On Monday, Jim Nagy, the Executive Director of the Senior Bowl, took to Twitter to share a snapshot featuring twelve individuals (quarterbacks) vying for a spot in the upcoming Senior Bowl. Among these talented prospects, Gopher QB Max Brosmer stands out, finding himself in the company of some of the nation’s top quarterbacks.

With 2024 Draft now in rearview and two @seniorbowl QB's going in top-12, here's some P4 names (in no particular order) who'll be in mix for trip to Mobile next year.

For all 𝘯𝘰𝘯-𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘴, 2025 Draft coverage starts today.

𝙉𝙊 𝘿𝘼𝙔𝙎 𝙊𝙁𝙁!!!… pic.twitter.com/MyqXsKd59h

— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) April 29, 2024

You’ve got these standout guys like Jalen Milroe, Quinn Ewers, and Shedeuer Sanders, who are renowned as some of the top talents in the nation. It’s very intriguing to see someone like Brosmer in the mix, rubbing shoulders with these big names.

What is The Senior Bowl?

Every year, Mobile, Alabama, hosts the Senior Bowl, typically in late January or early February. It’s a crucial event for college football players who have completed their eligibility and are eyeing the NFL Draft. Here, they have the opportunity to showcase their talents and impress scouts, all while competing against other top prospects.

Imagine it as the collegiate equivalent of the NFL Pro Bowl, but exclusively for seniors. Yet, the stakes are higher with NFL scouts scrutinizing every play. It’s a prime opportunity to boost your draft status before entering the league. In February, Minnesota Gophers Tyler Nubin and Brevyn Spann-Ford were selected to showcase their talents in the 2024 senior bowl.

We see you @brevyn_ 🙌❕

📺: @seniorbowl on @nflnetwork#RTB #SkiUMah #Gophers pic.twitter.com/eLHP7Uc0dM

— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) February 3, 2024

Spann-Ford snagged a touchdown during the game, but unfortunately didn’t hear his name called during the draft. However, he managed to secure an undrafted free agent deal with the Dallas Cowboys. On the other hand, Tyler Nubin, who also got a chance in the senior bowl, got picked 47th overall by the New York Giants.

Max Brosmer, with a year of eligibility still in his pocket, has decided to make the most of it by joining the Gophers. Having dedicated five years to New Hampshire, he showcased his skills in 36 games. Last season alone, he amassed almost 3500 passing yards, throwing an impressive 29 touchdowns and just 6 interceptions. Notably, he earned recognition as an AP Second Team FCS All-American.

The upcoming quarterback for the Gophers, Max Brosmer, seems promising. If he performs well this season, he might just earn himself a shot at playing in the NFL on Sundays.

Senior Bowl QBs Battling in front of Minnesota Vikings coaches and executives

How early is still anyone’s guess but nearly the entire organization, including most of the front office, much of the scouting department and the entire coaching staff is in attendance in Mobile, AL this week where a few projected day one QBs are competing at the Reese’s Senior Bowl.

Related: Offseason Contract Extension Possible for Kevin O’Connell

There have been multiple quarterbacks linked to the Vikings for the draft, with top names like Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels talked about in a possible trade-up, but that would most likely require a move up into the top 3. In the scenario that the Vikings stay put at 11 and take a top defender, there are still multiple directions they can take at the quarterback position.

Bo Nix – Oregon Ducks

One name that has been connected to the Vikings has been Oregon signal caller and Heisman Finalist Bo Nix. The biggest thing going for Nix is his experience, as he has over 50 career starts in 5 collegiate seasons between Auburn and Oregon, but he had many question marks coming into the Senior Bowl, and those came to call on day 1, where he struggled.

Let’s just say…

Bo Nix isn’t having the best showing at the Senior Bowl… pic.twitter.com/vEtsvBlYSS

— College Football Report (@CFBRep) January 31, 2024

Arguably his biggest concern has been his deep ball passing, and those have been highlighted so far in Mobile. Per Bleacher Report, most of Nix’s passes have been short throws, and while he has performed well for the most part in that area, when he has gone deep the throws have not been where they needed to be, missing low, high and behind.

“Nix is not normally this inaccurate on film, but it’s not surprising to see him late to trigger and generally a little anxious as a thrower. Both of those traits track with what he put on film, and both have cranked up in an unfamiliar environment. If there was a competition for the best quarterback in Mobile, Nix wouldn’t be first, second and probably not even third.”

Bleacher Report Scouting Department

But most reports out of Mobile surrounding Nix, especially from Thursday (day 3) have been a lot more positive. Some have even moved him all the way up their QB for the week, saying he has had the most impressive overall week of any QB there.

