The Gophers on Tuesday added bulk and experience to their defensive line when former Purdue defensive tackle Mariere “Mo” Omonode announced on the X platform that he has committed to Minnesota out of the transfer portal.
Omonode, 6 feet and 286 pounds, played three seasons for the Boilermakers, mainly in a rotational role as an interior lineman. Over 33 games in his career, he has 32 tackles, five tackles for loss and 3½ sacks.
Omonode was a three-star recruit out of West Lafayette (Ind.) High School in the 2022 class. He was the 27th-ranked prospect in Indiana and the 237th-ranked defensive lineman nationally in his class. Omonode’s scholarship offers included seven Mid-American Conference teams, plus Navy, Air Force, Marshall, Harvard, Yale and Princeton, among others.
Omonode entered his name in the transfer portal Friday after Purdue’s spring practice ended. He is the second player to commit to Minnesota since the portal’s spring window opened last week, joining Iowa defensive back John Nestor.
