Defensive tackle has been a strength of the Gopher defense over the last couple seasons, primarily due to Steven Richardson being an elite and regular fixture in the middle. Richardson has graduated and is fighting to make an NFL roster, what will the Gopher defensive tackles look like in 2018? Will there be a dropoff in production?
As mentioned, gone is Steven Richardson. The Illinois native was a disruptive force for the Gophers starting 44 games, recording 28.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks over his Gopher career. Certainly one of the biggest losses from the 2017 roster, Richardson will be difficult to replace.