In the eye of the Gophers football program, being an undrafted free agent in the NFL is a badge of honor.
Minnesota, obviously, wants a bevy of former players selected in each draft, but the U has found success with ex-players who don’t hear their names called during the seven-round event every April.
Last year, Minnesota had three players drafted, while six more signed as undrafted free agents and made NFL rosters on game days. This year, the UDFA route might be the only way the U adds players in the league.
Minnesota had 14 players participate in its annual Pro Day at the Larson Football Performance Center on Wednesday. Even their best pro prospect, defensive tackle Deven Eastern, might be passed over in the last rounds and be forced to take the harder UDFA route.
Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck pointed to Danny Striggow jumping at a late invite to join Senior Bowl practices in Mobile, Ala., last year.
“Danny was on that flight,” Fleck said. “Danny was down there, ran onto the field … tapes his own wrists, goes out there to kicks butt. The commonality (in UDFAs) is the how. In this program, how you do one thing is how you do everything. That’s why it’s so fun to coach here.”
Striggow’s willingness to jump at a chance helped the Long Lake, Minn., native catch on with the Jacksonville Jaguars last offseason. He played in 10 games last season.
Meanwhile, the Gophers’ best UDFA success story last season was tight end Nick Kallerup, who joined the Seattle Seahawks and won a Super Bowl ring.
Besides Eastern, the cream in the Gophers’ crop of UDFA players this year includes linebacker Devon Williams, receiver Le’Meke Brockington and tight end Jameson Geers.
Brockington boasted a 39 1/2-inch vertical jump; it might have been the most impressing testing number on the day. Geers has been recovering from a knee injury suffered late last season. Williams lamented a sub-par time in the 40-yard dash on Wednesday, but likes what he put on film with 89 tackles last season and has heard from a handful of teams.
“I’m good at a lot of stuff and will work on my craft every single day to the point where I can be great,” Williams said.
The smaller crop of talent coming out of the U this year resulted in fewer NFL personnel in attendance; not all 32 teams were represented like in years past, and franchises sent fewer representatives. Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell and his two coordinators, Brian Flores and Wes Phillips, attended the U’s Pro Day.
#### Look ahead
Fleck promoted next year’s crop of pro prospects.
“(It) might be the biggest draft class we’ve ever had,” Fleck said. “This is a smaller draft class, because so many guys are coming back next year.”
The Gophers’ high of draft picks in the Fleck era was five in 2020, headlined by Antoine Winfield Jr. taken in the second round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The U’s crop for next year will likely be headlined by running back Darius Taylor, defensive end Anthony Smith, linebacker Maverick Baranowski and offensive lineman Greg Johnson.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Drake Lindsey threw for pass catchers on Wednesday, gaining valuable experience in front of NFL personnel.
“That bodes well for his future,” Fleck said. “It gives him the confidence to go out there and throw to people that he hasn’t thrown with before. Organize, show the leadership and detail, ball placement, different types of throws.”
Lindsey could be draft-eligible after next year. But Fleck, of course, hopes the QB sticks around the U for his upperclassman years.
#### Briefly
Johnson was spotted in a protective boot on Wednesday. Given the to-be senior’s 37 games of experience, he won’t be rushed back for spring ball. … Former linebacker and special teams contributor Derik LeCaptain didn’t participate on Wednesday after tearing a pectoral muscle during a winter workout. … Safety Darius Green injured his hamstring while running a 40-yard dash. … The 2026 Gophers team will start spring practices Tuesday; the spring game is set for April 25 at Huntington Bank Stadium. … Former NFL tight end Brandon Bostick has been hired as an offensive analyst at Minnesota. He helped the University of North Dakota tight ends last year. … The last year the Gophers did not have a draft pick was 2018.