And heading into combine week (Mar. 1-7), Daniel Jeremiah (NFL.com) updated his 2022 big board, where he ranked two of those Gophers in his top-50 overall.

#33: Boye Mafe – Minnesota · Edge · Senior (RS)

Mafe is an ascending edge rusher with an enticing blend of speed and power. He steadily improved throughout the season, culminating with an outstanding performance at the Reese’s Senior Bowl. As a pass rusher, he has an explosive first step and his hand usage has started to come together. Early in the year, he was thinking too much and segmented in his movement. But as the season went on, he played much faster and connected his feet and hands. He can generate speed to power, and he is an excellent finisher once he gets to the top of his rush. He can stack blocks and hold the point of attack in the run game. Overall, Mafe is still a raw prospect, but he’s trending in the right direction and provides double-digit sack upside.

#49: Daniel Faalele – Minnesota · OT · Senior

Faalele is a massive right tackle (6-9, 380) with surprisingly nimble feet and athleticism. In pass protection, he is quick out of his stance, does a nice job of staying square and has good vision/awareness. He doesn’t bend very well, but he’s still able to absorb power rushers because of his sheer bulk/strength. He does have issues redirecting to inside counter moves. In the run game, he flashes some power to wash defenders down the line, and I was shocked by his ability to reach/cut off on the back side. He also has good timing and feel on combo blocks, working up to the second level. There are some times when he falls off smaller defenders after initial contact. On the whole, Faalele reminds me a little bit of Orlando Brown coming out of Oklahoma.

The Rising Star

Boye Mafe is one of the rising stars in the early draft process and he’s jumped from outside of Jeremiah’s top-50 all the way up to #33. He was one of the biggest standouts at the Senior Bowl where he grabbed eyes of coaches and executives from around the NFL.

Boye’s rise will continue this week at the combine. Mafe might be the best athlete in a pass rushing class full of QB nightmares. He will run faster, jump higher and pump more than most of the EDGE rushers slotted to be picked ahead of him. Defensive ends and linebackers will run drills on Saturday (March 5) so that’s when you’ll see both Mafe and Esezi Otomewo will hit the field.

Can Faalele Gain Footing?

Daniel Faalele has the size and athleticism to be a first round draft pick and that’s why the scouting combine will be very important for him. He didn’t disappoint at the Senior Bowl but he didn’t raise his stock either. As with much of his career at Minnesota, he was somewhat inconsistent.

There are still scouts out there who would draft Faalele on day one so if he can impress during interviews and measure up to his HUGE 6’9″, 380 pound billing during the on-field drills, he could still convince a front office to take him early. Minnesota’s pro day, which will be held on March 16, will be crucial as well. Blaise Andries was the other offensive line invitee. You can watch Daniel and Blaise on Friday (March 4) on NFL Network.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

But we had no idea the — 6 ft 3.4 in, 255 lb — EDGE rusher would use his Senior Bowl appearance to move this quickly up draft boards. I mean, we haven’t even reached the combine yet and Todd McShay (ESPN) is already pushing him into the top tier of defensive ends and outside linebackers in a draft that he claims is the best in a decade at that position.

Todd McShay: Huge Boye Mafe Guy

The #Jets coached @GopherFootball’s Boye Mafe (@boye_mafe) at @seniorbowl & @McShay13 believes he is ‘going to be one of the best EDGE rushers’ in what is turning out to be one of the best EDGE draft classes in a decade: ???? #FirstDraft on @espn #TakeFlight @JimNagy_SB #Gophers pic.twitter.com/9AWKWLkdcV

— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) February 14, 2022

“I think [Boye Mafe] is going to sky-rocket. I think he’s going to be one of the best EDGE rushers, in what is turning out to be one of the best EDGE rush classes we’ve had in a decade. With obviously Kayvon Thibodeaux, Aidan Hutchinson at the top, Travon Walker, Jermaine Johnson from Florida State. But Mafe just continues to show up. The Senior Bowl was an excellent exclamation point on a great week that he had in Mobile, AL.”

