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Gophers OT Aireontae Ersery honored as Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Josh Skluzacek | Last updated Dec 3, 2024 12:48 PM ET

For the first time in nearly 20 years, the Minnesota Golden Gophers have the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year.

On Tuesday, senior offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery was named as the 2024 Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year, making him the first Gopher since Greg Eslinger in 2005 to receive the award.

to Aireontae Ersery, the 2024 Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year! #B1GFootball x @GopherFootball pic.twitter.com/H8hscz0VW9
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) December 3, 2024

Ersery has risen from a three-star recruit to a highly decorated player.

He's already considered likely to be selected in the early rounds of the NFL Draft next spring and has accepted an invite to the Senior Bowl.

He was an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention in 2022, then an All-Big Ten Second Team honoree last year and now a First Team player this season. Over that time, he’s anchored an offensive line that has excelled at times both on the ground and through the air.

Among qualified players, Pro Football Focus gave Ersery the third-highest grade of any offensive tackle in the Big Ten this season, as he allowed just 13 pressures and one sack in nearly 700 snaps while also earning the fifth-best run blocking grade at his position. That overall grade puts him 10th among all Power 4 tackles while the run-block grade ranks 19th.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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