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

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

Also, All-Conference honors are being handed out across the country, the Big Ten included. Defensive honors were announced yesterday and Boye Mafe was the only player to be named to any of the six all-conference teams. On Wednesday, however, the offensive winners sheet has the Minnesota offensive line is all it.

Four, Faalele, Andries, Michael-Schmitz and Olson, were named to at least one of the All Big Ten teams. Both Sam Schlueter and Ko Keift were also named honorable mentions.

????????????-???????????? ???????????????????????????? ????

????: https://t.co/JnpVrd1WHw pic.twitter.com/gWjl71SxOq

— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) December 1, 2021

All Big Ten accolades for #Gophers offensive:

Coaches/Media
Daniel Faalele – 1st team/3rd team
Blaise Andres – 3rd team/1st team
Mike-Schmitz – 2nd team/3rd team
Conner Olson – /3rd team

Honorable mentions:
Sam Schlueter
Ko Kieft
Chris Autman-Bell

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) December 1, 2021

Numbers and the Future

The Minnesota Gophers offensive line deserves all of the accolades it gets. They helped five different running backs go off for the most yards (2,575) since 2014 (2,801). The 25 rushing touchdowns were the most by any Gophers team since 2016, when they went for 34. 

(WR) Chris Autman-Bell was also named an Honorable Mention by the media. CRAB made 35 catches for 490 yards and six touchdowns in 10 games.

We know at least a few of these guys will not be back for next year. Daniel Faalele accepted an invite to the Senior Bowl and Schlueter, Olson and Kieft are all out of eligibility. Others’ plans, like Bell and Andries, still remain unknown.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

The Minnesota coaching staff is already on the recruiting trail, marking the start of two crazy recruiting weeks that will culminate in National Signing Day (December 15). While the coaches are on the road, many current players have their own future decisions to make. Others don’t.

The seniors who can return, if they so choose:
– QB Tanner Morgan
– RB Mohamed Ibrahim
– WR Chris Autman-Bell
– OL Blaise Andries, Daniel Faalele, John Michael Schmitz & Axel Ruschmeyer
– DE Boye Mafe, Esezi Otomewo & Thomas Rush
– LB Mariano Sori-Marin
(cont'd)

— The Daily Gopher (@TheDailyGopher) November 22, 2021

What older guys do will trickle down to younger players on roster, who can now hit the transfer portal and immediately play elsewhere next season. Oh, and let’s not forget that Selection Sunday is less than a week away, at which point the (8-4) Minnesota Gophers will find out their 2021-22 bowl fate.

Morgan Returns, Clark Hits Portal

As I foreshadowed in my blog on Saturday, which called for an open QB competition for next year’s starter, Tanner Morgan will return for a super redshirt senior season in 2022. He will join Mohamed Ibrahim, who did the same earlier last week.

Following Morgan’s announcement, Jacob Clark (a former high school star QB from Rockwall, TX) entered his name into the transfer portal. I was excited about Clark as a prospect but he seemingly had fallen down the depth chart and next year will be his 4th as a college football player.

The remaining QB’s who could start in the seemingly near future are now Tanner Morgan, Zack Annexstad, Cole Kramer and Athan Kaliakmanis. Jacob Knuth, a 3-star QB prospect out of South Dakota, is also expected to sign his National Letter of Intent in December.

O-Line: Faalele Accepts Senior Bowl Invite

Most have expected Daniel Faalele to enter the NFL Draft after this season, Hell, many thought he would do it last year, even after missing the season due to COVID-19 concerns. This morning, the junior accepted an invite to the Reese’s Senior Bowl, which is the top destination for NFL Draft prospects hoping to showcase their skills in a postseason Pro Bowl type game.

Please welcome OL Daniel Faalele @DanielFaalele_ from @GopherFootball to the 2022 @Reeses Senior Bowl!!! #RTB #SkiUMah #TheDraftStartsInMOBILE™️ @JimNagy_SB @PaniniAmerica #RatedRookie pic.twitter.com/WlWonhIHDw

— Reese's Senior Bowl (@seniorbowl) November 29, 2021

Daniel isn’t the only offensive lineman departing Dinkytown after the 2021 season is complete. Starters Connor Olson and Sam Schlueter have to leave, along with everyone’s favorite 2022 NFL TE prospect, Ko Kieft. (OL) Austin Beier is also believed to be leaving.