“I personally think he’s right on the fringe in terms of first round, when it comes to talent-wise. Maybe he’s not quite as polished as guys like Jermaine Johnson and certainly not Aiden Hutchinson. But I think he’s got just as much of an upside, in terms of what he can be as a pass rusher off the edge in the NFL.”

Todd McShay (ESPN)

What’s Next?

Don’t look for Boye Mafe’s draft board rise to slow down anytime soon. Not with the NFL Combine (March 1-7) and University of Minnesota Pro Day (March 16) still to come. Those were supposed to be the offseason events that opened scout eyes to what Mafe could one day become.

But Boye no longer needs to put himself on any proverbial map. He’s already on it and circled by many GM’s and scouts around the league. Now, he can use those March showcases to move himself ahead of other EDGE rushers who started this process leaps and bounds ahead of the Gophers’ golden child.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Nice sack by Minnesota Boye Mafe pic.twitter.com/8f3C5Dtma0

— Talkin’ Giants (@TalkinGiants) February 5, 2022

Official NFL Draft big board:

1. Boye Mafe
…
2. everyone else

pic.twitter.com/P6eL0jarcU

— GopherHole.com (@GopherHole) February 5, 2022

But the Senior Bowl isn’t just about one game. It runs for an entire week, giving participants the chance to work with, and impress, NFL scouts and coaches. And impress is exactly what Mafe did. Media members covering the game could not get enough of Boye Mafe. He absolutely crushed his interviews and spent the week running around some of the best offensive tackles in college football.

Minnesota EDGE Boye Mafe looked unblockable all practice today. Holy cow.

— Brett Whitefield (@BGWhitefield) February 2, 2022

CLEAN rep from Boye Mafe against CMU’s Bernhard Raimann@seniorbowl pic.twitter.com/VPkC9avglt

— Austin Gayle (@PFF_AustinGayle) February 2, 2022

The Rise Continues

The Atlanta Falcons are showing a lot of interest in spending one of their three top-60 picks on Mafe but they aren’t the only ones. The Chargers, Giants and Jets (whose head coach Robert Saleh led Mafe’s “National” team) could all be high on the former Gopher outside rusher.

Don’t expect Boye Mafe’s rise to slow anytime soon. Next up is the NFL combine, which Mafe was built for from the inside out. Just like he did at the Senior Bowl, Boye will impress coaches and league front office executives in both the underwear Olympics and the interview room.

If Mafe’s stock is rising into the first round already, imagine where it’ll be by the time the combine comes to a conclusion and the Gophers hold their Pro Day. By then, every team will have gotten a chance to talk with and watch him finish near the top in every drill he’s put through. So if you’re looking to invest in draft stock, put all of your chips on Boye Mafe.

How High Can He Go?

EDGE is one of the strongest positions in the 2022 NFL draft but, as Ryan Fowler (The Draft Network) points out, there is no limit on how far Mafe can rise.

A physically imposing defender from the opening kickoff, Mafe flashed an array of pass-rush moves, counters, and an ability to anchor in the run game all game long. One of the “freak” athletes in college football who’s expected to jump north of 40 inches in the vertical at the NFL Scouting Combine, Mafe single-handedly made himself a substantial amount of money with his showing on Saturday afternoon.

Ryan Fowler – The Draft Network

Whether he was bending the edge with speed, bull-rushing with brute force, or providing a counter to the counter from opposing offensive tackles, Mafe’s deep bag of traits have him on the rise heading into the combine, pro days, and separate team workouts over the next few months. Although Michigan’s Aidan Hutchison, Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Purdue’s George Karlaftis have headlined the group (among others), the play of Mafe not just in today’s game but throughout the week as a clear winner in one-on-ones and team drills forces us to now to ask the question: How high can he go?

