Defensive lineman Anthony Smith will return to Gophers next season

Minnesota got a massive boost to its 2025-26 roster outlook on Wednesday.

Sep 14, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive lineman Anthony Smith (0) celebrates his teams win against the Nevada Wolf Pack after the game at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

The Gophers' official Name Image Likeness (NIL) collective Dinkytown Athletes announced that defensive lineman Anthony Smith will return to the program next season. He joined safety Kerry Brown as the second player announced to return on Wednesday.

〽️🏈👀🔥Thank you Dinkytown Athletes members for your support🔥👀🏈〽️

Not yet a member? Join or donate today for exclusive access👇https://t.co/rUF72Kw2G3 pic.twitter.com/ktDeyu9C8w

— DinkytownAthletes (@DTAthletes) December 11, 2024

Smith is coming off his best season in a Gophers uniform in 2024. As a redshirt sophomore, he played 468 total snaps, recording 25 total pressures and five sacks, four of which came in the final six weeks of the season. With veterans Danny Striggow and Jah Joyner off to the next level, Smith has a chance to blossom into an All-Big Ten-level talent in 2025.

Hailing from Shippensburg, Penn., Smith was a consensus four-star prospect in the 2022 high school recruiting class and he was the Gophers' top-ranked signee in that cycle. Three years into his Minnesota career, he has easily met expectations, if not exceeded them.

In the modern world of college football roster construction, retaining players has never been more important. Smith would've been an incredibly highly-coveted player had he opted to enter the transfer portal, so the Gophers' ability to bring him back is huge for their 2025 season outlook.

On the defensive side of the ball, Minnesota will officially have Jalen Logan-Redding, Koi Perich, Kerry Brown, Anthony Smith and coordinator Corey Hetherman back next season. Players like Cody Lindenberg and Deven Eastern could also return. They will have the personnel to once again be one of the better defenses in the Big Ten.

---

Stay up to date on all things Gophers by bookmarking Minnesota Gophers On SI, subscribing to our YouTube channel, and signing up to receive our free Gophers newsletter, which will enter you into a drawing for the EA College Gameday 25 video game (you choose between PS5 or Xbox).