Oh, and don’t forget about Minnesota’s Pro Day, which takes place this week. Multiple 2024 Golden Gophers are looking to get drafted this cycle, including QB Max Brosmer, LB Cody Lindenberg, CB Justin Walley and WR Daniel Jackson, among others. If drafted, Brosmer would become the first Gophers QB selected since 1972.

Minnesota Gophers star wide receivers have excelled in NFL

Draft droughts haven’t been a problem at other positions, though, like safety, cornerback, running back and wide receiver, where the U of M has seen a few Dinkytown stars turn into productive NFL wideouts.

Ron Johnson broke the WR mold for Minnesota, during the Glen Mason era (1998-2001), breaking every Gopher receiving record on the books, at the time. Ron was selected in the 4th round of the 2002 NFL Draft by the Ravens. Then, there was Eric Decker from 2007-2011.

Decker still sits atop the U of M record books in receptions (227) and receiving yards (3,119). He was taken in the 3rd round of the 2010 draft, and stands as the most NFL productive Gopher WR to ever play at the next level (8 seasons, 439 receptions, 5,816 yards).

But nobody’s forgotten about Tyler Johnson, who played four years in maroon and gold from 2016-2019. Johnson, a 2020 5th round pick, is right up there as one of the best receivers in Minnesota Gophers history.

Minnesota Gophers star WR lands in New York

Late Friday night, the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers legend agreed to terms on a contract with the New York Jets. It will be Johnson’s fourth team in six NFL seasons. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Bucs back in 2019, where he spent the first two years of his pro career (and where he won a Super Bowl with Tom Brady).

Great to see former Minneapolis North do-it-all and #Gophers WR Tyler Johnson getting a 6th NFL season. Jets bound: pic.twitter.com/Wh46Khg7VO

— Darren Wolfson (@DWolfsonKSTP) March 15, 2025

After the Bucs cut TJ loose between the 2021 and 2022 NFL seasons, the Minneapolis North native signed with the Texans. After one year in Houston, he landed with the LA Rams. He spent two seasons in blue and yellow, before hitting the open market again this spring.

In four years as a Minnesota Golden Gopher, Tyler Johnson put up truly gaudy receiving numbers. The former high school QB came out of his WR shell as a junior on campus, racking up 1,169 yards — the most of his collegiate career — to go along with 12 touchdowns, which led the Big Ten.

Related: Gophers Draft Prospects Praise PJ Fleck’s Culture at Minnesota

One year later (2019), with phenom sophomore Rashod Bateman by his side, Johnson put up another 1,107 yards and 10 more touchdowns, leading Minnesota to an 11-2 record, one of the best seasons in program history.

When the dust settled on TJ’s career at the University of Minnesota, he had racked up 3,094 receiving yards and 30 touchdowns on 199 receptions, all of which rank top three all-time for Gopher Football.

How is Tyler Johnson always so open…

……… oh. pic.twitter.com/SvwWKikeln

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) June 25, 2019

Tyler Johnson lengthens his NFL career again

The terms of TJ’s deal have not been disclosed, but it stands to reason that Johnson could figure prominently into the Jets plans. As things stand currently, only Garrett Wilson is the only high-end WR talent in New York. Davante Adams left for TJ’s old team, the LA Rams. Allen Lazard remains on the roster, as a lingering favor to Aaron Rodgers.

Johnson was featured prominently due to injuries for both Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp. In 15 games (two starts) Johnson hauled in 26 receptions for 291 yards and a touchdown. The former Super Bowl champion and Minneapolis native is just 26 years old. He continues to grab opportunities to show what he can do.

Oh my Tyler Johnson!

He goes 63 yards to put the @RamsNFL in Detroit territory.

📺: #LARvsDET on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/cHhMjfwph4

— NFL (@NFL) September 9, 2024

New York’s roster is hardly overflowing with playmaking talent, and Johnson could finally get a chance to carve out a prominent part of the offense. How well Justin Fields fares during his first season in New York will play prominently into how well Tyler Johnson fairs in the Big Apple.

Related: Four-Star CB Commits to Gophers Over Big Money Helmet Schools

The Jets are taking a chance on a player that started six games for Pittsburgh, and posted a 4-2 record, before Russell Wilson took over. The former Ohio State Buckeye has familiarity with Wilson, but he’ll need to establish other rapport to be successful.