Ryan Fowler – The Draft Network

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

News: #Gophers are not anticipating any player opt-outs for the Guaranteed Rate Bowl vs. West Virginia, head coach PJ Fleck said Monday. There are at least three candidates — Daniel Faalele, Boye Mafe and Esezi Otomewo — who are headed to the Senior Bowl.

— Andy Greder (@andygreder) December 13, 2021

(OT) Daniel Faalele, (DE) Boye Mafe and (DE) Esezi Otomewo all have college eligibility left after this season but are instead opting for the NFL draft. All three were chosen and have accepted their invite to compete in the Reese’s Senior Bowl on February 2, the premiere All-Star game for college football players and a week that gives pro scouts a great look at some of the best talent in the upcoming draft.

Out of Eligibility or Off to NFL

The Senior Bowl attendees were probably the biggest early flight risks. The offensive and defensive lines should benefit greatly vs the Mountaineers with Faalele, Mafe and Otomewo in uniform. For those NFL hopefuls and many other Gophers, that Guaranteed Rate Bowl game on December 28 will be the last time they put the shoulder pads on under a Minnesota uniform. Here is the full list of 2021 regulars who are NOT returning (with their 2021 snap count via PFF).

• Conner Olson (OL) | 817 Snaps
• Sam Schlueter (OL) | 817 Snaps
• Daniel Faalele (OT) – Senior Bowl | 771 Snaps
• Coney Durr (CB) | 662 Snaps
• Jack Gibbens (LB) | 643 Snaps
• Ko Kieft (TE) | 539 Snaps
• Esezi Otomewo (DE) – Senior Bowl | 478 Snaps
• Boye Mafe (DE) – Senior Bowl | 435 Snaps
• Nyles Pinckney (DT) | 433 Snaps
• Micah Dew-Treadway (DT) | 335 Snaps
• Justus Harris (CB) | 390 Snaps
• Phillip Howard (CB) | 154 Snaps
• Val Martin (DT) | 152 Snaps

Ciarrocca Band Back Together

While the list of departures may seem long, there are still plenty of returnees fans can get excited about.

First, it was (RB) Mohamed Ibrahim who announced his return for 2022. His decision made sense because, beyond an urge to take the field with a Gopher uniform again, Mo needs to prove he can still be an effective running back for scouts at the next level after spending 2021 on the sideline with a leg injury.

Then, it was (QB) Tanner Morgan who announced he would run it back for one last season too. in hopes of regaining a shadow of his former 2019 form. A return to his old self became a lot more possible when it was announced that Morgan’s 2019 offensive coordinator, Kirk Ciarrocca, was coming back to Dinkytown as the Gophers 2022 OC.

(WR) Chris Autman-Bell was next. After a disappointing season in 2021 that could be mostly blamed on injuries and offensive game plans that too often hated throwing the football, CRAB too announced his return. The hope has to be that Morgan and the passing game will have more life and feature him in a way Ciarrocca once did Rashod Bateman and Tyler Johnson.

pic.twitter.com/9wnQ9zA2zM

— ً (@chrisautmanbell) December 10, 2021

Others Returning

Before the 2021 season kicked off, it was unlikely that any of the three major offensive figures above would still be on the Minnesota Gophers football roster come 2022. But because of injuries and a disappointing pass game, all three will be back in maroon and gold next year. And they aren’t the only important players who have chosen to return.

Today, All Big Ten Center (2nd and 3rd teams) John Michael-Schmitz announced he was joining the coming-back party, a huge deal for the Gophers OL and fans hoping the offense can be more explosive next season. Here’s the full list of regularly contributing seniors and super seniors who have announced their return for 2022.

