Golden Gophers in the NFL - 2024 Season

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IceBoxGopher

IceBoxGopher

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NFL training camps are getting started soon, with rookies scheduled to report starting this weekend. To keep track of Gophers in the pros and see where they land in camps, I figured I'd start a new thread for the 2024 season.

Here's a website that has a fairly up-to-date list of those on rosters: https://www.ourlads.com/ncaa-football-depth-charts/active-nfl-players-by-college/minnesota/91188

From what I've found, these are the players on rosters now, but it's subject to change. I put asterisks next to players

NFL
  • Rashod Bateman, WR, Baltimore Ravens
  • Kyler Baugh, DT, New Orleans Saints
  • De’Vondre Campbell, LB, San Francisco 49ers
  • Blake Cashman, LB, Minnesota Vikings
  • Chris Collins, LB, Los Angeles Chargers
  • Carter Coughlin, LB, New York Giants
  • Corey Crooms, WR, Dallas Cowboys
  • Daniel Faalele, OT, Baltimore Ravens
  • Jack Gibbens, LB, Tennessee Titans
  • Jordan Howden, S, New Orleans Saints
  • Tyler Johnson, WR, Los Angeles Rams
  • Ko Kieft, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  • Boye Mafe, LB, Seattle Seahawks
  • Eric Murray, S, Houston Texans
  • Tyler Nubin, S, New York Giants
  • Esezi Otomewo, DE, Jacksonville Jaguars
  • Thomas Rush, LB, Tennessee Titans
  • John Michael Schmitz Jr., C, New York Giants
  • Terell Smith, CB, Chicago Bears
  • Benjamin St-Juste, CB, Washington Commanders
  • Brevyn Spann-Ford, TE, Dallas Cowboys
  • Damien Wilson, LB, Dallas Cowboys
  • Antoine Winfield Jr., S, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Other Leagues
  • Drew Wolitarsky, WR, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, CFL
  • Chuck Filiaga, OL, San Antonio Brahmas, UFL
  • Ryan Santoso, K, San Antonio Brahmas, UFL
  • Shannon Brooks, RB, Arizona Rattlers, IFL
  • Demry Croft, QB, Duke City Gladiators, IFL
 


Gopher_Topher said:
We've come a long way in terms of NFL talent in the last 10 years. S/O Coach Fleck
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Yeah, there's definitely been a steady uptick over the last decade. Look back around 2011 and 2012 and I think the only Gophers in the NFL were Eric Decker and Marcus Sherels.
 

IceBoxGopher said:
Yeah, there's definitely been a steady uptick over the last decade. Look back around 2011 and 2012 and I think the only Gophers in the NFL were Eric Decker and Marcus Sherels.
Click to expand...
During 2011-2014, I'm pretty sure the "Gophers in the Pros" segment during commercial breaks at the stadium was just a weekly update on Decker's game the previous Sunday....
 

Through 5 games, Wolitarsky has 17 receptions, with 1 TD (from his old buddy Chris Streveler). It is the only passing TD for the 1-4 Blue Bombers.
 


Gopher_Topher said:
We've come a long way in terms of NFL talent in the last 10 years. S/O Coach Fleck
Click to expand...
The major players still playing at this point are Wilson, Campbell, Murray, T Johnson, Coughlan and Cashman. NTDWI Fleck
 








I love how people don't want to give Fleck the credit. How many players were recruited by and coached by other coaches before and still didn't make the NFL. Recruited by others and coached for 2 years or more by Fleck = a Fleck player. There is no problem crediting both the person who saw and recruited the talent and the coach who saw it to maturity. To disregard one seems silly. Sure, I am disappointed we haven't had a draft class like the one the 2019 team produced, but Covid and coaching changes kind of hindered the momentum. Fleck has done amazing and will only get better as long as resoources can keep up.
 

Damien Wilson appears to be on the roster bubble according to USA Today's Cowboys Wire.
After several years away from Dallas he was grabbed towards the end of last season as depth and returns on a look-and-see deal for 2024.

Last Word on Sports considers Baltimore or Carolina as landing spots if he doesn't return to Dallas.
Wilson saw his best season with the Jacksonville Jaguars during his lone year, posting 106 tackles and three sacks. However, there are other teams like the Ravens and Panthers that could use depth at the position too.

