Minnesota returning players 2025: Top 5 players who will return to PJ Fleck's squad

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Per Robles:

Top five players returning to the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the 2025 season​

#5. Anthony Smith, Defensive End​


An All-Big Ten honorable mention selection, Anthony Smith did a little bit of everything with 27 tackles, six sacks, a pass deflection, a forced fumble and a blocked kick. Entering his junior season, Smith will lead the Minnesota defensive line and look to be even more productive in 2025.

#4. Maverick Baranowski, Linebacker​

With Cody Lindenberg out of eligibility, Maverick Baranowski will take over as the leading linebacker in the Minnesota defense. Baranowski was second on the team with 65 tackles in 2024, but far off Lindenberg’s 94-tackle pace.

He will be tasked with becoming the leader in the middle of the defense. The Ponce Inlet, Florida native also tallied a sack and a fumble recovery.

#3. Kerry Brown, Safety​

Another top defensive player returning for next season. Kerry Brown finished his redshirt freshman season with 63 tackles, two interceptions and four pass breakups. The young safety makes up half of one of the best tandems in the country along with Koi Perich.

With another year of preparation and experience, he should improve and make it difficult for other teams to pass the ball through the middle of the field.

#2. Darius Taylor, Running Back​

The important offensive player returning to Minnesota. Darius Taylor led the team with 986 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. Taylor is a physical runner who is deceptively fast. After an injury cut short his freshman season he became the bellcow for the Gophers.

With a new quarterback and wide receivers, it’s likely that the offense will lean on Taylor early and often in 2025. He might be the Golden Gophers' biggest home run threat next year.

#1. Koi Perich, Safety​

One of the top safeties in the nation, Koi Perich is only entering his sophomore season. As a freshman he led the Big Ten with five interceptions. He added 46 tackles, a forced fumble and two pass breakups. Perich was also a returner and might even play some offensive snaps in 2025.

Perich is a standout player who can seemingly do everything for the Golden Gophers. Still flying under the radar because he doesn’t play in a national program, he could start turning heads to the Twin Cities with another strong season.

www.sportskeeda.com

Minnesota returning players 2025: Top 5 players who will return to PJ Fleck's squad

For the fourth straight season, the Minnesota Golden Gophers won a bowl game in 2024.
www.sportskeeda.com www.sportskeeda.com

Go Gophers!!
 


Perich is flying under the radar? He was on pretty much every single top freshman list last season and is already being regarded as one of the top safeties in the country.

Can't wait to see Brown and Perich with another off season of development under their belts. Those two have the potential to for a lethal safety duo for the D.
 




I'd have Smith higher. Hot take, but I am not sure Kerry Brown wasn't better on a snap by snap basis than Koi Perich. Koi has the higher ceiling as he's bigger, but Kerry was a really pleasant surprise last year. I think we need a few more "Kerry Brown's" to emerge next Fall at CB and DE specifically.
 

If the DL can provide pressure, Brown and Perich are gonna put up some fun interception numbers.
 

mngg11 said:
Stngy defense coming back, here's to hoping Drake catches on fast and lights it up like a sonuvabitch
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ce3f2846-521d-42b1-9463-c5c7ec48bec5_text.gif
 

EG#9 said:
I'd have Smith higher. Hot take, but I am not sure Kerry Brown wasn't better on a snap by snap basis than Koi Perich. Koi has the higher ceiling as he's bigger, but Kerry was a really pleasant surprise last year. I think we need a few more "Kerry Brown's" to emerge next Fall at CB and DE specifically.
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The great part is that doesn't matter if one is better than the other in terms of Brown and Perich because they play different positions and get to be on the field at the same time :)
 



WoodburyTim said:
If the DL can provide pressure, Brown and Perich are gonna put up some fun interception numbers.
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Brown's value isn't really tied to picks. He reminds me a lot of Tyrone Carter, his strength is his ability to read plays and make tackles. Perich roaming around out there will definitely make teams hesitant to throw it deep similar to how it was when Winfield was patrolling center field for the D.

The great part about having 2 really good safeties is that they can help cover for mistakes and make it a lot scarier for opponents to try the riskier throws in the passing game knowing they are out there. Really excited to see what those two can do as they keep developing and getting better.

Safety U!
 