• John Michael-Schmitz (C) | 816 Snaps
• Tanner Morgan (QB) | 754 Snaps
• Chris Autman-Bell (WR) | 475 Snaps
• Brevyn Spann-Ford (TE) | 419 Snaps
• Thomas Rush (LB) | 385 Snaps
• Terell Smith (CB) | 280 Snaps
• Axel Ruschmeyer (G) | 213 Snaps
• Mohamed Ibrahim (RB) | 49 Snaps

Let’s run it back one more time???? @GopherFootball pic.twitter.com/iMTvvisRfd

— John Michael Schmitz (@jmschmitz1999) December 13, 2021

Undecided

There are some major contributors from 2021 that are yet to announce what their plans are for the upcoming 2022 football season. Blaise Andries is one of those who are undecided. He has been a fixture on the Minnesota Gophers offensive line for a handful of years.

Mariano Sori-Marin and Jordan Howden were two defenders thrust into spotlight roles after Thomas Barber and Antoine Winfield Jr went to the NFL following the 2019 season. But 2020 was shortened by COVID-19 and both Howden and Sori-Marin struggled, along with the entire Gopher defense. But after a bounce back 2021, neither player has decided if they will return for their final season of eligibility.

• Blaise Andries (OL) | 758 Snaps
• Jordan Howden (DB) | 601 Snaps
• Mariano Sori-Marin (LB) | 569 Snaps
• Matthew Trickett (K)

Transfer Portal Losses

Losing players to the transfer portal is part of doing business in college football these days. It’s become easy for unhappy players to jump in the portal and find a new location. The NCAA has needed a free agency for awhile and now they have one.

PJ Fleck and the Gophers are suffering losses to the transfer portal just like every other school across the country. So far, they’ve lost ten. Many of them hadn’t contributed yet in any meaningful way but were expected to eventually.

The biggest name, so far, has to be Zack Annexstad, who started as Minnesota’s QB before Tanner Morgan did. He wasn’t the only backup QB to announce his departure after #2 decided to return.

• Curtis Dunlap (G) | 218 Snaps
• MJ Anderson (DE) | 176 Snaps
• Brady Boyd (WR) – 170 Snaps
• Rashod Cheney (DT) | 40 Snaps
• James Gordon (LB) | 21 Snaps
• Cam Wiley (RB) | 17 Snaps
• Zack Annexstad (QB) | 7 Snaps
• Jacob Clark (QB)

Transfer Portal Gains

The Gophers have pulled one player out of the transfer portal so far for the 2022 season and he’s someone that’s expected to contribute right away. His name is Ryan Stapp and he’s a standout cornerback from FCS level Abilene Christian University. Read more about Stapp in the blog I wrote about him yesterday.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

The Minnesota Gophers 2020 defense was awful. They allowed 416 yards and 30 points per game, but that’s only grazing the surface. Joe Rossi’s group struggled all season to put any pressure on opposing quarterbacks, totalling just 8 sacks through the seven-game season, good for 13th (out of 14) in the Big Ten. The run defense was just as bad, allowing 230 rush yards per game to opposing offenses, also good for 13th, barely edging Illinois (230.1 YPG).

A lot of young football players gained experience last season on the defensive side of the ball and Benjamin St-Juste was taken in the 3rd round of April’s NFL Draft. Beyond that, the glass is pretty half-empty when looking back at last year’s defense.

Heading into the 2021 season, PJ Fleck and his defensive coaching staff are hoping to turn things around in immediate fashion. The head coach seems optimistic that a few key transfer portal acquisitions and renewed health has them headed in the right direction.

But is a major turnaround realistic? Let’s project what the 2021 Minnesota Gophers defensive depth chart might look like and see if we can find out.

Cornerbacks

CB1

1. Coney Durr, Redshirt SR
2. Philip Howard, Redshirt SR
3. Victor Pless, Redshirt FR or Bishop McDonald, Redshirt SR or Steven Ortiz, FR

CB2

1. Terell Smith, SR,
2. Miles Fleming, Redshirt FR or Jalen Glaze, Redshirt FR or Justin Walley, FR

Nickel

1. Justus Harris, SR,
2. Jalen Glaze, Redshirt FR or Solomon Brown, Redshirt SO or Steven Ortiz, FR

Cornerback wasn’t the biggest problem for the Minnesota Gophers defense in 2021 (but that’s not saying much). This year, Coney Durr (a super senior) will lead the group. Durr has proven himself more than capable in pass coverage and a physical presence in the outside run game. He’s a 3-year starter with 31 starts, 82 tackles and 21 passes defended. A good season could vault Coney up 2022 NFL mock drafts.

