Crystal ball: Seth Green to redshirt, while other Gophers newcomers have immediate impact

The Gophers won't release their official depth chart until closer to the Sept. 1 season opener against Oregon State. But with practice starting Friday, here's what my crystal ball says the two-deep will look like for Game 1, or at least by the Oct. 1 Big Ten opener at Penn State.

OFFENSE

QB Mitch Leidner (Sr.)/Demry Croft (So.) or Conor Rhoda (Jr.)

Note: I expect Seth Green to redshirt this season and battle Croft for the starting job next spring.

RB Shannon Brooks (So.)/Rodney Smith (So.)

WR Drew Wolitarsky (Sr.)/Hunter Register (Rs-Fr.)

WR Rashad Still (So.)/Melvin Holland Jr. (So.)

Note: Not much buzz about Isaiah Gentry in summer workouts. Mayer and Morse are both walk-ons who've drawn praise for their consistent improvement.

TE Brandon Lingen (Jr.)/Nate Wozniak (Jr.)

LT Garrison Wright (Jr.)/Chad Fahning (Jr.)

LG Connor Mayes (Jr.)/Quinn Oseland (Rs-Fr.)

C Tyler Moore (So.)/Jared Weyler (So.)

RT Jonah Pirsig (Sr.)/Donnell Greene (So.) or Nick Connelly (Rs-Fr.)

Note: The 6-7, 345-pound Greene transferred from Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College.

DEFENSE

DE Gaelin Elmore (Jr.)/Julien Kafo (So.)

DE Hank Ekpe (Sr.)/Winston DeLattiboudere (Fr.)

DT Steven Richardson (Jr.)/Andrew Stelter (So.)

DT Scott Ekpe (Sr.)/Merrick Jackson (Jr.) or Gary Moore (So.)

Note: Moore redshirted last year after playing as a true freshmen. Gophers surprisingly deep at DT.

LB Jonathan Celestin (Jr.)/Julian Huff (So.)

LB Cody Poock (Jr.)/Nick Rallis (Sr.) or Jaylen Waters (Rs-Fr.)

Note: The coaching staff regularly mentions Coughlin AND Martin as true freshmen who could play immediately, rushing off the edge as Julian Huff did last year.

CB Jalen Myrick (Sr.)/Ray Buford (Fr.)

CB KiAnte Hardin (So.)/Antonio Shenault (So.)

*CB (Nickel packages) Antoine Winfield Jr. (Fr.) or Kiondre Thomas (Fr.) or Coney Durr (Fr.)

Note: The Gophers are very high on all three of these incoming freshmen DBs.

Note: Amoako is a graduate transfer from Houston Baptist (previously Oregon).

S Ace Rogers (Sr.)/Adekunle Ayinde (Jr.) or Jacob Huff (So.)

SPECIAL TEAMS

K Emmit Carpenter (So.)/Ryan Santoso (Jr.)

Note: Santoso will be the primary punter and handle long field goals. That's the plan at least.

P Ryan Santoso (Jr.)/Jacob Herbers (Fr.)