The Gophers must replace four offensive line starters for the 2025 season, and on Saturday, they added two potential starters from the transfer portal.
Kahlee Tafai, a tackle who started four games for Washington as a redshirt freshman in 2024, and Dylan Ray, a guard who started 12 games for Kentucky over the past two seasons, committed to the Gophers. They’ll join an offensive line that loses left tackle Aireontae Ersery (declared for the NFL), left guard Tyler Cooper and right guard/tackle Quinn Carroll (both out of eligibility) and right tackle Phillip Daniels (transferred to Ohio State).
Tafai, 6-5 and 338 pounds, is a three-star prep recruit out of Leuzinger High School in Lawndale, Calif., who will have three years of eligibility remaining. He drew interest in the transfer portal from Alabama, UCLA, USC, North Carolina, Arizona State and Nebraska, among others.
Ray, 6-6 and 310 pounds, began his career as a walk-on at West Virginia, where he redshirted in 2021 and saw 32 snaps in 2022. The Noblesville, Ind., native started 10 games for Kentucky in 2023 and two games this season while working in a rotation.
With Tafai and Ray added, the Gophers have three offensive line commits since the transfer portal opened Dec. 9. They join former Central Florida guard Marcellus Marshall.