The CB2 spot looks like an open competition from my angle, but for now, I’ll pencil in senior, Terell Smith. This is a guy who played a ton and impressed a lot as a freshman in 2018. But Smith wasn’t the same guy when he returned in 2019, suddenly grabby in coverage and avoiding contact in the run game. But Terell has all the talent and physical attributes to be great. He’s 6’1″, 215 lbs and one of the fastest players on roster. His MVP caliber spring game performance is why Terell Smith is currently my CB2 but we still need to see him translate that back to games that count.

Ball. Game.

Terell Smith (@TerellSmith7) picks it off in the end zone to seal the @GopherFootball spring game for Maroon. pic.twitter.com/KsIKhomp3H

— Minnesota on BTN (@MinnesotaOnBTN) May 1, 2021

Justus Harris was arguably one of the biggest surprises from last season. After struggling to find his footing early in his career, Harris finally got his shot to start last season, as a senior, and took advantage. As a Nickel CB you need to be physical and willing to tackle. Harris proved to be all of those things. But with talented youngsters like Jalen Glaze, Justin Walley and others making their own case for playing time this spring, there’s a lot on the line for both Harris and Smith.

The young dudes on this roster can absolutely push for early playing time. PJ Fleck and his staff are very excited about true freshmen, Steven Ortiz and Justin Walley and that’s why they’re listed above. Don’t be surprised if either one of those guys (or another corners listed) push for that CB2 spot.

Safeties

Safety A

1. Tyler Nubin, JR
2. Michael Dixon, SO
3. Calvin Swenson, Redshirt SR
4. Darius Green, FR

Safety B

1. Jordan Howden, SR
2. Michael Dixon, SO
3. Calvin Swenson, Redshirt SR
4. Darius Green, FR

This group, like much of the defense, struggled mightily last season. Bad angles, poor tackling, and less than great coverage all contributed. The departure of Antoine Winfield Jr certainly didn’t help, either. Now, they have to pick up the pieces and “change their best”, as PJ would say.

Nobody expected Tyler Nubin to be a direct replacement for Antoine Winfield Jr but the Gophers need him to be better than he was in 2020. He has all the physical attributes and previous expectations to be elite. We’ll see if he can put it together this year, with Michael Dixon still in competition for his starting role. Dixon played pretty well in limited action (2 games) last year.

Jordan Howden struggled early last season, but he got better as the year went on. I’m willing to allow him the adjustment period after losing Winfield, but he needs to have a big 2021. If the defense is to improve enough to be functional, the safety position needs to be a big part of it.

Defensive Line

rDE

1. Boye Mafe, Redshirt SR
2. Thomas Rush, SR
3. Danny Striggow, Redshirt FR

0/1 Tech (DT)

1. Nyles Pinckney, Grad Sr
2. Micah Dew-Treadway, Grad Sr or De’Angelo Carter, Redshirt SO
3. Logan Richter, Redshirt SO

3 Tech (DT)

1. De’Angelo Carter, Redshirt SO or Nyles Pinckney, Grad Sr
2. Rashad Cheney, Redshirt SO or Val Martin, Grad Sr
3. Gage Keys, Redshirt FR
4. Deven Eastern, FR

SDE

1. Esezi Otemewo, Redshirt SR
2. MJ Anderson, Redshirt SO
3. Jah Joyner, Redshirt FR or Jalen Logan-Redding, Redshirt FR

I guess you could say the lone bright spot on the defensive line last season was Boye Mafe. He racked up 27 tackles, including 4.5 sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss, also forcing 2 fumbles. It was a pretty solid season but there’s more there, specifically in his run defense. At 6’4″, 265 lbs, Mafe is a freak-of-nature athlete who could be a day-one edge rushing NFL draft prospect with a good season.

