Minnesota receivers had a year for the ages in 2019 with both of the All-Big Ten representatives at receiver and the Big Ten Receiver of the Year in Rashod Bateman which set up for a record-breaking year. With Johnson being drafted in the 5th round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers he is moving on to the NFL, however the Gophers still have a plethora of talent at the position to fill his shoes.
Who’s Gone?
Tyler Johnson
The Minneapolis North native re-wrote the record books at Minnesota including:
Career Receiving Yards: 3,305 (2016-2019) Career 100-Yard Receiving Games: 16 (2016-19) Career Receiving Touchdowns: 33 (2016-19) Season Receiving Yards: 1,318 (2019) Season Receptions: 86 (2019) Season Receiving Touchdowns: 13 (2019) Season Receiving Yards Per Game: 101.4 (2019) Season 100-Yard Receiving Games: 7 (2019)
Consecutive Games With A Receiving Touchdown (tied): 7 (10/19/19 - 1/1/20) Consecutive Games With 100 Receiving Yards: 4 (10/6/18-1-/26-18)
So it is safe to say that Johnson will be missed in a Gophers uniform. He was the second highest graded player on the Minnesota offense in 2019 with an overall grade of 91.8, which is elite. The two-time All-Big Ten First Team nominee was the alpha in the receivers room for three seasons and paved the way for younger players such as Rashod Bateman and Chris Autman-Bell. Minnesota fans were lucky to have him, and he will forever be a maroon and gold legend.
Who’s Coming Back?
Rashod Bateman
Luckily for Minnesota, it is returning the Big Ten Receiver of the Year in Rashod Bateman. As a Sophomore, he amassed 1,219 yards and 11 touchdowns which honed him First Team All-Big Ten. His elite PFF grade of 87.5 was good for fifth on the offense (behind Harry Van Dyne and Jacob Clark, who played only 18 snaps combined). Bateman is receiving a ton of national attention going into next season as one of the best receivers in the country and should hear his name called in the first couple rounds of the 2020 draft with another monster year. He was also awarded AP Third-Team All American and was a Biletnikoff Award Finalist. Minnesota has been lucky to have Rashod in uniform for them and he will go down as one of the best receivers in Gopher history, right up there with Tyler Johnson.
Chris Autman-Bell
Not to be outshined by Johnson and Bateman, the Gophers also return redshirt junior Chris Autman-Bell who amassed 28 catches for 371 yards and five touchdowns in 2019. On most teams, Autman-Bell may find himself as a #2 or even #1 option, however it is hard to find that kind of production when both of the other receivers on the team are All-Big Ten. Now with Johnson onto the NFL, Chris will see his role increase in 2020. He had a slightly above average PFF grade of 64.8. I expect to see a big jump in role and statistics for Authman-Bell this year as he moves solely into the #2 spot with Bateman receiving extra attention this upcoming season. He could play himself into a late round draft pick this season with a solid year.
Demetrius Douglas
The Gopher legacy totaled 14 catches for 157 yards while also returning kickoffs and punts throughout the 2019 season. It will be interesting to see where Douglas lands on the depth chart this year. He should have the upper hand on the #3 slot position this season (unless they decide to move Autman-Bell inside to the slot). He posted an average PF grade of 61.8 this past year. Douglas is a bit limited in his abilities after the catch and his hands can be iffy at times. Douglas will have to battle out a few talented newcomers to see who will take a hold of the #3 spot.
Seth Green
The do-it-all native from Woodbury could be listed at QB, TE, or WR for the Gophers, but his official position is listed as WR so here we find him. He rushed 29 times for 99 yards for five touchdowns as a wildcat QB and caught one pass for eight yards. I don’t envision a much different role for Green in 2020, as he is dominant in his role as the wildcat quarterback but lacks the quickness/route running ability to be a full-time receiver. Nonetheless, he has a specific role for the Gophers that he does very well at.
Michael Brown-Stephens
A contender for playing time this year is the redshirt freshman from Springfield, OH. As a senior in high school he counted for 20 receptions for 267 yards and two touchdowns as well as 39 rushing attempts for 268 yards and four touchdowns in a run-heavy offense. He possesses great quickness in and out of breaks and makes for an ideal slot receiver, which Minnesota is trying to replace in Tyler Johnson. I do also like his route running abilities and think he can see his way onto the field this season.
Clay Geary
The Lakeville walk-on has played sparingly through his Gophers career in real game action which makes him another candidate for increased playing time. Another player with exceptional quickness and hands, he could see his way into playing time in the slot.
Peter Udoibok
At 6’4”, a tall receiver Minnesota could move out wide to pair with Bateman and give them two tall weapons. I’m not sure if Udoibok is quite ready to play just yet so he may sit for another year or two, however he is one to monitor to replace Bateman at X in a couple years.
Nnamdi Adim-Madumere
A massive receiver at 6’4” and 235 pounds, Nnamdi redshirted in 2019. Quickness and straight-line speed have been a question mark for Nnamdi due to his sheer size. He is another candidate that I am not sure is quite ready just yet to play. He would also be an X receiver which is now played by Bateman. A move to TE is also an option for the large receiver if he has the blocking abilities to pair.
Who’s Coming In?
Douglas Emilien
A late addition to the 2020 class, Emilien pledged to the Gophers over offers from Cincinnati, LSU, Miami (FL), Kentucky, and West Virginia among other schools. A defined route runner with phenomenal start and stop ability makes him an ideal slot option. His highlight tape shows him consistently winning on slants and going across the middle, an area that Minnesota utilizes often. His straight-line speed is not seen as elite, however his quickness and route running allow him to separate. If I had to pick one freshman WR to get playing time this fall, I expect it to be Emilien.
Daniel Jackson
Not to be outdone by Emilien, Daniel Jackson is a stud in his own right. He was given a 5.7 high 3-star ranking from Rivals and was a clear man amongst boys in his high school career. Jackson committed to Minnesota over Arizona State, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Texas A&M, and Missouri among others. After tearing his ACL his junior year, he came back to accumulate 74 catches for 1,511 yards and a state record 27 touchdowns. I see Daniel a bit more as an outside X-receiver type candidate rather than a Z slot, however the Gophers will play their best players. If Jackson is ready to play, he will play.
Jonathan Mann
Mann was the first of the 2020 class to commit to Minnesota after his sophomore season at Rosemount. As a senior, he caught 31 balls and averaged 23 yards per reception, while scoring eight touchdowns. A great athlete at 6’4”, he did most of his work in high school on fades and posts dominating smaller defensive backs. Mann has a high ceiling to grow into a solid player for the Gophers. His best football is ahead of him in my opinion after he develops a bit more. I think a redshirt year is in the works for Jonathan so he can be ready to compete in a couple years.