Wilson already has experience in Carolina; they’re adding Jadeveon Clowney to help alongside Shaq Thompson. His next best option would be to team up with Roquan Smith and Kyle Van Noy to be the No. 3 linebacker to see what he can do in the rotational.
 



gophernut1 said:
I love how people don't want to give Fleck the credit. How many players were recruited by and coached by other coaches before and still didn't make the NFL. Recruited by others and coached for 2 years or more by Fleck = a Fleck player. There is no problem crediting both the person who saw and recruited the talent and the coach who saw it to maturity. To disregard one seems silly. Sure, I am disappointed we haven't had a draft class like the one the 2019 team produced, but Covid and coaching changes kind of hindered the momentum. Fleck has done amazing and will only get better as long as resoources can keep up.
Click to expand...
Honest question, how do you define "better" and "resources"?
 

gophernut1 said:
I love how people don't want to give Fleck the credit. How many players were recruited by and coached by other coaches before and still didn't make the NFL. Recruited by others and coached for 2 years or more by Fleck = a Fleck player. There is no problem crediting both the person who saw and recruited the talent and the coach who saw it to maturity. To disregard one seems silly. Sure, I am disappointed we haven't had a draft class like the one the 2019 team produced, but Covid and coaching changes kind of hindered the momentum. Fleck has done amazing and will only get better as long as resoources can keep up.
Click to expand...
Yea I agree with you, there's definitely more to the story than who did the recruiting. I expanded the stats a bit based on Games Played at the U from what I found on the Gopher's website, so it may not be perfect (they do need to do a bit better consolidating stats after a player graduates/leaves).

stats.jpg
 


Gopher_Topher said:
View attachment 32212
Pulled snap counts from Pro Football Reference. S/O Coach Fleck.
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I've said this in a few posts, but Antoine Winfield has to be considered a Fleck recruit. He was as good as gone and Winfield Sr said his son is transferring. Fleck re-recruited Jr and Sr. I'd argue Fleck had to recruit him twice as hard the second time as Kill had to recruit him the first time.
 

Seahawks' Boye Mafe Has an Edge For Finding Ways to Impact The Game​

Boye Mafe has a knack for getting after opposing quarterbacks.

As the former second-round draft pick out of the University of Minnesota attested to after the Seattle Seahawks wrapped up their fifth practice of training camp on Monday, it's a never-ending pursuit.

Following a sophomore surge that saw the former Gopher jump from three sacks as a rookie in 2022 to nine last season under former coach Pete Carroll, Mafe enters 2024 under first-year coach Mike Macdonald with the same hunger and drive to be the best, while making sure his teammates are right alongside him sharing sacks and lifting the team success as a collective unit.

"One of the things, especially from last year, I noticed there were plays that I left on the table," Mafe told local media after Monday's practice, when asked where he would like to improve heading into his third season in the NFL.

Mafe set the Seahawks' franchise record recording at least one sack in seven consecutive games in 2023 from Week 3 to Week 10, ending the season with just two sacks over the final eight games - both of which came Week 16 at the Tennessee Titans, a 20-17 win for Seattle.

"To me, I expect myself, whenever there’s a chance to make a play it should be my play. It’s not to say that in a selfish way. Obviously, there’s situations and things happen, but I hold myself to a high standard. My whole life I’ve done that. My family holds me to a high standard. Everyone around me understands that and they just know that’s what I expect of myself, and I also expect that of other people around me."

That mentality stretches all the way back to his time at Minnesota playing for coach P.J. Fleck.


Go Gophers!!
 

BleedGopher said:

Seahawks' Boye Mafe Has an Edge For Finding Ways to Impact The Game​

Boye Mafe has a knack for getting after opposing quarterbacks.

As the former second-round draft pick out of the University of Minnesota attested to after the Seattle Seahawks wrapped up their fifth practice of training camp on Monday, it's a never-ending pursuit.

Following a sophomore surge that saw the former Gopher jump from three sacks as a rookie in 2022 to nine last season under former coach Pete Carroll, Mafe enters 2024 under first-year coach Mike Macdonald with the same hunger and drive to be the best, while making sure his teammates are right alongside him sharing sacks and lifting the team success as a collective unit.

"One of the things, especially from last year, I noticed there were plays that I left on the table," Mafe told local media after Monday's practice, when asked where he would like to improve heading into his third season in the NFL.

