Minnesota athletes will begin to test on Thursday afternoon
The 2025 NFL Scouting Combine takes place this week in Indianapolis, and this year’s version will feature a program record six Minnesota Golden Gophers participating. Minnesota previously had a high of five participants in both the 2001 and 2002 versions.
All six Gophers participating in the combine will be in Indianapolis by Wednesday with medical exams and interviews with different NFL teams taking place before the on-field testing begins on Thursday with the defensive linemen and linebackers.
The NFL Combine testing will begin on Thursday and continue through Monday. ON the first day each position group will go through the official measurement process and will run their various drills including the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, broad jump, three-cone drill, 20-yard shuttle, and 60-yard shuttle along with various position central drills for the quarterbacks, running backs, tight ends, and wide receivers. The second day will include the bench press for each position group.
Below is a list of who was invited to attend the combine for the Gophers:
Aireonte Ersery is the Gopher who is likely to hear his name the earliest in the NFL Draft. The Gophers left tackle should have a great opportunity to show off his athleticism. Ersery is the fifth Gopher offensive lineman under PJ Fleck to be invited to the combine joining John Michael Schmitz (2023), Blaise Andries (2022), Daniel Faalele (2022) and Donnell Green (2019).
Another Gopher who hopefully will test really well sending him up draft boards will be linebacker Cody Lindenberg. Lindenberg is the first Gopher linebacker headed to the combine since both Carter Coughlin and Kamal Martin were invited in 2020.
Defensive end Jah Joyner is the first Gopher defensive lineman to head to Indianapolis since Boye Mafe and Esezi Otomewo each improved their draft stock in 2022.
Daniel Jackson may not show off at the combine, but he will be the first Gopher receiver to get an invite since Rashod Bateman in 2021. Jackson likely will not wow people with his measurables, but more so will hopefully shine in the route running and catching portions of the drills.
Justin Walley’s invite makes it three years in a row the Gophers have had a defensive back in Indianapolis and four of the last five. The Gopher cornerback has a chance to show off his speed and impress some NFL teams.
The final Gopher in Indy is quarterback Max Brosmer. Max is only the fourth Minnesota quarterback ever to be invited to the combine and the first since Mitch Leidner participated in 2017.
Also while not an official combine invite, kicker Dragan Kesich will take place in a placekicker showcase at the combine as well.
Minnesota will have at least one player participating each day of the combine. Minnesota is also one of 13 schools in the nation with six individuals at different positions. The schedule for the combine drills is as follows:
- Thursday, Feb. 27 (2 p.m. to 7 p.m. CT): Defensive linemen, linebackers
- Friday, Feb. 28 (2 p.m. to 8 p.m. CT): Defensive backs, tight ends
- Saturday, March 1 (Noon to 8 p.m. CT): Quarterbacks, wide receivers, running backs
- Sunday, March 2 (Noon to 4 p.m. ET): Offensive linemen
During those windows the Combine will air live on NFL Network. You can follow the Gophers testing results in real time HERE.
Good luck to the Gophers in trying to raise their draft sticks this weekend.