Michael Penix had a nice throw along the back of the end zone to the left side a few mins ago. Bo Nix just matched him with a nice in-stride throw to Malachi Corley on the right side pic.twitter.com/jVSveZFHVB

— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) February 1, 2024

Related: Vikings Infatuated with Top-50 Toledo Cornerback Balling Out at Senior Bowl Practices

Michael Penix Jr – Washington Huskies

Another big name that has been talked about ending up in purple has been national championship runner up QB Michael Penix Jr. After a masterclass of a game in the national semifinal game, Penix Jr struggled in the final, notably with the heavy amount of pressure that Michigan Wolverines threw at him.

But there’s no doubting the impressive numbers he put up the past two seasons, compiling 9,544 yards and 67 touchdowns vs just 19 interceptions. His 65.4 completion percentage is concerning, but not alarming.

What is alarming is the fact that Penix put up those eye-popping numbers at Washington, after a rollercoaster of ups and downs at Indiana, where he totaled just 4,197 yards, 29 touchdowns and 15 interceptions (20 games) over four different seasons. Both of his seasons on the West Coast were individually more impressive than four combined seasons in Bloomington.

Here are some of the best throws from Michael Penix Jr in 1 vs 1 and team period pic.twitter.com/GwaOS5vLl2

— Dustin Mosher (@Dustin_Mosher) February 1, 2024

Penix is another prospect who has had some question marks coming into this week, most notably his age and injury history, with three of his seasons ending early due to injury, including two torn ACLs. Penix got off to a slow start at the Senior Bowl, struggling with his accuracy early on, but the lefty gunslinger was able to lock in as the week has gone and his reviews have been better in days two and three.

Spencer Rattler – South Carolina

Then, there’s the darkhorse 1st-round QB talent in Mobile, Spencer Rattler, who nobody has had on their radar as a possible first round pick since pretty much 2021. But that has changed in recent weeks, as steam around the former Sooner/Gamecock is suddenly bursting out of the kettle.

Related: 5 Offseason Moves that Make the Minnesota Vikings a Super Bowl Contender

Rattler threw for 3,186 yards, 19 touchdowns and 8 interceptions at South Carolina last season. His 68.9 completion percentage was the best since his redshirt sophomore year in Oklahoma, when he split starter duties with Caleb Williams, who eventually transferred to USC and is expected to be drafted No. 1 overall in April’s draft.

Outside of his 2020 season at Oklahoma, when he threw 28 touchdowns and just 7 interceptions, his QB totals don’t year-over-year don’t necessarily jump off the page. But his 68.5 career completion percentage is rather impressive, as is his 77/32 TD/INT ratio.

Particularly during team drills on Wednesday, Rattler was impressive. He was composed on his dropback, went through his progressions quickly, and was decisive triggering on throws. And on one throw in teams, he rifled a high-velocity laser to Xavier Legette 25 yards down the field, outside the numbers.

Ian Cummings – Pro Football Network

Walked into mobile wanting to love Michael Penix and Bo Nix, and the QB that stood out the most for me was @GamecockFB QB Spencer Rattler.

Let him land on a team where he can continue to grow and develop. I was very impressed. 📈 #SeniorBowl #TheDraftStartsInMOBILE #2024NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/kYpqzyghYa

— Ray G (@RayGQue) February 2, 2024

Related: 5 Offseason Moves that Make the Minnesota Vikings a Super Bowl Contender

Mitchell ranks as the #35 prospect in the draft, according to Dane Brugler’s NFL Draft Big Board, He has met individually with the Vikings down in Mobile already this week and, according to Alec Lewis (The Athletic), they have serious interest in the 2nd Team All-American.

Toledo CB Quinyon Mitchell Drawing Interest

“One player of serious interest [for the Vikings] this year is cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, who shared Wednesday that he had met with the Vikings. The University of Toledo product played in 39 games over the last three years and in 2023 was Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded cornerback among 200 qualified CBs.”

Alec Lewis – The Athletic

Quinyon Mitchell is THAT dude🗣️

pic.twitter.com/Fon4h8GadI

— PFF College (@PFF_College) January 31, 2024

Lined up in press-man coverage, Mitchell showcased his skills numerous times on Wednesday, as he shadowed Michigan receiver Roman Wilson, effectively shutting down one of the most talented receivers at the Senior Bowl.

At Toledo, Mitchell played a lot of man-coverage and proved an innate ability to play a shutdown role without much help over the top. Lewis, and clearly the Vikings too, believe Mitchell would be a great fit in Brian Flores’ defense.

“Additionally, Mitchell played match coverage, which starts as zone and turns into man, depending on the route the receiver runs. This responsibility requires a seamless application of rule memorization to on-field application. Most NFL teams, including the Vikings, ask for this depth of understanding from their cornerbacks. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores utilizes “hot coverage,” which mandates corners maintain eye position on the quarterback and react swiftly once the ball is snapped.”

