While the transfer portal has added plenty of spice and talent to roster building in college football, the tried-and-true method of recruiting players out of high school still carries the most importance to most programs.
For the Gophers, that means securing as many of the best Minnesota players they can while often filling the skill positions with talent from elsewhere.
With Minnesota coming off an 8-5 season, coach P.J. Fleck is assembling his 2026 recruiting class, and it’s one that features high-end in-state talent like Forest Lake defensive lineman Howie Johnson and Rocori offensive tackle Andrew Trout, both four-star recruits who already have verbally committed to the Gophers.
Prep Redzone has Trout ranked as the No. 2-ranked recruit from Minnesota in the 2026 class, behind Jackson County Central’s Roman Voss, and Johnson is third on that list.
With some busy recruiting weekends coming for the Gophers, here’s a look at this recruiting class, which will grow between now and the early signing period of Dec. 4-6. Minnesota Star Tribune staff writers will update this chart as news develops.