Big Turnover on Defense

The Minnesota Gophers could have a lot of fresh faces on defense in 2022. The many departures start with two grad-transfers, (DT) Nyles Pinckney and (LB) Jack Gibbens, who were HUGE figures in the 2021 defensive turnaround.

Other regulars without any eligibility remaining are (DT) Micah Dew-Treadway, (DT) Val Martin, (CB) Coney Durr, (S) Phil Howard and (CB) Justus Harris. One major unknown who still could return is (DE) Boye Mafe, who was expected to enter the NFL Draft but hasn’t announced anything yet and didn’t pen a letter to the University of Minnesota or the fanbase like other intended departees have. A Boye Mafe return tour would be significant, especially given his freak athleticism and extreme draftability.

The linebacker room will not only lose Jack Gibbons to graduation but also James Gordon, who is one of the first guys you let off the bus… but struggled to find the field. Over the weekend, he entered the transfer portal. With Braelen Oliver, Mariano Sori-Marin, Donald Willis and all of the other linebackers expected to return, Gordon obviously didn’t see that changing.

More announcements/movement expected

There should be more announced in the coming weeks as more players decide what to do with their future. We’ll keep you up to date when those decisions are made. The two players to keep an eye out for are (WR) Chris Autman-Bell and the aforementioned Boye Mafe.

Context: Given Boye’s #NFLDraft stock, belief is he'll turn pro. Fleck said last week fourth-year O-lineman Daniel Faalele is expected to depart after 2021. But more uncertain for others, such as Tanner Morgan and Chris Autman-Bell, who said last week they haven’t decided plans.

— Andy Greder (@andygreder) November 23, 2021

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Minnesota Gophers’ offensive tackle Daniel Faalele, who opted out last season, is on every NFL team’s 2022 draft radar. He’s massive and has the athleticism scouts dream of when they hit the pillow at night. If Faalele can have a successful 2021-22 season, he’ll be a sure-fire first-rounder next April.

But he’s more than just an offensive lineman during Gopher spring games. In 2019, the last time Minnesota football hosted a spring game, Faalele ran a touchdown in at the goal line. But in 2021, he needed more. Offensive tackles acting as goal line running backs has happened before

Something bigger.

This time, the IMG Academy graduate had to set himself apart. He needed to throw one. And in the first half, Daniel Faalele got into shotgun formation… and that’s exactly what the 6’9″, 400-pounder did.

THIS IS WHY WE WATCH!!!@DanielFaalele_ completes the touchdown pass to @KoKieft!@CoachBenJohnson has tricks too ???? pic.twitter.com/IvtUNTw26P

— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) May 1, 2021

I’m sure coaches around the Big Ten are now scheming to stop this madness.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

It’s been nearly one year since we’ve seen star young offensive tackle, Daniel Faalele practice with his Minnesota Gopher teammates. That ended today when the team released workout footage via Twitter post this afternoon.

You’ll see Faalele at the 1:15 mark.

We had an ELITE first week of workouts!! Congrats to @KoKieft & @JustinWalley_ (Newcomer) for earning “Nekton of the Week”!! #RTB #HYPRR #SkiUMah pic.twitter.com/vMmb0kdpq6

— P.J. Fleck (@Coach_Fleck) January 25, 2021

Rumors surrounding Daniel Faalele and his former IMG Academy line mate, Curtis Dunlap, have been flying for months. Dunlap has been in and out of the transfer portal before the 2020 season but was seen with the team for most of the year, while recovering from injury.

Faalele opted out last spring and hadn’t been seen since, until today. His name was all over NFL draft boards during the last month or two but those articles should slow down now that he’s back with the Gophers.

If Daniel Faalele can have a productive 2021 season, there’s no reason why he can’t be a 1st round draft pick in 2022.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Minnesota Gophers left tackle, Daniel Faalele hasn’t been seen on the Minnesota campus since COVID struck and sports were temporarily put on hold. He opted out of the 2020 season and hasn’t worked out with the team in at least 6+ months.