If Johnson can quickly integrate himself with his new quarterback, he could earn the favor of new Jets head coach Aaron Glenn. At this point it seems like a relatively small move, but there is a potential for the Minnesota Gophers former standout to truly have a breakout season.

Former Minnesota Gophers wideout Tyler Johnson steps into the spotlight for Los Angeles Rams

The former fifth round pick spend the first two years of his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After a stop in Houston, Tyler Johnson re-signed for a second season with the Los Angeles Rams. He played in just one game last year, but hauled in a touchdown on three targets. He already has ten this year, and now is in line for a whole lot more.

Rams HC Sean McVay said Cooper Kupp is expected to miss “an extended period of time” and is a candidate for injured reserve.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 16, 2024

Sean McVay’s wide receiver room took a hit after Week 1 when Puka Nacua suffered a serious knee injury. In the past, Matthew Stafford would have filled the stat sheet by targeting Cooper Kupp. That is no longer a possibility, either, as he too is dealing with an injury.

Johnson drew a start on Sunday, with Nacua out, and now will presumably be elevated to one of the team’s top wide receiver slots. The former Minnesota Gophers standout has never started more than three games in a season, and has just seven total starts in his career.

Through two games in 2024, TJ has 7 catches for 99 yards. Stafford targeted Kupp a team-high six times, before he went down. Someone will now need to pick up some of that production. No doubt the Minneapolis North graduate will get his opportunities.

You don’t understand how long I’ve been waiting for a Tyler Johnson moment pic.twitter.com/T94cSjenpQ

— Nico (@elitetakes_) September 9, 2024

Demarcus Robinson is a veteran, and Tutu Atwell has been with the Rams for the last four seasons. Jordan Whittington is a sixth round pick out of Texas and is the only other wide receiver on the roster. He has just a pair of catches to his credit this season.

Related: What We Learned About the Gophers in Week 3 Stomping of Nevada

This could be the opportunity that allows Johnson to carve out a more significant role in LA, even after his teammates return. In his 5-year NFL career, the Minnesota Gophers all-time receiving touchdowns leader has caught 57 passes (85 targets) for 636 yards and 3 touchdowns. Most of that damage was done with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Minnesota Gophers haven’t been known for their passing offense since the days of Adam Weber and Eric Decker. Except for 2018 and 2019, when they caught lightning in a bottle with Minneapolis North’s own Tyler Johnson and Georgia superstar Rashod Bateman.

Those two, in addition to a great running game and a confident Tanner Morgan set many of the University’s passing and receiving records in 2019. By the time Tyler Johnson graduated, he had racked up 199 receptions, for more than 3,000 yards and 30 touchdowns playing wide receiver for the Minnesota Gophers.

Minnesota Gophers Tyler Johnson sticks with pass-heavy Rams

Johnson is no longer with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who took him in the fifth round of the 2020 draft. And there was absolutely no guarantee he was going to make a roster at all. But when the Rams final roster was released on Tuesday, there was the former Gopher, earning another year (hopefully) of NFL paydays.

Yeah, we've got some playmakers. 🔥

Tap in to meet the offense! pic.twitter.com/1fdMyIkHoR

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) August 27, 2024

After two years in Tampa, the second of which he played all seventeen games, Johnson landed with the Houston Texans in 2022, where he was buried on the depth chart. Life wasn’t any better in his first season with the Rams.

Related: Gophers Tight End Makes Cowboys Final Roster

TJ played in only one game last year in LA, catching two passes for a total of eight yards. That’s why it was good to see Sean McVay & Co still believe in the homegrown former Gophers superstar.

The Gophers have seen Tyler Johnson contribute in some truly significant moments in their program’s history. Unfortunately, he has yet to break through in a substantial way at the next level. TJ is still young, though. At 26-years-old, the Rams seem to believe he still has some NFL tricks up his sleeve, too.

How high can the Gophers great elevate for Rams?

Both Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp will forever reside atop the depth chart for the Los Angeles Rams. The group behind them gets soft quickly, and Johnson should find himself salivating at the opportunity. He could certainly overtake Demarcus Robinson as the third wideout, and his skillset may make the offense even more dynamic.

LAFB: Rams WR Room Could Be Deepest in NFL

We all know how much Sean McVay loves to throw the ball. If Johnson can find the field, there should be ample opportunity to catch footballs. If Johnson can find the field, then get to open space when Matthew Stafford drops back, the rest will take care of itself.

