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Minnesota defensive tackles face uncertainty ahead of 2026 season

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 18, 2026, 10:01 PM

Last updated Aug 18, 2026

Minnesota defensive tackles face uncertainty ahead of 2026 season

Summary

The Minnesota Golden Gophers are navigating changes in their defensive tackle lineup for the 2026 season. With the departures of starters Deven Eastern and Jalen Logan-Redding, the team is left with several unproven players vying for playing time. Riley Sunram and Naquan Crowder are expected to fill key roles, alongside transfers Xion Chapman and Sid Kaba. The team hopes that these younger players can step up as the season approaches, but analysts anticipate a potential downgrade in performance due to the loss of experienced talent. The Gophers will open their season against Eastern Illinois, where these new faces will have their opportunity to prove themselves.

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Status Watch

•Minnesota lost key defensive tackles Deven Eastern and Jalen Logan-Redding.
•Riley Sunram and Naquan Crowder set to start this season.
•Transfers include Xion Chapman and Sid Kaba.
•Gophers will face Eastern Illinois in their season opener.
•Youth and inexperience are concerns in the defensive lineup.

Latest Updates

10:01 PMYahoo Sports — Upgrade or Downgrade at Defensive Tackle

What they're saying

"
The interior of the defensive line is the polar opposite of the guys on the edge. Basically everyone who played a meaningful amount of snaps is gone from the program. Starting tackles Deven Eastern and Jalen Logan-Redding are gone, as are Rushawn Lawrence and Nate Becker who saw the most action as backups. So the […]
— Yahoo Sports

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