Ra’Shede Hageman, a first-team All-Big Ten defensive lineman for the Gophers, received a piece of mail on Monday that could help his draft stock go through the roof.
The 6-foot-6, 311-pound senior of Minneapolis has accepted an invitation to play in the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.
DT @RashedeHageman from @Gopherfootball has accepted an invitation to the 2014 Reese's Senior Bowl.
— Reese's Senior Bowl (@seniorbowl) December 16, 2013
As it stands now, Hageman is projected to be a late first-round pick in the draft.
According to the Star Tribune, Hageman will become the first player to represent the Gophers at the Senior Bowl in seven years. Offensive lineman Mark Setterstrom attended the week-long event in 2006.
Here’s how Hageman is described on the Senior Bowl’s website.
The 6’6”, 311-pound lineman benches 465 pounds, squats 500 pounds yet has a 36-inch vertical leap.
CBS Sports ranks Hageman as the second best defensive tackle eligible for the draft, and the No. 27 player in the nation.
Hageman insists he’s not thinking ahead to the Senior Bowl or NFL Scouting Combine, which he’s also expected to be invited to. Instead, his attention is on Minnesota’s upcoming game against Syracuse in the Texas Bowl on Dec. 27.
“I try not to, but sometimes I have insomnia sitting there thinking about what my future’s going to be like and what I have to do and what changes I’m going to have to make,” Hageman told FOX Sports North. “I’m always thinking about the future. As of right now, I’m trying to focus on the bowl game because it’s very important for us to come out with a win.”
NFL Network will televise the Senior Bowl Jan. 25 at 3:00 p.m. Central Time.
In addition to accepting the Senior Bowl invitation, Hageman and Gophers senior defensive back Brock Vereen were named to ESPN.com’s All-Big Ten team on Monday.