Mafe set the Seahawks' franchise record recording at least one sack in seven consecutive games in 2023 from Week 3 to Week 10, ending the season with just two sacks over the final eight games - both of which came Week 16 at the Tennessee Titans, a 20-17 win for Seattle.

"To me, I expect myself, whenever there’s a chance to make a play it should be my play. It’s not to say that in a selfish way. Obviously, there’s situations and things happen, but I hold myself to a high standard. My whole life I’ve done that. My family holds me to a high standard. Everyone around me understands that and they just know that’s what I expect of myself, and I also expect that of other people around me."

That mentality stretches all the way back to his time at Minnesota playing for coach P.J. Fleck.


Go Gophers!!
Click to expand...
Awesome to see Mafe excelling. The guy has a heck of a motor and it shows.
 



DinkytownDelight said:
Tyler Johnson having a great training camp so far with the Rams!

www.lafbnetwork.com

Rams Training Camp: Tyler Johnson Makes Case For A Roster Spot With Strong Camp Performance - LAFB Network

The Los Angeles Rams training camp kicked off its second week in pads. It was scheduled to be a run install-focused practice, but no one told fourth-year wide
www.lafbnetwork.com www.lafbnetwork.com
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Awe man, that makes me happy. TJ is one of my favorite Gophers and I'll always support the guy. I really hope it works out for him in LA.
 

gophers&guns said:
Yea I agree with you, there's definitely more to the story than who did the recruiting. I expanded the stats a bit based on Games Played at the U from what I found on the Gopher's website, so it may not be perfect (they do need to do a bit better consolidating stats after a player graduates/leaves).

View attachment 32494
Click to expand...
Jack Gibbens is a guy I had totally forgot about. That kid could move. Also, Fleck called it with Howden back during his freshman year. Said he's super raw but could easily be a legit NFL'er if he figures it out. Cool to see
 




MNfootballfan said:
I've said this in a few posts, but Antoine Winfield has to be considered a Fleck recruit. He was as good as gone and Winfield Sr said his son is transferring. Fleck re-recruited Jr and Sr. I'd argue Fleck had to recruit him twice as hard the second time as Kill had to recruit him the first time.
Click to expand...
100%. Winfield was gone but Fleck got him to stick around.

I also put more stock in who a player developed under vs. who recruited them. For example, Tyler Johnson does not become the receiver he did under Kill's WR coach.

In the end though it really doesn't matter which coach was responsible for a Gopher in the NFL, the important part is guys are getting into the the league and having success. That is good for the program.

We definitely have more players making an impact in the NFL right now than we have had for quite some time which is great to see. Hopefully it is a trend that continues.
 

Gophers great Tyler Nubin named 'dark-horse' rookie of the year candidate​


Tyler Nubin, whose 13 interceptions in college are a Gophers program record, was selected by the New York Giants with the 47th pick in this spring's NFL draft. He was Minnesota's only player drafted this year.

On the Giants' first unofficial depth chart of the season, Nubin was listed as the No. 2 strong safety behind Dane Belton. NFL.com's Lance Zierlein still thinks he can be a dark-horse candidate to win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.

"Nubin was a four-year starter at Minnesota and his tape is filled with the consistent anticipation and instincts one might expect from a player with so much experience," Zierlein wrote. "His recognition talent and ball skills give him a chance to make plays on the football at a high enough rate to make his way into the DROY conversation."

Nubin will obviously need to get as much playing time as possible to put himself into the rookie of the year mix. That would begin with becoming a starter over Belton, who was a fourth-round pick by New York out of Iowa in 2022. After the Giants let starting safety Xavier McKinney leave in free agency this offseason, Belton and Jason Pinnock are currently projected to be their starters at the position.

Belton has started just seven games in his two-year NFL career, but he earned an impressive 84.9 Pro Football Focus (PFF) defensive grade last season. Still, the Giants have a new defensive coordinator in Shane Bowen and spent a top-50 draft pick on Nubin, so it's only a matter of time until he gets an opportunity to play a significant role.

www.si.com

Gophers great Tyler Nubin named 'dark-horse' rookie of the year candidate

Nubin is getting some love ahead of his rookie season.
www.si.com www.si.com

Go Gophers!!
 



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