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Report: Minnesota freshman OL opts for transfer portal after 2021 season
Published:
Minnesota’s depth along the offensive line has taken a hit.
On Monday night, Andy Greder of the Pioneer Press reported freshman offensive lineman Saia Mapakaitolo has entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal. The news comes a few days after the Golden Gophers received their bowl destination and opponent.
Minnesota is heading to the Guaranteed Rate Bowl to play West Virginia.
Report: #Gophers true freshman offensive lineman Saia Mapakaitolo has entered the NCAA transfer portal, per @RivalsPortal. The Mesa, Ariz., native did not appear in a game in 2021 season.
— Andy Greder (@andygreder) December 7, 2021
Mapakaitolo was a 3-star member of Minnesota’s 2021 recruiting class. He was ranked just outside the Top 500 overall prospects of the cycle and was a Top 50 offensive tackle. The Arizona native did not see any game action during the Gophers’ 8-4 campaign.
Because he did not play in the 2021 season, Mapakaitolo will still have 4 years of eligibility remaining at his next destination.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB