Gophers to have first offensive lineman drafted in 16 years — and two could get taken

Sixteen years, 185 games and six head coaches later, a long drought for the Gophers football program is about to end. The NFL draft will be held Thursday through Saturday in Las Vegas, and for the first time since 2006, the Gophers are expected to have an offensive lineman selected.

That distinction will go to massive offensive tackle Daniel Faalele, a 6-8, 384-pound native of Melbourne, Australia, who is projected to be a second- or third-round pick, which would mean his selection would happen Friday.

"It's going to be an awesome feeling being able to do that," said Faalele, a first-team All-Big Ten honoree last season. "It's awesome to be able to represent Minnesota at the highest level."

Faalele might be joined in the draft by the guy who often lined up next to him, guard Blaise Andries, who is rated by NFL.com as either a seventh-round selection or a "priority free agent." Andries, a 6-6, 308-pounder from Marshall, Minn., and Faalele were anchors for a line that helped the Gophers go 11-2 and finish No. 10 in the final Associated Press poll in 2019, then post a 9-4 mark in 2021. Faalele did not play in 2020 because of COVID-19 concerns.

The last Gophers offensive linemen drafted by NFL teams were center Greg Eslinger, the Outland and Rimington Trophy winner in 2005 who went to the Denver Broncos in the sixth round in 2006, and guard Mark Setterstrom, who went to the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round that year.

Throughout his brief career — Faalele's first year as a full-time football player was in 2017 as a senior at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. — his selling point has been his size. Under Gophers offensive line coach Brian Callahan, Faalele's skills developed, too. He won a starting job in the sixth game of his freshman season in 2018 and started in 31 of 34 career games. In that span, the Gophers posted a 23-11 record.

During Senior Bowl week and his time at the NFL combine, Faalele got a chance to show NFL coaches and scouts how his game has progressed. Faalele also let it be known that the NFL team that drafts him will get an eager student.

"My main pitch is I just tell them that I'm a great teammate, coachable, like a sponge," he said. "I love learning more about football and being a good teammate."

Andries sang Faalele's praises, too.

"My favorite one I tell [NFL personnel] is double-teams [with Faalele] work like a hot knife through butter. It makes it easier on the guard, especially when you have a big man that can move some bodies. … They asked if I'd play next to him again. I said, 'In a heartbeat.'"

Andries, who played all four guard and tackle spots for the Gophers, is using his versatility as a selling point to NFL teams.

"That's what a lot of the teams really like about me," he said. "And I tell them, 'Wherever they want to put me, they can put me. I'll play there. Give me a week to practice at it, and I'll be good. And if we don't have a week, then we'll make do.'"

A two-time Academic All-America selection, Andries took advice from another Marshall native, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance, who was selected No. 5 overall last year.

"He was telling me that they want to see how you do under pressure and how you hold your composure [in interviews]," Andries said. "They might ask about something that could get you riled up or strike a nerve with you, but you have to show you can control your emotions, that you're composed and that you can handle the pressure of the situation."