Alec Lewis – The Athletic

Minnesota Vikings desperately need cornerback help

The Vikings have identified cornerback as one of their priorities in the upcoming draft. Adding a player like Mitchell could provide the exact type of secondary upgrade they so desperately need.

Related: 6 Players Vikings Must Re-Sign This Offseason

If Kwesi wants Mitchell badly enough, he may have to do some maneuvering to get him in an ideal spot. NFL Draft legend Mel Kiper Jr (ESPN), projects the Toledo cornerback to be selected by the Detroit Lions with the 30th overall pick. Kiper Jr also noted he was excited to see how Mitchell would perform at the Senior Bowl. Now we see why.

The love for Quinyon Mitchell within the football community doesn’t stop with Alec Lewis or Mel Kiper. Insider Mike Garafolo (NFL Network) is at the senior bowl this week too, and took some of the things that he is hearing public on Thursday, as well.

From The Insiders on @nflnetwork live from the @seniorbowl on Toledo CB Quinyon Mitchell’s impressive week here. pic.twitter.com/cUloeBIdj9

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) February 1, 2024

“Toledo cornerback has done a fantastic job… Ian and I expected him to be our guest interview for the show yesterday, so we were locked in and we were watching every single rep, and he had the confindce to be underneath Brendan Rice and say hey I’m good with defending things over the top, had himself an interception, did that multiple times, the kid plays with a ton of confidence he’s got a lot of ability, I like what I’ve seen from Quinyon Mitchell”

Garafolo

Should the Vikings decide to select Mitchell, I believe many fans would be pleased with the choice. However, if he manages to slip to the Vikings in the second round, it would be considered a steal. As the Senior Bowl game is yet to be played, Mitchell will have another opportunity to display his skills on Sunday during the actual game.

Related: Are Minnesota Gophers Assistant Football Coaches Underpaid? The Contracts Say…

Spann-Ford received his Senior Bowl invite, despite a rather pedestrian final season at the University of Minnesota, a year in which he caught just 25 passes for 239 yards and 2 touchdowns.

As a junior, he caught 42 passes for 497 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Gopher offense was far from resembling an air-raid offense but Brevyn struggled to haul in the targets he did get, throughout the season.

Minnesota Gophers tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford grabbing attention at Senior Bowl

In other words, impressing at the Senior Bowl this week is crucial to deciding whether or not Brevyn Spann-Ford hears his name called during April’s draft. And so far, so good, according to some early reports coming out of Mobile.

First practice period of the day is over at the Senior Bowl. Here's who popped to me

RB Dylan Laube, UNH
WR Brenden Rice, USC
WR Roman Wilson, Mich
TE Brevyn Spann-Ford, Minn
OT Roger Rosengarten, Wash
DE Austin Booker, Kansas
CB Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo
CB Cam Hart, Notre Dame…

— Alex Barth (@RealAlexBarth) January 31, 2024

On day 1, Spann-Ford ran the 2nd fastest of any tight end on the National roster at 16.32 MPH and he’s shown an ability to battle through contact and make contested catches throughout the week. Not only that, but teams see him as a tight end who can help with pass and run blocking, immediately upon entering the NFL, something not all of them can say.

As one of the better blocking tight ends in the 2024 NFL Draft, Brevyn Spann-Ford can help himself in Mobile by showing a bit more versatility as a pass-catcher, and he’s done that so far.

Throughout his career, Spann-Ford has been relied upon to help open rushing lanes for an offense that loves to hand the football off – but so far, through two days, he’s also shown promise as a receiver.

Brandon Olsen – Giants Country (SI)

What Spann-Ford lacks in collegiate production, he easily makes up for in size, raw athleticism and premiere tight end tools. When he arrived at the Senior Bowl, Brevyn measured at 6 ft, 6.5 inches, 267 pounds. His hands came in at 10 inches and his wingspan 6 ft, 7 inches.

Brevyn Spann-Ford looked good in individual and team drills as a pass catcher. In a reversal of fortune, Minnesota looked better than Michigan and Penn State, strictly at the tight end position. On the National Team roster, there are three tight ends, one from each of the three previously mentioned Big 10 schools.

Right away just seeing the three of them, Brevyn Spann-Ford’s size immediately stands out. Spann-Ford is built like a truck. He has NFL size big time and the thought of NFL strength and conditioning coaches getting at him to possibly help him get even more physically imposing is a really interesting prospect for a team looking for a tight end in this year’s draft.

Tyler Schickert – With The First Pick (Fansided)

Related: ’24 Gophers Commit Koi Perich Jumps Into Consensus Top-75 Nationally

He’s everything an NFL scout is looking for, if he can prove an ability to catch the ball, block and get open. And this week may be the best opportunity he has during the pre-draft process to prove he will be able to do those things at the next level.

