Trio of former Gophers reportedly find NFL homes

Minnesota continues to deliver NFL prospects.

Minnesota tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford works out during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on March 1, 2024. / Kirby Lee / USA TODAY Sports

Some more former Gophers football players found their homes in the NFL.

Tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford is signing with the Dallas Cowboys, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Meanwhile, wide receiver Chris Autman-Bell has been invited to the New York Giants rookie minicamp, according to KPRC 2 Houston's Aaron Wilson. And defensive tackle Tyler Baugh is signing a deal with the New Orleans Saints, according to KSTP's Darren Wolfson.

Autman-Bell will be reunited with former teammate Tyler Nubin, who was the only Gophers player selected in the 2024 NFL draft, going No. 47 overall in the second round to the Giants.

They'll also reunite with former Gophers teammates Carter Coughlin and John Michael Schmitz, who are already with the Giants.

Autman-Bell was one of the longest-tenured Gophers players, spending all seven years of his college career at Minnesota. While injuries limited him to just nine games in 2023, Autman-Bell had shown flashes of NFL talent throughout his tenure at the U, hauling in 131 receptions for 2,058 yards and 14 touchdowns. His most promising season came in 2021, when he caught 36 passes for 508 yards and six touchdowns. Then injuries limited him his final two seasons at the U.

Spann-Ford, meanwhile, was expected to be one of the top tight ends in the nation in 2023, but the Gophers' lackluster passing attack hindered what he was able to showcase. In his six years at the U, Spann-Ford made 95 receptions for 1,061 yards and seven touchdowns. He was most heavily featured in 2022 when he caught 42 passes for 497 yards and two touchdowns.

And Baugh played in all 13 games in each of the past two season for the U after transferring from Houston Baptist. Baugh had 41 tackles and three sacks last season while also batting down three passes, forcing a fumble and recovering a fumble. He finished his two-year tenure at Minnesota with 77 tackles — seven for loss — four sacks and four batted passes.