Gophers football stock report: Who’s trending up or down through 5 games?

Which players have earned themselves more playing time for Minnesota?

Sep 27, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers running back Fame Ijeboi (7) celebrates his two-yard touchdown run against Rutgers Scarlet Knights with offensive lineman Tony Nelson (59) during the second quarter at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn Images | Nick Wosika-Imagn Images

We're five games into the Gophers' 2025 regular season schedule. Let's take a deeper look at which players have exceeded expectations and which players might be trending in the wrong direction so far.

Top 5 PFF grades on offense (min. 50 snaps)

1. Drake Lindsey, QB — 88.9

2. Fame Ijeboi, RB — 83.8

3. Darius Taylor, RB — 77.1

4. Le'Meke Brockington, WR — 74.4

5. Nathan Roy, LT/RT — 72.7

Subscribe: Sign up to receive the free Gophers On SI newsletter

Minnesota Golden Gophers quarterback Drake Lindsey (5) throws during the second half of the NCAA football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Oct. 4, 2025. Ohio State won 42-3. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Lindsey is the top overall graded player on the entire team. It's hard to argue that he hasn't at least met expectations as a first-year starting QB so far. One of the biggest breakout stars on the entire team is Ijeboi, who leads the team with 48 carries for 225 yards and one touchdown.

Despite missing two games, Taylor is still having an impressive season with 4.2 yards per carry. Brockington leads Minnesota with 19 receptions, and he's third with 192 yards. Roy kicked over to right tackle for the first time against Ohio State, but he's still the highest graded offensive lineman on Minnesota's roster, and he has allowed only six pressures all season as a redshirt freshman.

Bottom 5 PFF grade on offense (min. 50 snaps)

• Marcellus Marshall, OL — 50.1

• Logan Loya, WR — 58.9

• Jalen Smith, WR — 60.1

• Kenric Lanier II, WR — 60.3

• Cam Davis, RB — 64.7

Three of the players on the bottom five list are incoming transfers from the last cycle. Marshall has struggled in his transition from UCF to the Big Ten. Loya has only eight catches for 58 yards after coming in from UCLA. Smith and Lanier have shown some great moments this season, but they've both struggled with consistency. Davis has provided much depth at running back, but the explosive plays haven't been there with 3.2 yards per carry.

Sep 6, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers running back Cam Davis (23) celebrates his touchdown against the Northwestern State Demons during the second quarter at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Top 5 PFF grades on defense (min. 50 snaps)

1. Emmanuel Karmo, LB — 78.9

2. Devon Williams, LB — 78.6

3. Maverick Baranowski, LB — 77.8

4. John Nestor, CB — 74.4

5. Kerry Brown, S — 72.5

Sep 27, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers linebacker Maverick Baranowski (6) celebrates his sack against Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the second quarter at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn Images | Nick Wosika-Imagn Images

Karmo just surpassed the 50-snap threshold with 51 defensive snaps so far this season, and he looks like the real deal as a true freshman. First-year linebackers coach Mariano Sori-Marin deserves a ton of credit, as Minnesota's three highest-graded defensive players are all linebackers. Nestor and Brown have been the top two performers in the secondary according to PFF.

Bottom 5 PFF grades on defense (min. 50 snaps)

• Lucas Finnessy, DE — 45.4

• Aidan Gousby, DB — 51.9

• Jalen Logan-Redding, DL — 53.1

• Deven Eastern, DT — 53.4

• Mike Gerald, CB — 57.0

Sep 13, 2025; Berkeley, California, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive lineman Jalen Logan-Redding (97) and California Golden Bears defensive lineman Nate Burrell (98) greet each other following their game at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

Despite having a top 10 run defense in the country, three defensive linemen land on the bottom five list for the Gophers. Gousby is eighth on the team in total snaps, but he has struggled to get things going through five games. Gerald was thrown into the fire with his first three games against power conference opponents, but he has shown moments of impressive potential.