Minnesota Gophers Players Invited to Reese’s Senior Bowl

Congrats @T_Nubin27 & @brevyn_ for being invited to the @seniorbowl❕#RTB #SkiUMah #Gophers pic.twitter.com/i9TZP09B94

— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) November 30, 2023

It’s the 5th-straight year that a Gopher has been invited to play in the Reese’s Senior Bowl and the 49th to receive an invite, in it’s 73-year history (1950).

Related: Minnesota Gophers Football Transfer Portal Tracker 2023

Tyler Nubin – 1st Team All-Big Ten

Tyler Nubin is a 2023 1st-Team All-Big Ten selection and could go in the first round of April’s draft. He finished the season with 53 tackles, five interceptions and four pass breakups.

He’s played 55 career games in his Gopher career and we do not yet know if he will make it 56, by participating in whichever bowl Minnesota ends up playing in. In total, Nubin collected 207 tackles and 13 interceptions (UofM record).

Related: Minnesota Gophers Bowl Projections 2023

Brevyn Spann-Ford – All-Big Ten Honorable Mention

Brevyn Spann-Ford had a very slow start to the season and nearly fell off many NFL radars so being named an All-Big Ten honorable mention and receiving a senior bowl invite is a big deal for his future.

Spann-Ford made 25 catches this season, for 239 yards and two touchdowns. In his career (60 games so far), he collected 95 receptions for 1,061 yards and seven touchdowns.

There are seven former Gophers who are competing in one of three NFL draft eligible prospect bowls. Those players include Tanner Morgan — who has already gotten a chance to perform in front of NFL scouts this offseason at the Hula Bowl — , Mohamad Ibrahim and possible first round pick, John Michael Schmitz.

NFLPA Bowl – Jan 28, 2023

• Thomas Rush – EDGE

The NFLPA Bowl was played on January 28 and EDGE rusher, Thomas Rush, was the only Gopher in attendance. But he represented well, coming away from the week with an inflated draft stock. Rush impressed on both the practice field and on game day, where he recorded two sacks.

Sack City with 2 sack night @_twrush_ ???? @NFLPABowl pic.twitter.com/mYigq1xAOu

— Precision Sports (@PSportsMG) January 29, 2023

East/West Shrine Bowl – Feb 2, 2023

• Tanner Morgan – QB
• Terell Smith – CB
• Mohamed Ibrahim – RB
• Jordan Howden – S
• Brent Laing – OL (U of M – Duluth)

If you’re a Minnesota Gophers fan who is interested in the upcoming NFL Draft and seeing your favorite players compete for scouts’ attention then you’ll want to find a TV that has NFL Network at 7:30 PM on Thursday.

The Shrine Bowl will feature four Gophers and one offensive lineman, Brent Laing, from the University of Minnesota – Duluth. We’ll see Tanner Morgan take plenty of snaps for the East team and Mohamad Ibrahim get handoffs for the opposing West team.

Impressive rep from #Gophers QB great Tanner Morgan (@T_morg2) dropping a dime at today’s @ShrineBowl practice.

????: (@CamMellor)

pic.twitter.com/3aD8Io6TZw

— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) January 30, 2023

Both Jordan Howden and Terell Smith will patrol the West’s secondary. This week at practice, media members and scouts have raved about how good Terell Smith has been, going as far as calling him the best player on location through two days.

At 6’1″, 215 pounds with plenty of ball skills and athletic ability, the questions surrounding Smith’s NFL future have never been about build or talent. He has everything needed to play on Sundays, if he can put it all together.

T-Time turning heads at @ShrineBowl practices. #RTB #SkiUMah #Gophers https://t.co/ZTbJycTb2R pic.twitter.com/K3scO9RcaS

— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) January 30, 2023

Reese’s Senior Bowl – Feb 4, 2023

• John Michael Schmitz – C

John Michael Schmitz was the only Gopher in 2022-23 to make the Reese’s Senior Bowl, which is far and away the most prestigious of the three. This game, too, will air on NFL Network but it will play on Saturday at 2 PM CT.

JMC was the best center in the country last season, according to Pro Football Focus, and projects to be the first center taken, come April. Will he hear his name called in day one or day two, though? Scouts will get a better close-up look at him this week, as they try to answer that question.

Official Senior Bowl Measurements #TheDraftStartsInMOBILE™️ pic.twitter.com/48hJK7mw6f

— Reese’s Senior Bowl (@seniorbowl) January 31, 2023

Outstanding base from Minnesota center John Michael Schmitz working against Oklahoma’s Jalen Redmond. Establishes early leverage and that’s all she wrote. pic.twitter.com/IPRuEBA5og

— Ryan Roberts (@RiseNDraft) February 1, 2023

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