#Gophers Tyler Johnson! pic.twitter.com/zUO1UkR5w9

— GopherHole.com (@GopherHole) August 18, 2024

As Matthew Stafford continues to age, there’s no reason why his arm talent won’t continue to be shown off for the Rams. Defenses will be keying on Nacua and Kupp. Can Johnson climb to No. 3 or 4 on the depth chart? If so, he’d get a lot of single coverage opportunities.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will play in the NFC Championship game this weekend and Minnesota football fans have adopted the Fighting Tom Brady’s for reasons beyond a shared hatred for their opponent, the Green Bay Packers. Former Golden Gopher footballers, Antoine Winfield Jr and Tyler Johnson, were both drafted by the Bucs last April.

Tampa Bay got their hands on Winfield Jr and T. Johnson after the Minnesota Vikings passed on each guy multiple times. But even if Spielman didn’t think they were fits back then (they were), he’d be hard-pressed to deny how much better they’d make this roster look right now, just one year later.

There's no logical explanation for passing on Antoine Winfield Jr and/or Tyler Johnson @realmnsportsfan pic.twitter.com/V8bnEJ8T4f

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) January 20, 2021

Antoine Winfield Jr.

If the Vikings had drafted Antoine Winfield Jr over Jeff Gladney, he would’ve gone much earlier than he did (at #31 instead of #45). The other option would’ve included Rick moving up from #58 in the second round, where he drafted Ezra Cleveland.

I don’t think there would have been very many football fans in Minnesota upset with drafting Winfield at the end of the 1st round. His season in Tampa certainly lived up to that.

In his rookie year with the Bucs, Winfield played in all 16 games, had one interceptions, two forced fumbles, three sacks, and 64 tackles. According to PFF, Winfield was the NFL’s 35th ranked safety, two spots ahead of Vikings veteran safety Anthony Harris. His final PFF grade was 66.5 and Jeff Gladney finished at 50.1.

You tell me who would’ve been the better pick at #31..

With Anthony Harris set to hit free agency after a bad season, Winfield could have slid right in as his replacement. A safety duo of Smith and Winfield would have made every Vikings/Gophers fan extremely happy.

Plus, he brings this kind of energy.

“Made some grown men cry last night… that was for my pops back in ’09.” ☠️☠️☠️

– Antoine Winfield Jr. with a *SAVAGE* Instagram post after Tampa Bay’s win over New Orleans! pic.twitter.com/2PTmBkZvti

— SKOR North (@SKORNorth) January 18, 2021

WR Tyler Johnson

The Minnesota Vikings did find a receiver in the same round that Tyler Johnson was drafted in, drafting KJ Osborn 15 picks after TJ was selected. Osborn got some snaps on special teams but wasn’t near the kick/punt returner the Vikings had hoped he’d be.

On day 2 of the April draft, there were fans begging Spielman to take Johnson from the third round, until he was eventually drafted in the 5th round by Tampa.

The fit would’ve been perfect for the Vikings and obviously so was the talent. This is a team that spent all of 2020 looking for a reliable WR3, to play next to Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson, but now that search will continue in 2021.

Johnson’s biggest problem, during his rookie campaign, was the presence of Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Antonio Brown and Scottie Miller at his same position. That’s before you get to Tom’s favorite target, Rob Gronkowski at TE. Consequently, Johnson didn’t get the same opportunity he would’ve gotten in Minnesota.

Poor decision making

But even with that crowded WR room, TJ posted 12 passes on 17 targets for 169 yards with two touchdowns. Tom Brady has raved about Tyler and expressed his regret in not getting the ball more often. You can see why, when you watch the catch he made vs the Saints last weekend, in the NFC Divisional round.

HANDS TEAM! ????

Tyler Johnson snatched this ????

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/rYlrHuJ5AD

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 18, 2021

Rick Spielman has no excuse for these misses, especially when both guys were playing right in his backyard. He should have taken Winfield and Johnson over Gladney and Osborn. Of course, they both might win a Super Bowl in their rookie campaigns while Minnesota Vikings fans might wait forever.

On second thought, I’m sure they’re doing just fine in Tampa.

Cooper Carlson | Minnesota Sports Fan

Minnesota Gophers’ Antoine Winfield Jr and Tyler Johnson were drafted in the 2nd and 5th rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tonight, in week 5 on Thursday Night Football, both guys were starting.

I have a feeling this could be a regular thing, going forward.