Because of that, some Gopher football fans are wondering what Daniel’s future holds and whether or not any of it will unfold on the University of Minnesota campus. Interested parties for the Australian LT go far beyond the college ranks.

In just one Google search, I found THREE different publications who, in the last week, have noted Daniel Faalele as an interesting 2nd-4th round 2021 NFL Draft prospect.

Daniel Faalele + NFL Draft Articles (This week)

That means that mid-round tackle prospects like Jackson Carman of Clemson or Daniel Faalele of Minnesota should be given a good look, assuming they address a potential Brown departure in free agency should that come to fruition.

RaiderMaven.com (SI)

If the Colts wanted to wait until the second round of the draft, Faalele may be their choice to target. This is a possibility because there is also a chance the Colts try to draft a quarterback in Round 1. If that’s the case, the new left tackle will have to wait at least one more round. Faalele has the size that will intrigue teams and when combining his movement skills, he has a high ceiling to be an anchor on the left side of the line.

ColtsWire.com (USA Today)

As the biggest player in the 2021 draft, Daniel Faalele stands in at an imposing 6-foot-9 and weighs a whopping 400 pounds. That size shows up on tape, as he has tremendous grip strength at the point of attack and has the power in his anchor needed to neutralize a power rush. His massive wingspan makes it easier for him to lock out edge rushers, and he does a good job of sealing off lanes in the run game. He’s also a good athlete for his size, as he has pretty solid acceleration climbing to the second level and has sufficient lateral agility.

WindyCityGridiron.com (SB Nation)

Draft profiles don’t get better than Faalele’s

The infatuation with Daniel Faalele starts with his size and athletic ability. He’s 6’9″, 400 pounds and scouts compare his light feet to that of Fred Flintstone.

Faalele hails from Australia, where rugby was his sport of choice. He hasn’t even played five years of American football, in his life. NFL coaches and scouts see him as a massive piece of clay that could mold into an OL anchor.

But, not so fast…

With all of these NFL Draft projections, one can’t help but wonder if Faalele is already good as gone. But, not so fast. According to Ryan Burns of *GopherIllustrated.com, Daniel is still expected back on campus, enrolled in classes and playing football for PJ Fleck once his teammates and coaches are vaccinated.

This would be a massive win for PJ Fleck and the Minnesota Gophers next season. Hopefully Daniel Faalele has been staying in the best shape possible, while away.

There isn’t a Gopher football reporter more plugged in than Ryan Burns. He doesn’t throw statements like this around lightly, either. If Burns is being told that Faalele is (for now) expected to return, then that’s what I’m going with.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

*GopherIllustrated.com (247Sports) is a paid subscription site. It has more inside University of Minnesota Gophers sports information flowing within its paywalls than anywhere on the internet.

Tid-bits like these are available on the regular, especially if you follow their “Gopher Report” boards closely. I have no stake or friends in 247Sports or GI. I just think their content is outstanding.

Just moments before PJ Fleck’s press conference this afternoon, Minnesota Gophers depth wide receiver and punt returner, Demetrius Douglas, retired from football before the start of his redshirt junior season.

don’t know where i’m going, but i’m on my way! luv always ?? pic.twitter.com/X68jZX8r64

— Demetrius Douglas (@demetriius_d) October 5, 2020

Fleck addressed the situation with his opening statement. He said that he and the University of Minnesota respect and support Demetrius Douglas’ decision to retire.

Rumors of Douglas’ departure had been floating around and all but verified at places like the GopherIllustrated.com chat boards. Demetrius made it Twitter official this afternoon. Douglas was, at best, 3rd wide receiver on the depth chart.

What’s Next?

With just three weeks until game 1 vs Michigan, Douglas might not be the last player we see opt-out for the 2020 season. It’s also known around inner-Gopher circles (again, subscribe to GopherIllustrated.com), that Daniel Faalele hasn’t been practicing with the team this fall. Linebacker, Braelyn Oliver, is in the same boat.

