Minnesota Football: Vanderbilt defensive end Lorenza Surgers to transfer to Minnesota

Vanderbilt defensive end Lorenza Surgers announced Tuesday night that he will transfer to Minnesota, where he will have two years of eligibility remaining.

Surgers was a two-star recruit coming out of high school, according to 247 Sports, and committed to the Commodores over an offer from Connecticut. He did not see much game action his first three years at Vanderbilt, redshirting his freshman year and then playing in a total of six games over the next two seasons. Surgers played in 12 games last year, finishing the season with 17 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and one sack.

The Gophers are looking to replace both of their starting defensive ends this offseason after Boye Mafe and Esezi Otomewo opted to forgo their final years of eligibility and declare for the NFL Draft. Thomas Rush is expected to get the starting nod at rush end, replacing Mafe, while the other edge spot is up for grabs, with Jah Joyner and Jalen Logan-Redding among the candidates.