Four more hours ⏰

?: https://t.co/Qx0PWL9duN pic.twitter.com/QiRi0tA58p

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) October 8, 2020

The one and only @AntoineWJr11 ? pic.twitter.com/ekWpfJfGkw

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) October 8, 2020

I’ll Never Forgive Rick Spielman

I’m not just talking about two University of Minnesota draftees who got some snaps in a few random NFL games. We’re talking about two Gopher football legends who Vikings GM, Rick Spielman, passed up multiple times in the 2020 NFL draft.

Fast forward to tonight, the late-round pick, Johnson, lead the Bucs in receiving yards (61 yds on 4 catches) and on defense their Chicago opponents completely avoided Antoine Winfield Jr in the passing game. He still wound up with 4 tackles and a pass defended.

Wide receiver, Tyler Johnson, got by far his most action of the season. He was a healthy scratch earlier in the year, but after watching this catch and run, how does Bruce Arians not find more snaps in the game plan for TJ?

Rookie WR Tyler Johnson breaking all the tackles ?

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/wNaFExQqg7

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 9, 2020

The Vikings repeatedly passing on Winfield and Johnson will forever haunt me but I sure love seeing them contribute at a high level on any NFL team. I also like how much it helps recruiting at the University of Minnesota. Really, Tom Brady took his eyes off of Tyler Johnson too often late in this game, repeatedly throwing to a covered Gronk and Mike Evans instead.

He never even looked at TJ on the last drive of the game. A drive in which the Bucs’ offense stalled, with a chance to drive down and kick a field goal to win. Then again, he thought 4th down was 3rd down on that drive too…

The Bucs Social Media Team Loves Antoine Winfield Jr.

Clearly, the Bucs social media team knows what they have in their two Minnesotans… or maybe they just like to troll Spielman. They never miss an opportunity to put Tyler Johnson or (especially) Antoine Winfield Jr on their Twitter page.

They are as obsessed as we are…. thankfully. The world needs more AWJ.

RT if you ♥️ @AntoineWJr11.

Trying to see something. pic.twitter.com/qr0b288Ude

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) October 9, 2020

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Both Antoine Winfield Jr. and Tyler Johnson will go down as two of the best Minnesota Gophers to ever put on football pads. This week, they add to their already-packed college trophy cases. The Big Ten Network named both Gopher legends to their B1G All-Decade Team. The team was voted on by a panel consisting of writers, studio hosts, commentators and former coaches (among others). The names are being released throughout the week.

? RTB ➡️ #BTNAllDecade ?

Former @GopherFootball star S @AntoineWJr11, the B1G’s top DB in 2019, is the latest selection to the secondary of the 2010s.

More: https://t.co/tJBP1RNQRm pic.twitter.com/BmPWRubbvy

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) July 1, 2020

? #BTNAllDecade moves to the Hands Team ?

And it's hard to argue with picking @GopherFootball's hometown hero. @T_muhneyy10 has been voted one of the two best WRs of the 2010s.

More: https://t.co/tJBP1RNQRm pic.twitter.com/bKowd8F0YP

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) July 2, 2020

Antoine Winfield Jr.

Antoine Winfield Jr. has piled up the awards, since arriving on the University of Minnesota campus in 2016. He’s been named 1st Team All-Big Ten Team, was a unanimous All-American, won the Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year, won the Carl Ellis Award for top Outstanding Defensive Player, and has been Academic All-Big Ten for three years, from 2017-2019.

During his career in maroon and gold, Winfield tallied 177 tackles (126 solo) and 9 interceptions overall. The Woodlands, Texas native also recorded 58 solo tackles and 7 interceptions this past season, the latter of which was 4th nationally in 2019-20 and a single-season school record. 

“You look at a decade team, in the Big Ten, I’m like, ‘Wow.’ It’s just an incredible accomplishment.”@GopherFootball great @AntoineWJr11 sits down with @BTNRickPizzo to discuss his #BTNAllDecade honor.

More ➡️ https://t.co/9Hiwn2Pt2e pic.twitter.com/skLfE6j19o

— Minnesota on BTN (@MinnesotaOnBTN) July 1, 2020

“It was incredible. I was just excited to be honored in that way,” Winfield said to BTN’s Rick Pizzo. “You look at a decade team — in the Big Ten — I’m like ‘Wow.’ It’s just an incredible accomplishment.”

