Gophers getting some attention for NFL draft

Three years is a long time for a Big Ten program to trudge along without producing an NFL draft pick. The Gophers endured such a drought from 2011 to '13, when many of Tim Brewster's recruits fizzled.

Minnesota had two of Glen Mason's recruits drafted in 2010: Eric Decker and Nate Triplett. After that, the Gophers didn't have a single player drafted until two Brewster recruits — Ra'Shede Hageman and Brock Vereen — were picked in 2014.

Jerry Kill's recruits started coming of age last year, and the Gophers had four players drafted — Maxx Williams, Damien Wilson, David Cobb and Cedric Thompson — for the first time since 2006.

This trend should extend through this week's NFL draft, because the Gophers have at least three players with a strong chance to get picked somewhere in the middle to late rounds.

Eric Murray, Briean Boddy-Calhoun and De'Vondre Campbell weren't nationally renowned names coming out of high school, but each found a niche playing at Minnesota.

The Gophers have seen interest in their players grow, as witnessed at their annual pro day, where recent graduates go through a series of drills similar to the NFL combine. Talent evaluators from 28 NFL teams attended this event last month, up from 13 three years ago.

Brian Anderson, the Gophers' NFL liaison, noted the success past players such as Decker, Matt Spaeth, Marcus Sherels, Hageman and Williams are having in the league.

Murray had no other Division I offers coming out of high school in Milwaukee. He attended a Gophers camp as a wide receiver, and assistant coach Jay Sawvel persuaded him to try out as a defensive back.

The rest is history, as Murray started all 39 games the past three seasons. Perhaps most impressive, he didn't miss a single practice. Coach Tracy Claeys called him "the best overall player I have ever coached."

ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. recently projected Murray to be drafted by the Titans in the third round, with the 76th overall pick. Dane Brugler, from CBSSports.com, has the 5-11 Murray going in the fifth round.

"He lacks ideal size," Brugler said. "But I really like the way he can bring it as a man-to-man cover corner. He has that mentality, and that's really his calling card."

Murray's 39.5-inch vertical jump was the third best among defensive backs at the NFL combine, but his 4.49-second 40-yard-dash time ranked 20th.

For all his talent, Murray managed only two career interceptions for the Gophers, compared with 10 for Boddy-Calhoun. ESPN.com's general scouting rankings have the 5-9 Boddy Calhoun listed as the No. 13 cornerback, one spot ahead of Murray.

Boddy-Calhoun was a first-team All-Big Ten selection as a junior but was hobbled because of a knee injury for much of his senior year. He recovered in time for the combine, running the 40-yard dash in 4.47 seconds.

Still, Brugler wrote a seven-round mock draft and didn't have Boddy-Calhoun being picked.

"He doesn't have ideal size," Brugler said. "Even the speed is just average, but he finds ways to get his hands on the ball. Twenty-six passes defended over 21 starts — that's an excellent number. Ten interceptions — that's terrific.

"He might go late [in the draft]. If not, he'll be a guy that's going to be quickly signed as a [free agent]."

So he went to Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College, where word soon spread about his uncanny playmaking ability. His highlights at Minnesota included an 89-yard interception for a touchdown against UNLV in 2013, and a game-saving strip of De'Mornay Pierson-El in 2014 at Nebraska.

Campbell's Twitter handle is "@Came_Along_Way," and he has the potential to go even further at the next level.

He was among the top sprinters in Florida coming out of Fort Myers but was rail thin and couldn't get a Division I scholarship. At Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College, he started filling out as a linebacker. He drew strong interest from Tennessee, Texas and Kansas State before finally picking the Gophers.

Campbell progressively improved at Minnesota, notching 45, 75 and 92 tackles in his three seasons. At the combine, he ran the third-fastest 40-yard-dash time among linebackers, at 4.58 seconds.

ESPN.com lists Campbell as the 13th-best outside linebacker in this draft, and Brugler has him being drafted in the seventh round.

Campbell has been working with pass-rushing instructor Chuck Smith, knowing he also could be used at defensive end. He also hasn't shied from the criticism that he lacks linebacker instincts.

"I totally agree with them because I've only been playing the position three or four years," Campbell said. "So I think it just really comes with experience, and I've gotten better and better every year. My best football is way ahead of me."

Wide receiver KJ Maye wasn't invited to the NFL combine and didn't have a particularly strong pro day. But as Anderson said, those drills can't show the thing Maye does best, which is find a way to get open and produce first downs.

Former Gophers wide receiver Isaac Fruechte wasn't drafted last year, but the Caledonia, Minn., native went to a Vikings rookie tryout and wound up spending the entire season on their practice squad. Fruechte caught 18 passes as a senior for the Gophers, compared with 73 for Maye.

Peter Mortell is another former Gopher hoping to catch on as an NFL free agent.

Mortell knows the drill. He came to the Gophers as a walk-on and left as the team's all-time leader in career yards per punt (44.0).

"You have to sell yourself and just make the most of the opportunities that were given to you," Mortell said. "Coach Kill gave me an opportunity, and I don't think he regrets it."