Minnesota Golden Gophers NFL Draft Prospects

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Minnesota Golden Gophers 2026 Season Preview: Fleck Banks on Lindsey's Leap and a Loaded Pass Rush

Minnesota went 8-5 (5-4 Big Ten) in 2025 and closed the year the way P.J. Fleck's teams almost always do, grinding out a 20-17 overtime win over New Mexico in the Rate Bowl for a ninth consecutive bowl victory. It was the program's second straight 8-5 finish, and the Gophers return one of the higher shares of production in the country, roughly 71 percent of their offense and 65 percent of their defense. The defining offseason story cuts both ways: quarterback Drake Lindsey enters his redshirt sophomore year with a foundation laid, while safety and return man Koi Perich, the team's most explosive weapon, transferred to Oregon and left holes on defense and special teams.

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RANK	Player	Pos	Weight	Height	40YD	AVG POS RANK	AVG OVR RANK	Rating	Summary
42	Greg Johnson	C	325lbs	6-6	5.25	3	25.5	85.7 MORE>>	Greg Johnson was a three-year starter and senior captain at Prior Lake High School in Minnesota, earning AP All-State and Star Tri...
100	Anthony Smith	DE	280lbs	6-6	4.75	20	93	84.7 MORE>>	Anthony Smith made 64 tackles and 9.5 sacks as a senior at Shippensburg Area Senior High School in Pennsylvania and was named Penn...
119	John Nestor	CB	210lbs	6-1	4.55	33	120.5	84.5 MORE>>	John Nestor grew up in Chicago and played at Marist High School, where he lined up at safety, cornerback and receiver and also pla...
175	Drake Lindsey	QB	230lbs	6-5	4.70	15	102.8	81.5 MORE>>	Lindsey grew up in a Razorback family in Fayetteville, where his grandfather played on Arkansas' 1964 national title team and his ...
267	Javon Tracy	WR	205lbs	6-0	4.47	34	234	78.7 MORE>>	Javon Tracy comes from a football family; his brother Tyrone Tracy Jr. played at Iowa and Purdue before reaching the NFL. At Decat...
367	Nathan Roy	OT	305lbs	6-5	5.15	68	358	74.0 MORE>>	Nathan Roy was the top-ranked player in Wisconsin in his class, a four-star tackle from Mukwonago High School who played in the Al...
442	Kerry Brown	S	190lbs	5-10	4.51	82	395	69.0 MORE>>	Kerry Brown was a three-year starter at Naples High School in Florida, making 225 tackles, 26 tackles for loss and three intercept...
594	Darius Taylor	RB	215lbs	6-0	4.54	67	726.5	61.2 MORE>>	Out of Walled Lake Western High School in Michigan, Darius Taylor rushed for 2,450 yards and 36 touchdowns as a senior, including ...

RANK	Player	Pos	Coll	Weight	Height	40YD	AVG POS RANK	AVG OVR RANK	Rating	Summary
291	Deven Eastern	DL		315lbs	6-5	5.15	64	271.8	78.0 MORE>>
444	Darnell Jefferies	DL		285lbs	6-3	5.09	88	444	68.0 MORE>>	Darnell Jefferies from Newton High School was rated a 4-star recruit by ESPN and handed a 3-star grade by 247 Sports. After high ...

RANK	Player	Pos	Weight	Height	40YD	AVG POS RANK	AVG OVR RANK	Rating	Summary
45	Aireontae Ersery	OT	331lbs	6-6	5.01	10	45.4	86.4 MORE>>	From track and field athlete to potential NFL starter, Aireontae Ersery's journey is as fascinating as his imposing frame. The Kan...
164	Jah Joyner	DL	265lbs	6-5	4.60	44	149.4	81.3 MORE>>	Born in Connecticut, Jah Joyner dominated the high school ranks at Danbury High School, where his explosive athleticism and natura...
201	Tyler Cooper	OG	310lbs	6-6	5.15	49	233	79.6 MORE>>	Tyler Cooper entered the Minnesota program as an unheralded two-star recruit from Saint Croix Falls, Wisconsin, where he earned WF...
264	Cody Lindenberg	LB	240lbs	6-3	4.71	22	219	77.0 MORE>>	A local Minnesota product who transformed from a three-star recruit into one of the Big Ten's most instinctive linebackers, Cod...
308	Quinn Carroll	OT	315lbs	6-7	5.59	64	310	75.0 MORE>>	Quinn Carroll spent his first three seasons at Notre Dame before transferring to Minnesota, where he became an immediate starte...
320	Justin Walley	CB	195lbs	5-11	4.40	40	171.6	74.4 MORE>>	Justin Walley played high school football at D'Iberville High School in Mississippi, wearing No. 5 for the Warriors. As a senior, ...
321	Max Brosmer	QB	225lbs	6-2	4.79	16	261	74.4 MORE>>
326	Daniel Jackson	WR	195lbs	6-0	4.63	49	301	74.2 MORE>>
472	Marcus Major	RB	220lbs	6-0	4.61	40	472	59.4 MORE>>

RANK	Player	Pos	Coll	Weight	Height	40YD	AVG POS RANK	AVG OVR RANK	Rating	Summary
40	Tyler Nubin	S		199lbs	6-1	4.60	9	45.2	87.0 MORE>>	Tyler Nubin from St Charles North High School was rated a 3-star recruit by ESPN and handed a 4-star grade by 247 Sports. Followi...
255	Brevyn Spann-Ford	TE		260lbs	6-6	4.77	16	209.3	77.0 MORE>>	Brevyn Spann-Ford from St. Cloud Technical High School was rated a 3-star recruit by ESPN and handed a 3-star grade by 247 Sports...