Big Ten Network

Tyler Johnson

On the other side of the ball, Tyler Johnson arrived in 2017 and now holds just about every receiving record in school history. He tops the career list at receiving yards (3,305), receiving touchdowns (33) and 100 yd games (16). He holds season records (2019) for yards (1,318), receptions (86), touchdowns (13) and yards per game (101.4). TJ was also named All Big Ten 1st Team in both 2018 and 2019.

Tyler was the best athlete at Minneapolis North and he showed that staying home and working hard can pay dividends. He moved from quarterback to wide receiver, when he arrived as a Freshman, and made himself one of the best route runners in the nation by the time he left.

He holds nearly every @GopherFootball receiving record.

Now, he's a member of the #BTNAllDecade Team.

Tyler Johnson (@T_muhneyy10) sits down with @BTNRickPizzo to discuss the honor, and much more.

More ➡️ https://t.co/9Hiwn2Pt2e pic.twitter.com/8DkwVuL0yi

— Minnesota on BTN (@MinnesotaOnBTN) July 2, 2020

What a Year…

In 2019, both Winfield Jr. and Tyler Johnson helped lead the Gophers to their first 11-win season in over 100 years. They both had huge games in an Outback Bowl win over Auburn, too. So far, they are the only two players to make this list.

Both Tyler and Antoine will move into the NFL next season. They will do it together, though, as both were drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2020 NFL Draft. The Bucs picked Winfield Jr in the 2nd round and Johnson in the 5th. Both were steals at their draft slot. Reps from the Bucs watched the Outback Bowl in person and had to have both, by the time it was over.

Hats off to both Antoine Winfield Jr and Tyler Johnson, for two ELITE careers in Minnesota.

Carson Ruen | Minnesota Sports Fan

The 2020 NFL Draft took place April 23-25, with everyone inside of their respective homes due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. While this year’s draft wasn’t the ideal format, it was amusing (and a bit cringe-worthy) to watch Commissioner Roger Goodell ask for virtual boos almost as often as he changed outfits and locations within one room.

This was also a different draft for the University of Minnesota, setting a program record with 5 players being drafted. S Antoine Winfield Jr. went 45th overall to the Buccaneers, WR Tyler Johnson went 161st overall to the Buccaneers, LB Kamal Martin went 175th overall to the Packers, LB Carter Coughlin went 218th overall to the Giants, and CB Chris Williamson went 247th overall to the Giants. 

ICYMI: #Gophers set program record with 5⃣ NFL Draft picks in modern draft era. https://t.co/pScQKUyTmS#SkiUMah // #RTB pic.twitter.com/LLBYcur1Ca

— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) April 26, 2020

There are two players who are ready to flourish in their new roles, immediately. Bleacher Report named (WR) Tyler Johnson and (LB) Kamal Martin “Rookie Gems” for their respective teams, meaning BR expects these Golden Gophers to produce and contribute at levels not expected from their draft slot.

What could be better than catching passes from Tom Brady as a rookie? The Buccaneers receiving corps is strong, with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Rob Gronkowski, O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate, but Johnson still looks to have a prominent role on this team right away, being the slot receiver job is still his for the taking. Tyler posted 213 receptions, 3305 receiving yards, and 33 TD’s in 4 seasons at the U of M.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were able to get an up close look at Johnson when the Gophers played Auburn in the Outback Bowl, at their home stadium. Buccaneers Head Coach Bruce Arians is already in love with Johnson and was nervously hoping Johnson would fall to them at pick #161. 

we got ’em ? @T_muhneyy10 pic.twitter.com/QxokcK5YNs

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) April 27, 2020

I could not think of a better situation for Johnson, with all the veteran leadership ahead of him. This will allow him to learn from some of the best and grow as an NFL player. The Buccaneers’ abundance of weapons means targets could be hard to come by, initially. But one thing we know about Tyler Johnson, is that he finds a way to get it done and will take advantage of every opportunity provided to him.

Kamal Martin is also walking into a great situation with the Green Bay Packers. Martin will compete for a starting role right away, and even if he doesn’t get the job, injury prone Chritsian Kirksey will likely afford him opportunities on the other side of center.

With the addition of Kamal Martin, the Packers have a scary linebacker group with Za’darius Smith, Preston Smith and Kirksey also lining up at that position. Martin excelled with 177 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, and 4 interceptions for the Gophers during his career.

