Six Gophers headed to combine

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Per the U:

Program Record Six Gophers Invited to 2025 NFL Scouting Combine

Six former University of Minnesota Golden Gophers received invitations to the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine. Those receiving invitations were offensive lineman Aireontae Ersery, quarterback Max Brosmer, receiver Daniel Jackson, defensive lineman Jah Joyner, linebacker Cody Lindenberg and defensive back Justin Walley.

The 2025 NFL Scouting Combine will be held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis from February 24 through March 3 and Live coverage begins on Feb. 27 on NFL Network and NFL+.

The six invitations set a program record as Minnesota previously had five invitees in both 2001 and 2002.

Minnesota is one of 18 schools with six or more players invited to the annual event and the six invitations ranks fifth in the Big Ten behind Ohio State (15), Oregon (12), Michigan (9) and Iowa (7).

Minnesota is also one of 13 schools in the nation with six individuals at different positions. The other 12 schools are: Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Miami, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Oregon, South Carolina and Texas.

Ersery is the fifth Gopher offensive lineman under head coach P.J. Fleck invited to the combine, as he joined John Michael Schmitz (2023), Blaise Andries (2022), Daniel Faalele (2022) and Donnell Green (2019). Prior to Green in 2019, Minnesota last had an offensive lineman invited to the combine in 2006.

Brosmer is the fourth Minnesota quarterback ever to be invited to the combine and the first since Mitch Leidner participated in 2017. The other two were MarQueis Gray (2013) and Cory Sauter (1998).

Jackson is the first receiver invited since Rashod Bateman in 2021 and Joyner is the first defensive lineman invited since Boye Mafe in 2022.

Lindenberg is the first Gopher linebacker headed to the combine since both Carter Coughlin and Kamal Martin were invited in 2020.

Walley's invitation marks the third straight year that a Minnesota defensive back has been invited to the showcase event, as Tyler Nubin was invited in 2024 and both Terell Smith and Jordan Howden were invited in 2023.

Go Gophers!!
 

BroncoRedux said:
I can't recall this many Gophers being invited. Fleck has upgraded the talent, now he needs to coach just a little bit better. :cool:
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I wasn't all that disappointed with how the season turned out, but I've had similar thoughts (only half-seriously) since the All-Star games and Combine invites. Just a lot of close games.

Congrats to all of these guys. I hope they all show out.
 


50PoundHead said:
I wasn't all that disappointed with how the season turned out, but I've had similar thoughts (only half-seriously) since the All-Star games and Combine invites. Just a lot of close games.

Congrats to all of these guys. I hope they all show out.
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Same for me. On one hand, 7-5 plus a bowl win is a great year compared to national expectations. On the other hand, the benefit of hindsight suggests the overall talent level was significantly higher than most thought in August. North Carolina will always be the one that got away, and the coaches didn't seem to be prepared to let Max or Koi loose, which could have swung the game.

Regardless, if this is the talent level moving forward, the program is in a great place.
 


BleedGopher said:
Per the U:

Program Record Six Gophers Invited to 2025 NFL Scouting Combine

Six former University of Minnesota Golden Gophers received invitations to the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine. Those receiving invitations were offensive lineman Aireontae Ersery, quarterback Max Brosmer, receiver Daniel Jackson, defensive lineman Jah Joyner, linebacker Cody Lindenberg and defensive back Justin Walley.

The 2025 NFL Scouting Combine will be held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis from February 24 through March 3 and Live coverage begins on Feb. 27 on NFL Network and NFL+.

The six invitations set a program record as Minnesota previously had five invitees in both 2001 and 2002.

Minnesota is one of 18 schools with six or more players invited to the annual event and the six invitations ranks fifth in the Big Ten behind Ohio State (15), Oregon (12), Michigan (9) and Iowa (7).

Minnesota is also one of 13 schools in the nation with six individuals at different positions. The other 12 schools are: Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Miami, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Oregon, South Carolina and Texas.

Ersery is the fifth Gopher offensive lineman under head coach P.J. Fleck invited to the combine, as he joined John Michael Schmitz (2023), Blaise Andries (2022), Daniel Faalele (2022) and Donnell Green (2019). Prior to Green in 2019, Minnesota last had an offensive lineman invited to the combine in 2006.

Brosmer is the fourth Minnesota quarterback ever to be invited to the combine and the first since Mitch Leidner participated in 2017. The other two were MarQueis Gray (2013) and Cory Sauter (1998).

Jackson is the first receiver invited since Rashod Bateman in 2021 and Joyner is the first defensive lineman invited since Boye Mafe in 2022.

Lindenberg is the first Gopher linebacker headed to the combine since both Carter Coughlin and Kamal Martin were invited in 2020.

Walley's invitation marks the third straight year that a Minnesota defensive back has been invited to the showcase event, as Tyler Nubin was invited in 2024 and both Terell Smith and Jordan Howden were invited in 2023.

Go Gophers!!
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Good company.
 






50PoundHead said:
I wasn't all that disappointed with how the season turned out, but I've had similar thoughts (only half-seriously) since the All-Star games and Combine invites. Just a lot of close games.

