BleedGopher
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per Randy:
Sixteen years, 185 games and six head coaches later, a long drought for the Gophers football program is about to end. The NFL draft will be held Thursday through Saturday in Las Vegas, and for the first time since 2006, the Gophers are expected to have an offensive lineman selected.
That distinction will go to massive offensive tackle Daniel Faalele, a 6-8, 384-pound native of Melbourne, Australia, who is projected to be a second- or third-round pick, which would mean his selection would happen Friday.
"It's going to be an awesome feeling being able to do that," said Faalele, a first-team All-Big Ten honoree last season. "It's awesome to be able to represent Minnesota at the highest level."
Faalele might be joined in the draft by the guy who often lined up next to him, guard Blaise Andries, who is rated by NFL.com as either a seventh-round selection or a "priority free agent." Andries, a 6-6, 308-pounder from Marshall, Minn., and Faalele were anchors for a line that helped the Gophers go 11-2 and finish No. 10 in the final Associated Press poll in 2019, then post a 9-4 mark in 2021. Faalele did not play in 2020 because of COVID-19 concerns.
The last Gophers offensive linemen drafted by NFL teams were center Greg Eslinger, the Outland and Rimington Trophy winner in 2005 who went to the Denver Broncos in the sixth round in 2006, and guard Mark Setterstrom, who went to the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round that year.
www.startribune.com
Go Gophers!!
Sixteen years, 185 games and six head coaches later, a long drought for the Gophers football program is about to end. The NFL draft will be held Thursday through Saturday in Las Vegas, and for the first time since 2006, the Gophers are expected to have an offensive lineman selected.
That distinction will go to massive offensive tackle Daniel Faalele, a 6-8, 384-pound native of Melbourne, Australia, who is projected to be a second- or third-round pick, which would mean his selection would happen Friday.
"It's going to be an awesome feeling being able to do that," said Faalele, a first-team All-Big Ten honoree last season. "It's awesome to be able to represent Minnesota at the highest level."
Faalele might be joined in the draft by the guy who often lined up next to him, guard Blaise Andries, who is rated by NFL.com as either a seventh-round selection or a "priority free agent." Andries, a 6-6, 308-pounder from Marshall, Minn., and Faalele were anchors for a line that helped the Gophers go 11-2 and finish No. 10 in the final Associated Press poll in 2019, then post a 9-4 mark in 2021. Faalele did not play in 2020 because of COVID-19 concerns.
The last Gophers offensive linemen drafted by NFL teams were center Greg Eslinger, the Outland and Rimington Trophy winner in 2005 who went to the Denver Broncos in the sixth round in 2006, and guard Mark Setterstrom, who went to the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round that year.
Gophers to have first offensive lineman drafted in 16 years — and two could get taken
Daniel Faalele is projected to go in the second or third round, and Blaise Andries could be a late-round pick.
www.startribune.com
Go Gophers!!