Martin, the former QB, transitioned from outside linebacker to inside linebacker, after the 2018 season and made it look easy. He was immediately named honorable mention All-Big Ten and only played 8 games due to a knee injury. Green Bay had a historically bad draft class but I am very confident that they hit a homerun with Martin.

.@KamalMartin6 bringing the ? to Green Bay ❄️#PackersDraft | #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/fV5oqIrbIp

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) April 30, 2020

The 2020 NFL draft was very exciting for Gopher fans, who I’m sure will be watching the careers of the former Gophers very closely. I have a feeling we will be seeing more of this in the coming years from the University of Minnesota.

Cameron Thompson | Minnesota Sports Fan

Rick Spielman & Co. have had a pretty successful NFL Draft through two days, peering in from the outside. Rick has made four picks in three rounds and has addressed all of the team’s major needs if all four were to hit.

Pre-draft, when Vikings’ reporters all over the state reported a bored Rick Spielman, that was itching to wheel and deal, nobody realized that meant gathering as many day-3 picks as humanly possible though the first two days… but here we are, entering the last day with more picks than we started with.. History says the likelihood of draftees turning into contributing NFL employees diminishes by the round but don’t tell our GM that.

Spielman knows a lot more than I do about how to run a draft and he‘s much more in-tune with all of the prospects in this class. However, I can promise Rick, and everyone reading this blog, that he’s already made one mistake when he chose not to use his draft capital to move up and grab Antoine Winfield Jr. before he was picked #13 in the second round… For his own sake, I hope Gladney and Dantzler turn out to be everything Spielman has them scouted to be.

While contributing players are becoming more scarce as the draft continues, I do know one that is still available. His name is Tyler Johnson and Rick Spielman should be more aware than any GM in the league, of just how big of a steal he is this late. Tyler should also be available. For whatever reason, he stands as the 13th best receiver still on the board (ESPN) entering the day

As everyone knows, Tyler is a hometown boy and jumped from Minneapolis North, where he led the football and basketball teams to state championship appearances his Senior year, to the University of Minnesota just down the road. He was also moved from QB to WR. I remember watching his Hudl tape in my work cubicle and telling all of my coworkers how stupid we were for changing his position. He was electric at safety too.

It’s a good thing I didn’t have a wildly successful Minnesota sports website back then… because his position change led to greatness nobody expected when he stepped on campus. He molded himself into one of the best wide receivers in the country, setting just about every receiving record on campus in the process. His route running is competitive with the best in the draft and he wins a lot of 50/50 matchups when the ball is in the air.

However, he isn’t in the top-tier of the speed and height categories, so his draft stock never took off. He didn’t run the 40-yd dash at the combine either, which really hurt him since everything was shutdown before pro days took place. Throw in a bunch of shade from stubborn (at)NFLDRAFTSCOUTs on Bleacher Report with bad information…. and here we are.

Check TJ for yourself. He’s only been a WR for 4 football seasons… It’s crazy to think how refined he is for a guy with so much room to grow. Try to watch his breakpoints when possible. He is so shifty… it just blows my mind that more “experts” don’t see it.

Somebody is going to draft a stud WR today, who played college ball at Minnesota and will probably play in the NFL for 10 years… and Rick Spielman has watched him more than anyone. I know that because he did it from the same press box as I did, just about 15 chairs down and up a row.

Plus, this league is about entertainment and pleasing your fan base, at the end of the day. You now have 13 picks for the next 4 rounds and many would argue that WR depth is your biggest need. Just give the people what they want.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

You’re not crying, @Cmoe34…. we’re crying! ??? #Gophers #RTB pic.twitter.com/M4HLof3bDL

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) January 2, 2020

[/et_pb_code][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.0.9″ hover_enabled=”0″]

Good morning Gopher family! With smiles on our faces and bragging rights in our pockets, we’re all walking back into work today watching all of the postgame videos and reading all of the articles we can find on our historic victory yesterday over Auburn, just trying to hold onto this feeling for a little bit longer. Carter Coughlin is no different except… he’s the reason it happened.

Before P. Jesus Fleck came to Minnesota and rose this program from the ashes it had laid in for 60 years, Carter Coughlin led a massive class of ELITE Minnesota High School Seniors who acted as “John the Baptist” did in the bible,  preparing the state of Minnesota for the moment their savior would arrive. The commitment this 2016 MN recruiting class made, to make Minnesota Football great again, hasn’t been mentioned nearly enough…. even though it’s incredibly unheard of in recent years.

