Minnesota Countdown to Kickoff: No. 30 LB Drew Wilson
The countdown until the Minnesota Golden Gophers’ 2025 season opener against the Buffalo Bulls on August 28 is now only 30 days away, bringing Golden Gophers redshirt sophomore linebacker Drew Wilson into today’s player spotlight.
A walk-on out of Homestead High School in Mequon, Wisconsin, Wilson is entering his third season with the program. He chose to walk on with the Golden Gophers over various offers, including one from another Minneapolis-based institution, St. Thomas.
At Homestead, Wilson was a tremendous linebacker, one of the best in the state of Wisconsin, and had 95 tackles as a senior, including 13 tackles for loss. He also broke up seven passes while forcing and recovering one fumble. He also showed his talent in the return game, where he averaged over 34 yards per kickoff return as a senior, including returning one kickoff for a touchdown.
Through his first two years on campus, Wilson has yet to see the field for the Golden Gophers. In 2025, Wilson will compete to find a role, most likely on special teams, for the Golden Gophers. But perhaps if a mop-up opportunity would present itself this year during the regular season, Wilson could potentially make his defensive debut at some point down the line as well.
While Wilson hasn’t yet made an impact on the field, he is known to be a very strong student in the classroom, earning Academic All-Big Ten Honors last year.
PREVIOUS INSTALLMENTS:
No. 32: Former Gophers LB Pete Najarian
No. 38: Former Gophers K Emmitt Carpenter
