Gophers’ Aireontae Ersery makes huge jump, now viewed as one of nation’s top left tackles

Max Brosmer’s eyes lit up and a smile crossed his face when asked for his reaction upon discovering that Aireontae Ersery would be his left tackle if the former New Hampshire quarterback joined the Gophers.

“I was looking at that when I researched Minnesota,” Brosmer said Tuesday, stressing the importance of “having a blind-side tackle who’s really, really talented to help quarterbacks stay comfortable.”

Ersery, all 6-6 and 330 pounds of him, fits that description to a T. Entering his fifth season with the Gophers, the Kansas City, Mo., native is no longer operating under the radar. He earned first-team All-Big Ten honors from the Associated Press last year and has received preseason All-America mention from several publications. He also checks in at No. 25 on college football writer Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks” list, a compilation of 101 players who stand out because of their athletic feats.

In Ersery’s case, Feldman points to the Gopher’s 640-pound squat, 412-pound bench press, his 1.52-second 10-yard split and his 4.61-second pro shuttle — a combination of strength, speed and agility that will be attractive to NFL teams, possibly in the first round, should he forgo his final season of eligibility in 2025 and enter the draft.

Ersery appreciates the accolades, but his focus is on training camp and a season that’s three weeks away from the Aug. 29 opener against North Carolina at Huntington Bank Stadium.

“It’s pretty cool stuff,” he said. “But at the end of the day, I’m a competitor, I’m a winner. I want to go out there and win. Whatever I need to do to contribute to our success, I’m going to go out and do.”

The route from three-star prospect and the nation’s No. 77-ranked offensive tackle recruit to a potential All-America honoree has been a long one for Ersery. He played only one game in 2020, thrown into the action as a starter at Nebraska when the Gophers offensive line was shorthanded because of COVID-19. Ersery didn’t allow a sack as the Gophers beat the Cornhuskers 24-17.

Ersery played only one game in 2021 while saving a redshirt season, then secured the starting left tackle job in 2022. As a first-year starter, he struggled at times, receiving a 61.6 grade from Pro Football Focus college evaluators, which is just above the average of 60.

Last year, though, Ersery took a massive step forward. His 84.0 PFF grade ranked sixth among tackles and is the third best among returning tackles. His run-blocking rating of 86.2 was third best last year and the best among returnees. He had a 71.1 grade in pass blocking and allowed two sacks and 15 pressures last season.

“Now that I’m older, the game is starting to slow down way more,” he said.

Ersery listed pass blocking as his top area to improve this season, and in that endeavor, he has help across the line of scrimmage in Gophers edge rusher Jah Joyner. A twitchy 6-5, 265-pound fifth-year senior who also has NFL aspirations, Joyner could choose to enter the 2025 draft. In a case of iron sharpening iron, Ersery and Joyner face off frequently in practice.

“It’s been a battle all fall camp,” said Joyner, an honorable mention All-Big Ten performer who led the Gophers with 7½ sacks last year. “We’ve definitely [made] each other better throughout the years. … He’s one of the best in the country. He’s able to move his feet really well.”

Ersery enjoys the competition not only for how it improves both himself and Joyner but also for the example it sets.

“It goes back and forth,” Ersery said of who holds the edge. “It makes both of us great. … It’s important for the younger guys to see stuff like that — the older guys putting in work, day in and day out.”

That work ethic has enabled Ersery to nudge himself among the best in the country at his position. He doesn’t consider that the destination, but rather a point on a longer journey.

“I’ve surprised myself with how far I’ve come,” he said. “There’s still stuff I can get better at. It’s just having that hungry mentality every day.”