Let’s take a closer look. Here is the commitment list for the Gophers back in 2016, from the home state of Minnesota (via 247Sports.com):

1. Carter Coughlin (#1 – MN) | 4-Star OLB (.9566) | Eden Praire, MN
2. Seth Greene (#62 – TX) | 3-Star ATH (.8813) | East Ridge, MN (thru JR yr)
3. Tyler Johnson (#5 – MN) | 3-Star ATH (.8643) | Minneapolis North, MN
4. Sam Schlueter (#6 – MN) | 3-Star OL (.8603) | Mayor, MN
5. Kamal Martin (#7 – MN) | 3-Star ATH (.8518) | Burnsville, MN
6. Phillip Howard (#8 – MN) | 3-Star ATH (.8509) | Robbinsdale Cooper, MN
7. Drew Hmielewski (#9 – MN) | 3-Star WR (.8470) | Marshall, MN
8. Conner Olson (#11 – MN) | 3-Star OG (.8441) | Monticello, MN
9. Thomas Barber (#12 – MN) | 3-Star ILB (.8425) | Robbinsdale Armstrong, MN
10. Antoine Winfield Jr. (#162 – TX) | 3-Star S (.8285) | From MN – Played HS at “The Woodlands”, TX

This list is so incredible. Almost everyone on here blew up their recruiting profile. Carter Coughlin was the only recruit who had the stars to go with the production he ended up providing throughout his career. Tyler Johnson became one of the best receivers in the nation and broke just about every school receiving record imaginable. Kamal Martin and Thomas Barber will both be NFL linebackers, along with Carter (LB or DE). Conner Olson and Sam Schlueter ended up being the veteran presence that was badly needed in order to raise a young, but incredibly talented, offensive line over the last couple of years.

Obviously Seth Greene has been invaluable in the Wildcat game, the Gophers have relied on for many stretches over the last couple of seasons, in short yardage scenarios. His time isn’t up yet either. We’ll see what role he plays next year, now that Tyler Johson is out of the WR picture. Obviously, nobody is going to forget about Antoine Winfield Jr, who struggled with injuries throughout the last four years, but was by far the biggest playmaker on the field, when he was able to go. He still has two years of eligibility but I’d be surprised to see him return, given the NFL opportunities presenting themselves to him, after this season.

Phillip Howard struggled to find a position, between WR and DB once he got onto campus but either way, he was on the field for a lot of his time here and definitely contributed greatly to where the program is now. His unselfishness was apparent as the staff struggled to find what worked best with his abilities. I’m not sure exactly why Drew Hmielewski left the football program after the 2018 season but he definitely contributed while he was here and his career as a student athlete wasn’t over at that point. He still plays Outfield for the Minnesota Gopher baseball team and has two years of eligibility remaining.

Let’s not forget, either, that this 2016 class went through some serious controversy, involving an alleged sexual assault that engulfed the program in 2017 and got the coaching staff that they committed to, fired. But thanks to their incredible dedication and love for this state and school (plus the arrival of P. Jesus), they all stayed… thank god/aliens.

So, as we enter into a new future of Minnesota Gopher football under PJ Fleck, the sky is the limit. Our future is much brighter than the last 60 years of our past BUT we as fans can never forget, nor will we, what this 2016 class meant to the turnaround. For that, I think I speak for all of Gopher Nation when I say, “Thank You”.

Because before there was PJ Fleck… there was the 2016 MN recruiting class.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

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Tyler Johnson wasn’t far behind and was also named to the 1st team. Both Minnesota receivers being named to the 1st team, is the first time that’s ever happened to two receivers on one team.

This year is believed to be the first time in conference history that one school has occupied both receiver spots on the First Team ballots by the coaches and media. #Gophers // #SkiUMah // #RTB pic.twitter.com/b1Q78Ez3V2

— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) December 4, 2019

The receivers weren’t the only ones who were honored though. The guy who got the ball to them was also named All-Big Ten. Tanner Morgan captured a spot on the 2nd team next to RB, Rodney Smith and OL, Blaise Andries. Then, 4 more along the offensive line were named as honorable mentions.

What a haul for the @Gopher_OLine! On top of @BlaiseAndries being named to the Third Team, @DanielFaalele_, @connerolson6, Curtis Dunlap Jr. & Sam Schlueter were all named Honorable Mention! #Gophers // #SkiUMah // #RTB pic.twitter.com/LuLvsSjd3U

— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) December 4, 2019