18 former Gophers land on initial NFL 53-man rosters

Minnesota will be heavily represented in the NFL this season.

Aug 12, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Tyler Johnson (14) carries the ball against Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Michael Jacquet (39) at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The NFL's annual roster cut deadline has come and gone. There were plenty of former Gophers players playing in the preseason this year, and 18 have landed on initial 53-man rosters.

Player	Team	Year in NFL
Tyler Nubin (S)	Giants	Rookie
John Michael Schmitz (C)	Giants	2
Carter Coughlin (EDGE)	Giants	5
Antoine Winfield Jr. (S)	Buccaneers	5
Ko Kieft (TE)	Buccaneers	3
Daniel Faalele (OT)	Ravens	3
Rashod Bateman (WR)	Ravens	4
Esezi Otomewo (EDGE)	Jaguars	3
Boye Mafe (EDGE)	Seahawks	3
Blake Cashman (ILB)	Vikings	6
De'Vondre Campbell (ILB)	49ers	9
Tyler Johnson (WR)	Rams	5
Brevyn Spann-Ford (TE)	Cowboys	Rookie
Benjamin St-Juste (CB)	Commanders	4
Jack Gibbens (ILB)	Titans	3
Terell Smith (CB)	Bears	2
Eric Murray (S)	Texans	9
Jordan Howden (S)	Saints	2

Notable players on the roster bubble to sneak onto active rosters include undrafted rookie Brevyn Spann-Ford with the Cowboys and dynamic wide receiver Tyler Johnson on the Rams. De'Vondre Campbell, Blake Cashman, and Esezi Otomewo are other veterans on new teams this season that were able to earn a spot.

The best player on the list is easily Winfield, who has emerged as one of the best safeties in the NFL with Tampa Bay. He was a first team All-Pro last year and finished six in defensive player of the year voting.

Under P.J. Fleck, the Gophers have produced more NFL talent than the program has seen in quite a long time. With Spann-Ford officially on an active roster, they have at least two former players in the league from every draft class since 2020. The Gophers have also had at least one player picked in the top two rounds in each of the last five drafts.

Heading into the 2024 season, there is plenty of momentum for the Gophers' program as they continue to look to become a destination for players to get to the NFL.