Who will replace Dragan Kesich as Minnesota's kicker in 2025?

The Gophers football team is tasked this offseason with replacing Dragan Kesich, who was one of the best kickers in recent program history. Syracuse transfer Brady Denaburg looks like the favorite to fill his shoes, but what other options does Minnesota have?

Hailing from Merritt Island, Fla., Denaburg is one of the most unique athletes you'll find at a specialist position. He played quarterback on his high school team and threw for 3,220 yards and 30 touchdowns on a team that lost in Florida's Class 5A state championship game. He was also quite the baseball player, compiling a .339 batting average with 17 RBIs as a senior. Lastly, he played on the soccer team as well, scoring 10 goals in eight games in his final high school season.

Denaburg will not be doing any of those things at Minnesota. In his final high school season, he was a perfect 44 for 44 on extra points and 19 of 26 on field goals. He opted to head north and play college football for Syracuse and special teams coordinator Bob Ligashesky, who now holds the same position with the Gophers.

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Denaburg was immediately Syracuse's kickoff specialist as a true freshman in 2022. He then had his first chance as a full-time place kicker on top of the kickoff duties in 2023. He finished the season 36 for 37 on extra points and 10 for 16 on field goals, with three of his misses coming from 50-plus yards.

Ligashesky left for Minnesota before the 2024 season, and then Denaburg split place kicking duties with the Orange. He was 16 for 16 on extra points and 3 for 6 on field goals, with two of his misses coming from 40-plus yards.

It's a foregone conclusion that Denaburg will be the team's kickoff specialist in 2025. One hundred and fifty-five of his 197 kickoffs went for touchbacks, and his familiarity with Ligashesky will help him earn the job, but there are three other kickers on the roster.

Veteran Concordia-St. Paul transfer Sam Henson and Memphis transfer David Kemp both have one season of eligibility remaining, but neither player has officially announced they will be returning to Minnesota. The Gophers are also bringing in Alexandria, Minn., native Daniel Jackson, who was the state's best kicker at the high school level last season. Given the new roster restrictions, it doesn't seem feasible that Minnesota will hold four kickers on its 105-player roster.

Denaburg's familiarity with Ligasheksy and substantial leg up with experience compared to the other kickers on Minnesota's roster makes the place kicking and kickoff specialist roles his to lose in 2025.