Gophers Football Cornerstone Ranked Among Best in the Nation

By Andrew Buller-Russ |

Jul 25, 2024

What if we told you the Minnesota Golden Gophers football team has one of the best players in the nation, and his name isn’t Darius Taylor? Those who have spent every waking moment playing EA Sports College Football 25 won’t be surprised to see Aireontae Ersery gaining respect across the sport, but others may be unfamiliar with his game.

For those who don’t pay any attention to offensive linemen, Ersery is the Gophers’ starting left tackle. What’s amazing about the redshirt senior is that he arrived on campus as a three-star recruit back in 2020. Yet, P.J. Fleck’s staff has molded him into one of the best linemen in the country.

But make no mistake, it’s not like Ersery hasn’t put the work in. We can’t give all the credit to Coach Fleck. While Ersery has earned several accolades, including AP First-Team All-Big Ten honors last season, now he’s gaining more national recognition from one of the top college football analysts in the world.

Gophers football’s Aireontae Ersery ranked fourth among OT prospects

EA Sports is often the target of harsh criticism for several reasons, but Aireontae Ersery’s overall rating is on point. He started the game with a 93 overall rating, which ranked third-best among tackles and 24th among all college football players in the video game. In fact, according to P.J. Fleck, if you move him to tight end, you can have a 99 overall. But that’s cheating, and we know you have more integrity than that.

Fleck on Aireontae Ersery.

If you move him from tackle to tight end in NCAA 25.

He changes to a "99" overall.

"He's a hack!"
— Ryan Burns (@RyanBurnsMN) July 25, 2024

It turns out, College Football 25 isn’t the only one who’s extremely high on the Gophers football prospect. Now, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler joins the pack too. The NFL Draft analyst has Ersery as the fourth-best offensive tackle in the nation ahead of the 2024 season.

“Ersery was a pleasant surprise when I studied his tape, because of the way he moves at 6-foot-6, 337 pounds. He has the traits to fit any blocking scheme, and he naturally transfers power from his hips to his fingertips while showing the required foot quickness to fit his target.”
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler on Aireontae Ersery

Brugler believes Ersery is a much better run blocker than he is as a pass protector at this stage in his young career. That’s no surprise, considering the Gophers love to run the ball, giving him a chance to master his craft. However, Brugler still likes Ersery’s pass-blocking ability, particularly showing up well against Ohio State’s talented group last season.

#SummerScouting
Got a look at Minnesota LT Aireontae Ersery. Listed at 6'6 325. Solid movement ability for his size and a finish him mentality. Did a good job vs JT Tuimaloau. Nice counter to the long arm here pic.twitter.com/cNTjuF0zwJ
— EJHolt_NFLDraft🏈 (@EJunkie215) June 13, 2024

Brugler adds that Ersery isn’t quite a finished product (most college football players aren’t). He could still improve his hand usage, which showed up against top-tier talent versus Michigan and Illinois. Yet, Brugler also believes Ersery has future NFL starter written all over him.

“A three-star recruit out of Kansas City, Ersery didn’t see much action his first two seasons on campus before earning the starting left tackle job in 2022. He showed noticeable improvement last season and is poised for another jump as a fifth-year senior in 2024.

With his size and budding talent, Ersery is a future NFL starter and has the tools to command a lucrative second contract down the line. He’s not a household name by any means, but the Gophers’ left tackle isn’t a secret among NFL scouts — and I promise you will start to read/hear his name more and more as we inch closer to the 2025 NFL Draft.”
Dane Brugler on Ersery, continued

Highest Graded Returning Left Tackle:

🐿 Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota: 84.0 pic.twitter.com/hQW5qvITsb
— PFF College (@PFF_College) May 6, 2024

If nothing else, at least new Gophers starting quarterback Max Brosmer will have an elite blindside protector to go with a top-notch running game this season. Before we know it, we’ll hear Ersery’s name called on the first two days of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Ersery ranked as No. 1 senior offensive tackle, Quinn Carroll lands at 17

While Aireontae Ersery comes in fourth place among all tackle prospects, Dane Brugler ranked him No. 1 among seniors. It’s a very respectful rank for a player who isn’t from one of the biggest college football programs in the nation, such as Ohio State or an SEC school. Yet, the Midwest often pumps out some of the best trench players in the nation, so it shouldn’t be a major shock.

Another intriguing note about Brugler’s tackle rankings is seeing Quinn Carroll ranked 17th among seniors. The Edina native began his college career at Notre Dame, but the Gophers managed to snag him in 2022, and he’s been a starter at right tackle ever since. After earning Academic All-Big Ten honors plus an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention in both 2022 and 2023, Carroll hopes to go out with a bang. If so, he just might be able to play in the NFL too, joining Ersery in 2025.

Mentioned in this article: Aireontae Ersery

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