Congrats to all of these guys. I hope they all show out.
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Agreed, the conference was absolutely stacked this season, we kept at it when it would've been way easier to mail it in with how things started
 

The draft is going to be fun this year, well except for it being in Green Bay. The above list doesn’t even include possible late picks/UDFA’s like Ethan Robinson, Jack Henderson, Quinn Carroll, Tyler Cooper, Elijah Spencer, Dragan Kesich and Nick Kallerup.
 



mkAz said:
The draft is going to be fun this year, well except for it being in Green Bay. The above list doesn’t even include possible late picks/UDFA’s like Ethan Robinson, Jack Henderson, Quinn Carroll, Tyler Cooper, Elijah Spencer, Dragan Kesich and Nick Kallerup.
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I have seen Cooper listed in the mid-200s on a couple of draft-related sites. Robinson also had a nice season. I really liked Henderson's game. Kesich has leg to spare, but kickers don't get drafted unless they are really superb. I think all the guys you listed will likely at least be UDFAs, some of them in the "preferred" category where it''s more than a tryout.
 

mkAz said:
The draft is going to be fun this year, well except for it being in Green Bay. The above list doesn’t even include possible late picks/UDFA’s like Ethan Robinson, Jack Henderson, Quinn Carroll, Tyler Cooper, Elijah Spencer, Dragan Kesich and Nick Kallerup.
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there's a player in that group who's on a few draft boards but really going to open some eyes at pro day. currently putting up freak combine #'s down at bommarito. if the vikings are paying attn they could get a steal.
 


mkAz said:
The draft is going to be fun this year, well except for it being in Green Bay. The above list doesn’t even include possible late picks/UDFA’s like Ethan Robinson, Jack Henderson, Quinn Carroll, Tyler Cooper, Elijah Spencer, Dragan Kesich and Nick Kallerup.
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Did Spencer even declare for the draft?
 

MFP said:
there's a player in that group who's on a few draft boards but really going to open some eyes at pro day. currently putting up freak combine #'s down at bommarito. if the vikings are paying attn they could get a steal.
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I would’ve guessed Ethan Robinson could be a draft pick, but not sure he would be a freak at the combine.
 

Gophs are 5th in invitees in the "Big 18", behind only OSU (15), 0re (12), MI (8), and Iowa (7). MSU and NU with none.
 

Perry: Seven names for Patriots fans to watch at NFL Combine​

Aireontae Ersery, OT, Minnesota​

"We actually had him go to the Patriots in the second round (in our latest mock draft)," Perry said. "Again, we just want to see how these guys move.

"... You get Aireontae Ersery out there in wide open space with nothing but eyeballs on him and nobody within 50 yards of him in any direction, and all of sudden he's got to get through the bags and get himself up off the ground, change direction -- like, let's see how that sort of stuff looks. Because for guy who's as big as Ersery who's 6-foot-6, 330 (pounds), how he handles those moments to me can be telling."

www.nbcsportsboston.com

Perry: Seven names for Patriots fans to watch at NFL Combine

Phil Perry previews this week's NFL Combine by highlighting seven players who could be intriguing fits for the Patriots in the draft.
www.nbcsportsboston.com www.nbcsportsboston.com
 

I was really happy about the invites, but also share some of the concerns others have noted. We were 7-5 and the schedule didn't turn out to be anywhere close to the gauntlet some anticipated last Fall. If we can maintain this level of talent, we should be able to breakthrough again soon.

Kind of a bummer that it's unlikely any of these guys end up in Purple given our lack of draft picks.
If you had to bet on someone other than Ersery being the best pro out of this group, who would it be?
 

EG#9 said:
I was really happy about the invites, but also share some of the concerns others have noted. We were 7-5 and the schedule didn't turn out to be anywhere close to the gauntlet some anticipated last Fall. If we can maintain this level of talent, we should be able to breakthrough again soon.

Kind of a bummer that it's unlikely any of these guys end up in Purple given our lack of draft picks.
If you had to bet on someone other than Ersery being the best pro out of this group, who would it be?
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I think Jackson and Joyner get 5yrs. Brosmer could be drafted as low as 7th rd and get 4yrs or stick and get 10 as a backup. The rest i think are best bets on having longer and more impactful careers.
 

mngolf said:
I think Jackson and Joyner get 5yrs. Brosmer could be drafted as low as 7th rd and get 4yrs or stick and get 10 as a backup. The rest i think are best bets on having longer and more impactful careers.
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I'd add Walley to that list as well
 


Scottsdale Gopher said:
Same for me. On one hand, 7-5 plus a bowl win is a great year compared to national expectations. On the other hand, the benefit of hindsight suggests the overall talent level was significantly higher than most thought in August. North Carolina will always be the one that got away, and the coaches didn't seem to be prepared to let Max or Koi loose, which could have swung the game.

Regardless, if this is the talent level moving forward, the program is in a great place.
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I don’t think anyone would really be that surprised if someone had said these guys would all get draft attention back in August. It was the rest of the team that was the question mark, and frankly some of the worries in the preseason did end up hurting us. Predominantly inconsistent oline play and our kicking game not being the weapon we expected.
 

EG#9 said:
I was really happy about the invites, but also share some of the concerns others have noted. We were 7-5 and the schedule didn't turn out to be anywhere close to the gauntlet some anticipated last Fall. If we can maintain this level of talent, we should be able to breakthrough again soon.

Kind of a bummer that it's unlikely any of these guys end up in Purple given our lack of draft picks.
If you had to bet on someone other than Ersery being the best pro out of this group, who would it be?
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I’d go with Cody if he stays healthy
 

Zeppelin Gopher said:
I'd add Walley to that list as well
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It will be interesting to see how Walley tests at the combine. He's not as good as Antoine Winfield, Jr., but he has those same instincts. I think he's a guy who could stick as a long-time contributor in the right situation. I think he's a little better than Eric Murray who has stuck around for nine seasons. But again, NFL coaching staffs look for guys who fit a certain scheme so that plays into things.
 




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