Minnesota kickers: Luke Drzewiecki transfer from New Mexico joins competition in 2026 camp

Minnesota’s 2026 football kickers entered a new phase after the Gophers signed placekicker Luke Drzewiecki, a transfer from New Mexico, according to Yahoo Sports’ report on the early shaping of position battles during preseason camp. The move shifts the conversation from a group that had already been competing, to one that now must account for a new specialist whose recent production came in a system tied to Minnesota special teams coordinator Daniel Da Prato.

Drzewiecki, a Shelby Township, Michigan native, is joining a roster that has been working to sort out who handles kickoff and field-goal duties as camp progresses. The timing matters because it compresses decision-making, teams often prefer to identify a long-term kicker option before the season’s first major game-plan weeks, when practice time tightens and special teams reps become more matchup-specific.

The report ties Drzewiecki’s recruiting and fit to Da Prato’s coaching context. It describes Drzewiecki as “ultra-accurate” for New Mexico last season, under the direction of Da Prato in his role with the Lobos’ special teams. That linkage is notable for Minnesota, because it suggests the Gophers did not simply bring in an outside body, but a player whose recent kicking profile aligns with the coach’s preferences and process.

The Gophers’ internal competition, as characterized by the report, is now “murkier than Day 1.” That phrasing underscores a common training-camp reality: even when a team believes it knows what it has at a position, a late addition from the portal can re-order pecking order quickly, especially at a role where consistency, decision-making, and hold accuracy all need to connect in real time.

In practical terms, Minnesota will likely use the remaining camp practices to test how Drzewiecki handles the range and routine demands that come with a new environment: new teammates, new snap-and-hold timing, and a potentially different emphasis in game-week preparation. The Gophers also have to consider whether a specialist can lock into a repeatable rhythm early enough to reduce variance once the schedule begins.

For fans and observers, the next visible benchmark will be which kicker separates itself during the most meaningful live segments of practice, and how that choice connects to Minnesota’s broader special teams plan. The report frames this as the competition starting to crystallize, but with the kicker position moving in the opposite direction, indicating the team may still be sorting out the final depth-chart answer.

Because this story is based on a non-official report summary and the backend research did not return additional verification, readers should treat the details as preliminary until Minnesota or New Mexico posts confirming transaction and roster information on their official channels. The core takeaway, though, is clear: Minnesota has added a transfer kicker with a recent track record in the same coaching context that Da Prato is now building in Minneapolis.