Former Shakopee standout Deven Eastern enters the NFL draft this weekend as Minnesota’s highest-ranked prospect and a likely Day 3 pick, with the Vikings among the teams that could call his name. He was the Gophers’ only player invited to the scouting combine in February, a sign that his rise from late-career starter to draft hopeful has accelerated quickly.
Eastern, 6-5¼ and 315 pounds, spent five seasons at Minnesota and finished with 24 total quarterback hurries. His breakout came in 2023, when an injury to another defensive lineman late in fall camp pushed him into the lineup against Nebraska. He played 38 snaps in that first start, made a tackle and notched his first career quarterback hurry, then added five more that season.
The turnaround is part of what made Eastern a focal point at Minnesota’s Pro Day in mid-March, when coach P.J. Fleck praised the way the program’s “Row the Boat” culture shaped him. Fleck called Eastern the walking, talking example of what that commitment can do, while Eastern said Winston DeLattiboudere III was a big part of building him into the player he is today.
That mattered because Eastern’s path was not smooth. He played for four different defensive line coaches in five seasons, and only spent two of those years with DeLattiboudere, who coached him from 2015 to 2019 before becoming part of a Minnesota room he called “The Dojo.” DeLattiboudere said he saw Eastern change in workouts from a player who conserved energy to one who pushed himself harder than everyone around him, and described him as impactful while noting that people had to breathe life into a player who did not yet understand how good he could be.
Eastern said DeLattiboudere brought a lot of energy and confidence to his game, a detail that helps explain why his late surge stands out. A player who started only after an injury opened the door in 2023 is now the Gophers’ best shot at hearing his name on draft weekend, and his climb may end with Minnesota still in the picture if the Vikings decide to make it.
