The Minnesota Golden Gophers come into the summer reloaded with a lot of familiar skill players on offense and new faces on the defensive side of the football. The Gophers lost four players to the NFL draft and several key performers have graduated. Here’s a quick look at how the Gophers’ depth chart shapes up at this point of the offseason.

OFFENSE

Quarterbacks:

QB1 Grad. Tanner Morgan

QB2 RS-Jr. Cole Kramer

QB3 RS-Fr. Athan Kaliakmanis

QB4: Fr. Jacob Knuth

• Tanner Morgan is back! Which means, once again, it is his spot to lose with a hungry four-star quarterback lurking behind him in Kaliakmanis. Kramer for the second straight year will be the designated wildcat and should have playing time in every game this season in goal-line and short-yardage situations. If Morgan has another disappointing season like in 2021, don’t be surprised if Kaliakmanis will get an opportunity to take over the offense.

Running Backs:

RB1: RS-Sr. Mohamed Ibrahim

RB2: RS-Jr. Treyson Potts

RB3: RS-Sr. Bryce Williams

RB4: Fr. Zach Evans

• Barring any major health issues like last year, Ibrahim and Potts will be the scariest 1-2 punch the Gophers have had in a long time. Bryce Williams will take the role as an experienced third-down back with three-star Zach Evans as added depth. Without Bucky Irving (transferred to Oregon) and Ky Thomas (transferred to Kansas), there is a lack of overall talent in the position, but there shouldn’t be season-ending injuries to Ibrahim or Potts again. Fans should expect the duo to have a massive year.

Wide Receivers:

WR1: Grad. Chris Autman-Bell

WR2: RS-Jr. Dylan Wright

WR3: Jr. Daniel Jackson

WR4: RS Jr. Michael Brown-Stephens

• With Kirk Ciarrocca back in the fold as offensive coordinator, Autman-Bell and Wright should be more active in the Gophers offense as deep ball threats. The only direction that the wide receiver room can go is up with no standouts last season in an extremely run-heavy offense. Expect Daniel Jackson to be the most improved player in the Gophers offense, the former four-star recruit is too talented to be in the background like he was last season catching 25 passes for only 267 yards and one touchdown.

O-Line:

LT: RS-So. Aireontae Ersery

LG: RS-Sr. Axel Ruschmeyer

C: RS-Sr. John Michael Schmitz

RG: Grad. Chuck Fiilaga (Michigan transfer)

RT: Grad. Quinn Carroll (Notre Dame transfer)

• Minnesota’s impressive offensive line lost Daniel Faalele and Blaise Andries to the NFL Draft, but PJ Fleck managed to nab two key transfers from midwestern powerhouses in Chuck Filiaga, coming from the Wolverines, and Quinn Carroll returning to his home state of Minnesota. John Michael Schmitz returns for another round as one of the best centers in the country.

Tight Ends:

TE1: RS-Sr. Brevyn Spann-Ford

TE2: RS-Jr. Nick Kallerup

TE3: RS-Fr. Jameson Geers

TE4: Fr. Nate Jones

• It will be interesting to see if Brevyn Spann-Ford can truly break out this season, finally being the Gophers undisputed starting tight end with Ko Kieft being drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Spann-Ford should have an increase in targets and yards this season while backup Nick Kallerup will fill the void Kieft left as a run blocker.

DEFENSE

Ends:

DE1: RS-Sr. Thomas Rush
DE2: RS-So. Jah Joyner
DE3: Grad. Lorenza Surgers (Vanderbilt transfer)
DE4: RS-Fr. Austin Booker

• Losing Boye Mafe is never easy, and the Gophers edge rushers will be led by Rush, who accumulated 31 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks in 2022, playing every game. Behind Rush comes Joyner, who made his first career tackle and sack in the 2021 Guaranteed Rate Bowl and could potentially have a breakout season. Graduate transfer Surgers, who played in 12 games last year, will bring much-needed experience coming from another top college football conference in the SEC.

Tackles:

DT1: RS-Jr. Trill Carter
DT2: Grad. Darnell Jefferies (Clemson transfer)
DT3: Sr. Kyler Baugh (Houston Baptist transfer)
DT4: RS-Jr. Logan Richter

• Out of any position group on defense that has a lot of reloading to do on the Gophers, it is the defensive tackle unit. 2021 transfers Nyles Pinckney and Val Martin have graduated along with Micah Dew-Treadway. Trill Carter, who started 11 games last season, should anchor the tackle position with Darnell Jefferies, Kyler Baugh and Logan Richter all competing for playing time during the summer.

Linebackers:

MIKE1: RS-Sr. Mariano Sori-Marin
WILL1: RS-Sr. Braelen Oliver
MIKE2: RS-So. Cody Lindenberg
WILL2: RS-Jr. Donald Willis

• 2021 leading tackler Jack Gibbens is gone but Mariano Sori-Marin is back and will be the unquestioned leader on the Gophers defense. Alongside Sori-Marin, Braelen Oliver will have a larger role this season as the team’s weakside linebacker, and having a healthy Cody Lindenberg back from missing the majority of the 2021 season is a plus.

Cornerbacks:

CB1: So. Justin Walley
CB2: Jr. Ryan Stapp (Abilene Christian transfer)
CB3: RS-So. Jalen Glaze
CB4: RS-So. Miles Fleming
Nickel: RS-Jr. Beanie Bishop (Western Kentucky transfer)
Nickel2: RS-Fr. Steven Ortiz Jr.

• After losing Coney Durr, the Gophers have a very young cornerback group, which will be led by Justin Walley, who had 29 tackles, one interception, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries as a true freshman last season. Behind Walley, Ryan Stapp and Beanie Bishop are talented transfers who should be in the mix right away. Walley could be the most talented cornerback that the Gophers have had in the PJ Fleck era, and it should be fun to watch him continue to grow in 2022.

Safeties:
S1: Sr. Tyler Nubin
S2: RS-Sr. Jordan Howden
S3: RS-Sr. Terrell Smith
S4: Jr. Michael Dixon

• The most experienced position on the Gophers defense is at safety. Tyler Nubin and Jordan Howden return as the team’s starters with cornerback-turned-safety Terrell Smith expected to get a bunch of playing time.

SPECIAL TEAMS

K1: RS-Sr. Matthew Trickett
KOS/K2: Jr. Dragan Kesich
KOS2/K3: Jr. Jacob Lewis (Ball State transfer)
P: Jr. Mark Crawford
LS: Sr. Brady Weeks

• The Gophers in 2021 made legitimate strides to halt their kicking woes by adding Trickett, who made 17/25 field goal attempts and 36/38 extra points last season, which was a considerable upgrade over their last few place kickers. Kesich will have some competition at long range field goals and kickoff duties from Lewis, who comes in from Ball State going 7-8 from beyond 40 yards last season.