Minnesota WR Le'Meke Brockington discusses development and wide receiver room ahead of 2025 season
With the 2025 season drawing near, Minnesota is now just 14 days away from kickoff. On Tuesday, Golden Gophers wide receiver Le’Meke Brockington met with the media to discuss his personal development and the wide receiver room ahead of this upcoming season.
Brockington may not end up being a statistical leader for the Gophers this fall, but he is a leader in the locker room and on the field.
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Brockington is one of two Gophers’ wide receivers to have more than three years of experience with the program. Both Brockington and Quentin Redding have spent five seasons with the program.
After losing Daniel Jackson and Elijah Spencer this offseason, the Gophers coaching staff infused the receiver room with transfers. Making the move to Minneapolis this offseason were Javon Tracy (Miami-OH), Logan Loya (UCLA), and Malachi Coleman (Nebraska).
With the addition of the trio, the Gophers’ depth at wide receiver has grown notably, and the program hopes it translates to extended production throughout the depth chart at the position this fall.
Echoing the sentiment that offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh Jr. had last week regarding the wide receiver room, Brockington believes the Gophers have never been deeper during his career.
“That’s probably the most depth we’ve ever had for sure,” Brockington said. “We got a lot of guys who know what they’re doing. Everyone’s going out to compete, making plays. We got a bunch of playmakers in the room.”
“It’s our job to make it tough on the coaches to put us on the field,” he continued.
A potentially important part of that depth for the Gophers this upcoming fall is the emergence of redshirt freshman Jalen Smith.
“Jalen Smith has had huge growth,” Brockington said. “Fleck had a saying telling him he’s not a freshman anymore, and I think this year he took that really to heart, and he’s improved to almost like a vet-style type of play.”
Brockington honored by inclusion on Freaks List
Brockington, entering his fourth season on the field, has continuously flashed his potential throughout his Minnesota career. The 6-foot-0 Brockington enters this season with 34 career receptions for 558 yards and 16.4 yards per reception. Last season, he set a career high with 18 receptions for 282 yards and one touchdown.
An incredible athlete, Brockington was named to Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List on The Athletic earlier this summer. The Freak’s List is a list of the top athletes in college football through the eyes of The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman. Brockington made the list at No.28
“This offseason, the 6-0, 195-pounder, who has made a remarkable recovery from a broken leg in 2023, squatted a Gophers wide receiver record 664 pounds, breaking his own record from a year ago by 50 pounds,” Feldman wrote about Brockington. “Brockington’s vertical jumped 42 inches, broad jumped 11-4 1/4 (an improvement of five inches from last year), ran a 4.19 shuttle time, and had a 10-yard split of 1.43.”
“It’s an honor to be on the list,” Brockington said about the recognition. “Last year, I got honored by mentioning it was one of my goals to try to make the list this year, which I did. I’m very honored.”
Brockington discusses his development ahead of fifth season
This fall, the fifth-year senior hopes to make an even bigger impact and has had plenty of parts of his game that he wants to work on.
“My separation,” Brockington said when asked about his focus this offseason. ” I noticed it in my game, critiquing myself, saying I need to create more separation on my breaks and be able to get the ball thrown to me.”
“But this year I’ve made a big emphasis on that,” he added. “Hopefully, fans get to see, coaches, teammates, and everything get to see what I’ve been working all season, hoping I get to show what I have been doing.”
Part of his development has always come in the form of picking the brains of the Gophers’ trio of transfers.
“They helped me bring in some tools that they had from their previous schools,” he said. “Especially as like a wide receiver standpoint. Logan, Javon, and Malachi are all coming in with all different types of coaching styles from different wide receiver coaches. Them incorporating their coaching styles from their receiver coaches that previous schools implemented to our coaches. What we teach us has made my game way bigger and wider.”
Brockington on QB Drake Lindsey
Brockington also likes what he has seen out of first-year starting quarterback Drake Lindsey.
“He’s going to be the next truth of Minnesota,” he said. “That’s my guy. He’s going to be a great leader in the near future.”
“First of all is leadership,” Brockington continued when asked about Lindsey’s strengths. “That’s the biggest thing. I feel like he learned a lot from Max Brosmer being here, pass that on to him. Also, he’s a playmaker. He’s a baller. Natural talented arm. He’s going to throw it all around the field.”
With it being Lindsey’s first year as the starter, Brockington and Lindsey have been ensuring that their chemistry is strong heading into the fall.
“It’s not about getting a timing down during practice,” Brockington said. “It’s also about after-practice work. The unrequired work that we like to talk about in the program. Building that connection with all the receivers and all the quarterbacks together, getting that after work practice. Even before work, like in the film room, they don’t even have to be on the field. Talking with each other, building that relationship, and having that connection.”
All together, Brockington believes the Gophers’ offense has never been more dangerous.
“It’s probably the most weaponized offense we’ve ever had,” he said.
Brockington and the Gophers will have their first opportunity to showcase their weaponized offense on August 28 when the Buffalo Bulls come to Huntington Bank Stadium.