Fun little side note - Drake switched from #3 to #5 according to the roster on Gophersports.com. So that opens up some additional potential for Koi to see some action on the offensive side of the ball as there would no longer be a number conflict that would require switching jerseys.
 
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Maverick is important due to experience because we have zero LB depth (or sufficient talent, in my opinion) but he's not a difference maker. Having him above Smith is an interesting choice. I'm worried about our front 7 in general (we have a couple of nice athletes on the DL) and PJ has struggled building that LB room, the transfers out have also hurt
 

EG#9 said:
I'd have Smith higher. Hot take, but I am not sure Kerry Brown wasn't better on a snap by snap basis than Koi Perich. Koi has the higher ceiling as he's bigger, but Kerry was a really pleasant surprise last year. I think we need a few more "Kerry Brown's" to emerge next Fall at CB and DE specifically.
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Well said. Koi is a flashier athlete but Kerry is doing the dirty work of filling holes in the run game and playing downhill. He made a lot of huge tackles last year and saved a lot of big chunk plays
 

GopherEnEspaña said:
Maverick is important due to experience because we have zero LB depth (or sufficient talent, in my opinion) but he's not a difference maker. Having him above Smith is an interesting choice. I'm worried about our front 7 in general (we have a couple of nice athletes on the DL) and PJ has struggled building that LB room, the transfers out have also hurt
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Struggled building the linebacker room? I disagree with that. They really only play 2 LBs, and have Maverick, Devon Williams, the transfer from Oklahoma State Jeff Roberson who will likely start next to Maverick, and some younger guys.
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
Struggled building the linebacker room? I disagree with that. They really only play 2 LBs, and have Maverick, Devon Williams, the transfer from Oklahoma State Jeff Roberson who will likely start next to Maverick, and some younger guys.
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I'd be interested in seeing Karmo get some time -- as possible.
 

EG#9 said:
I'd have Smith higher. Hot take, but I am not sure Kerry Brown wasn't better on a snap by snap basis than Koi Perich. Koi has the higher ceiling as he's bigger, but Kerry was a really pleasant surprise last year. I think we need a few more "Kerry Brown's" to emerge next Fall at CB and DE specifically.
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I generally agree with take

He has lower highs but higher lows
 

GopherEnEspaña said:
Maverick is important due to experience because we have zero LB depth (or sufficient talent, in my opinion) but he's not a difference maker. Having him above Smith is an interesting choice. I'm worried about our front 7 in general (we have a couple of nice athletes on the DL) and PJ has struggled building that LB room, the transfers out have also hurt
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I think the dline will still be pretty good. And it’s more of a front 6 look most of the time. I’m glad they added Roberson for experience at LB, so I think there is adequate experience and talent, but I get the concerns. I think Maverick would be the one with potential to become an all conference type player. There’s no sure fire draft pick type guy that we’ve seen there yet.
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
Struggled building the linebacker room? I disagree with that. They really only play 2 LBs, and have Maverick, Devon Williams, the transfer from Oklahoma State Jeff Roberson who will likely start next to Maverick, and some younger guys.
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I'd argue that the LB room is the only group that hasn't been significantly improved under PJ. Gibbons was legit, Barber and Oliver were overachievers which I credit to PJ's coaching. We've become more talented and athletic at every position group besides LB. Kill had Cashman, Wilson, Campbell. I'm not trying to knock our current group just making an observation
 

GopherEnEspaña said:
I'd argue that the LB room is the only group that hasn't been significantly improved under PJ. Gibbons was legit, Barber and Oliver were overachievers which I credit to PJ's coaching. We've become more talented and athletic at every position group besides LB. Kill had Cashman, Wilson, Campbell. I'm not trying to knock our current group just making an observation
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Agree

LB was slightly better under Kill/Claeys

DB was good under both

Every other position probably better under fleck by at least a little
Maybe TE was better under kill but that was one guy.
Specialists I didn’t think about and don’t want to think about.
 

Some guy said:
Agree

LB was slightly better under Kill/Claeys

DB was good under both

Every other position probably better under fleck by at least a little
Maybe TE was better under kill but that was one guy.
Specialists I didn’t think about and don’t want to think about.
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I'd say RB was pretty close to the same.
WR definitely is better now
 

GFBfan said:
I'd say RB was pretty close to the same.
WR definitely is better now
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I suppose that one depends on who you credit the transitions backs to
If kill gets the end of the careers of guys he recruited that played under fleck it’s close
 



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