The former three-star recruit broke loose for 864 yards and six scores on just 104 attempts to produce a whopping average of 8.3 yards per carry. That was good enough to make Turner the No. 7 tailback in the portal behind Haynes (Alabama),
Rahsul Faison (
Utah State),
Jaydn Ott (Cal),
Wayshawn Parker (Washington State),
Fluff Bothwell (
South Alabama) and
Ahmad Hardy (
Louisiana-Monroe). He joins a Minnesota backfield anchored by standout tailback
Darius Taylor, who rushed for 986 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. Taylor and Turner should form a potent one-two punch if the Gophers can improve along the offensive line. Maryland, Michigan State,
Northwestern and UCLA were the only Big Ten teams that averaged fewer yards per carry than Minnesota (3.7) last season.
Outgoing transfers – 16
- QB Zach Pyron (South Alabama)
- LB David Amaliri (Uncommitted)
- TE Nathan Jones (Abilene Christian)
- IOL Martes Lewis (Northwestern)
- S Coleman Bryson (North Carolina)
- DL Martin Owusu (Fresno State)
- WR Terrance McWilliams (Louisville)
- WR Kristen Hoskins (North Dakota)
- OT Phillip Daniels (Ohio State)
- ATH Zander Rockow (St. Thomas)
- LB Tyler Stolsky (FAU)
- RB Jordan Nubin (Kent State)
- RB Sieh Bangura (Ohio)
- Edge Hayden Schwartz (Uncommitted)
- DL Luther McCoy (Hawaii)
- S Craig McDonald (Utah State)
Biggest loss: As a redshirt freshman last fall, Minnesota offensive tackle
Phillip Daniels only logged 38 snaps through the first nine weeks before eventually climbing the depth chart down the stretch. He developed into the Gophers’ starting right tackle for the final month of the season and averaged 65.5 snaps per game from Week 10 through the end of the year, surrendering only a single sack during that span. The potential he flashed was enough to intrigue numerous blue bloods in the transfer portal, with Daniels checking in as the No. 46 overall prospect and No. 5 offensive tackle, ultimately landing at Ohio State. Now, Daniels is expected to compete for the Buckeyes’ starting right tackle spot and leaves a 6-foot-5, 315-pound hole along the line of scrimmage at Minnesota. Daniels, who grew up in Cincinnati, was a three-star prospect out of high school but never received a scholarship offer from Ohio State.