When asked specifically about the possibility of more opt-outs, PJ Fleck danced around questions and essentially said there are three weeks left until the season and he doesn’t want to address specific players who are deciding whether to opt-out or in for 2020. He doesn’t want to bring additional pressure to those players

Follow up question comes via @andygreder, who specifically asks about Daniel Faalele and Braelen Oliver's statuses. Fleck dances again, this time much more effectively. pic.twitter.com/eXlBoBhCU8

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) October 5, 2020

In other words, most don’t know it yet… but we shouldn’t expect Daniel Faalele to be starting for the Minnesota Gophers offensive line vs Michigan in three weeks. Whether Faalele opts back in or not, there’s no chance he is ready for week 1 if he hasn’t been practicing with the team. We’ll see what news breaks for opt-ins and opt-outs in the coming days/weeks.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

I remember when I first put my full faith in PJ Fleck, as the head coach and savior of the Minnesota Gopher football program. He had just gotten done dropping in on local blue-chip offensive line recruits with a helicopter and he was out selling hope, his culture, and his many mantras to everyone, whether they wanted to listen or not. I wasn’t quite sold on PJ during that time but I DEFINITELY wasn’t calling him “Brewster 2.0” either.

I knew I liked how badly he wanted the best kids in Minnesota and beyond… but he hadn’t coached a snap yet and his recruiting efforts were too young to produce immediate results.

But then two months later, this happened:

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The #Gophers are going to need a bigger boat! ?‍♀️IMG Academy OL Curtis Dunlap joins Daniel Faalele and commits to Minnesota! More: https://t.co/J133nNs73K

— GopherHole.com (@GopherHole) December 10, 2017

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And, there it was. I was a believer. I was FLECKNOTIZED and have been ever since. In that time, he also added Rashod Bateman, Victor Viramontes, and Alex Reigelsperger (among others) who were all ranked about 5 points (and a star) higher than what we had seen with the Kill/Claeys era. Vic didn’t work out at QB, but is now playing linebacker at UNLV and Alex just retired from football this week due to health-related (concussion) reasons but the talent being brought in was recognizably better.

Even with all of that talent though, there was one guy who stuck out among the rest. His high school teammate and commitment partner, Curtis Dunlap, was ranked higher but Daniel Faalele was a (very lovable) monster that was hard to hide, no matter the crowd.

Well, he’s now a true Sophomore, standing at 6-9, 400 lbs and he’s being noticed all over the country for, not only his size, but the incredible athletic ability that he brings with it. The latest to take notice was “The Athletic“, who ranked the top-50 “freak” athletes of 2019 college football this week.

Our massive teddy bear came in at #11 in the nation:

The humongous sophomore from Australia comes it at 6-9, 400 pounds. He has 275 pounds of lean mass, which is more lean mass than most football players weigh — including most of the guys he’s tasked with blocking. Faalele bench pressed 391 pounds this offseason. He hang cleans 375 and squats 570, but it’s his movement at that size that is eye-opening stuff. He vertical jumps 29 inches, who for someone 300 pounds would be really good. For someone 400 pounds … well, we’ll get to that in a minute. He broad jumped 8-7. Same deal as it relates to what an athletic 300-pound NFL prospect would do. 

For more context, consider this: Faalale’s vertical jump would have tied for 14th best among the 57 offensive linemen at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine. 

Now consider this: Dontari Poe was one of the all-time Combine freaks after he ran a 4.98 40 while weighing in at 346 pounds. He vertical jumped 29.5 inches and broad jumped 8-9. Faalele is more than 50 pounds heavier, and his vertical is just a half-inch less and he’s two inches behind on the broad jump. Trent Brown, who just signed a $66 million contract with the Raiders after starting at left tackle for the Super Bowl-winning Patriots, trimmed down to 355 on his 6-8 1/2 frame for the Combine had a 28-inch vertical and did 8-10 in the broad.

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We are looking at a future 1st round NFL draft pick in Daniel Faalele, if he continues to develop at his current rate. He’s a massive Fred Flinstone on genetic steroids and he holds down the right side of a young offensive line that should grow into one of the best in the nation. Even with all of the “hoo-rah” that Fleck brings (that reminds some of Brewster), his dedication to improving the offensive and defensive lines shows he has a lot more brains to go with that mouth… unlike that other coach who had a bunch of (empty) mantras before him.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

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