Gophers football: Is star Anthony Smith coming back in 2026?

Last December Gophers star defensive end Anthony Smith advised the Pioneer Press his goal was to be a first-round pick in the NFL draft Being in the green room and my name being called literally the first day Smith commented before the playing in the Duke s Mayo Bowl The conventional wisdom was the Battle for Paul Bunyan s Axe against Wisconsin on Saturday would be his final regular-season event but the redshirt junior was not bidding farewell when sought about his future in Wednesday s news conference The Shippensburg Pa native has one more year of eligibility remaining for next fall and appears to be contemplating using it I don t know yet Smith announced Wednesday I got to focus on this week Like perpetually my goal has been to go to the NFL whenever that happens Smith was then demanded a similar question on whether he will walk on Senior Day at Huntington Bank Stadium He was noncommittal on participating in those festivities Saturday which are not a guarantee on whether a competitor is coming back or not Smith has been considered the only candidate to potentially continue the Gophers streak of having a first- or second-round pick in six straight drafts since But his stock might be slipping he was left off The Athletic s list of Top draft candidates earlier this fall At -foot- and pounds Smith has a Big Ten-leading sacks in games as well as total pressures according to Pro Football Focus But his season has been up and down including a season-low overall grade from PFF in the - defeat to Northwestern last Saturday One litmus test for draft stock is how a performer performs against the best of the best and Smith did not show out against Ohio State zero pressures Iowa one pressure and Oregon two pressures and one sack If Smith does return for next fall it would be a big boost for the Gophers D-line Minnesota will lose a handful of key interior linemen including fifth-year senior tackle Devein Eastern sixth-year tackle Jalen Logan-Redding and sixth-year tackle Rushawn Lawrence That trio has run out of eligibility but it s wait and see on Smith Related Articles Gophers football JUCO safety MJ Graham de-commits from the U Gophers football Top JUCO receiver Derrick Salley de-commits from the U Gophers football Awkward situation looms for P J Fleck Gophers football Texas Longhorns nab another U pledge Badgers riding high Gophers low going into Axe meeting