Biggest breakout star in 2021?@PFF_Anthony‘s top-5⬇️ pic.twitter.com/cP0aBJ2aGr

— PFF College (@PFF_College) June 8, 2021

Watch out for Minnesota EDGE Boye Mafe in 2021 ???? pic.twitter.com/cmNnY86oZI

— PFF College (@PFF_College) June 8, 2021

Esezi Otemewo, who started at strong side defensive end last year, needs to improve heavily in maintaining the edge and not over-committing too early, but he’s another HUGE (6’6″, 285), athletic dude with a high ceiling. A big year from Esezi could go a really long way for this defense and his future.

Two of the biggest additions this offseason came out of the (graduate) transfer portal. Nyles Pinckney was a defensive captain and National Champion with the Clemson Tigers and figures to be a large part of the fix up the middle for the 2021 Minnesota Gophers. Val Martin, out of NC State, will also get his snaps at the 3-technique, but mainly in pass rush.

De’Angelo Carter and Rashad Cheney are younger guys who made really nice strides in 2020. They are the future of this interior DL and I expect them to flourish with the additional veteran depth now surrounding them. In fact, I’m feeling a breakout year for De’Angelo Carter.

Jah Joyner and MJ Anderson should both be able to help improve a horrid 2020 pass rush and I have Deven Eastern in there too. I think he’s the lone true freshman on the defensive line who find some play time. But admittedly, some injuries or poor play would have to force him into any kind of regular action.

The Minnesota Gophers DL is the most experienced and could be the best unit of this defense. If they can plug up the middle in the run game and put more pressure on the QB when he drops back to pass, they could carry this entire team to another level.

Linebacker

Mike

1. Jack Gibbens, Grad Sr or Mariano Sori-Marin, SR
2. Jawqondis Burns, Redshirt FR

Will

1. Braelin Oliver, Redshirt SO
2. James Gordon, Redshirt SO or Cody Lindenberg, SO or Donald Willis, Redshirt SO or Josh Aune, Redshirt JR or Jawqondis Burns, Redshirt FR
3. Lucas Finnessy, Redshirt FR

This group was….. really, really bad last season. They were so bad, in fact, that it became difficult to judge how bad other positions were. Linebackers are crucial for a good run and pass defense. If they’re terrible… your entire defense can go down with it.

The LB struggles in 2020 started with Mariano Sori-Marin, who was utterly terrible. But to his defense, so were the majority of other linebackers on roster. Josh Aune, James Gordon, Donald Willis, and Cody Lindenberg all struggled. Some of it was expected, given the parting of Thomas Barber and Kamal Martin. But a lot of it was unexcusable.

PJ Fleck and Joe Rossi are hoping that a mix of Braelin Oliver’s return from injury, an incoming transfer to spell Sori-Marin at MIKE, and gained experience from last season will all lead to drastic overall improvement at linebacker. Personally, I’d like to see Donald Willis get some time in the blitzing linebacker role, which is where Oliver showed his talent in 2019. Willis could shine there too.

After missing the 2020 season due to injury, Braelin Oliver is healthy and should start on the outside. He’s really athletic, super physical and loves to hit. The Minnesota Gophers defense desperately missed him last season and need him back to form in 2021.

Jack Gibbens, who I really liked after watching the spring game, is a transfer from Abilene Christian University who racked up all sorts of accolades in his past college football life. From the film I’ve watched on Gibbens, he seems to identify and make his reads quickly.

He and Mariano Sori-Marin will split snaps at inside linebacker early. We’ll see who wins the job. This is a talented group of linebackers, but it needs to translate to the field or this defense will be in for another ugly season.

Max Carroll | Minnesota Sports Fan