National Signing Day for high school and junior college football players is tomorrow, Wednesday, December 3. Unveiling the 2026 Golden Gophers class will provide a glimpse into potential key contributors to the program next fall and beyond.
Sports Headliners interviewed local recruiting guru Ryan Burns from GopherIllustrated and 247Sports. When asked what’s interesting regarding the class, he replied it’s the emphasis to improve team speed and athleticism.
That emphasis is particularly true on offense, Burns said, singling out three players who are expected to sign their National Letters of Intent with Minnesota soon as part of a 31-man recruiting class ranked by 247Sports. He believes those players could accomplish what head coach P.J. Fleck and staff want to do on offense which is attack defenses vertically and sideline-to-sideline.
At about 6-foot-4 and 225-pounds Roman Voss is targeted to play tight end for the Gophers and was a legendary performer for Jackson County Central in southwestern Minnesota. The Gophers had to fight off blue-blood Alabama to keep the offensive and defensive star home.
Voss finished his prep career with a school record of 5,661 passing yards and 58 touchdown passes, per MaxPreps. He set the career rushing record with 4,686 yards and 65 touchdowns. A linebacker and safety on defense, he not only played quarterback on offense but also had 17 receptions for 383 yards as a receiver.
With that resume, Voss might even get an opportunity to be a wildcat quarterback, running and passing in a key game situation. His big frame could be an asset as a “tush push” guy similar to how Penn State used All-American tight end Tyler Warren in 2024.
A second player Burns highlighted is running back Ryan Estrada from El Paso. He said Estrada, listed at about 5-foot-9 and 195 pounds by 247, has averaged 12 to 13 yards per carry for three seasons playing against teams with large school enrollments. “He is very, very quick, very, very fast and that’s a skillset that Minnesota doesn’t have,” Burns said.
At running back in 2026 the Gophers figure to return versatile runner-receiver Darius Taylor and power runner Fame Ijeboi. Taylor is shifty and adept at changing direction but neither he nor Ijeboi have catch me if you can speed.
Burns referred to Braiden Stevens from Platte County, Missouri as “Minnesota’s version of Kaden Wetjen.” Big Ten fans know Iowa Hawkeye game breaker Wetjen as a speedster who can deliver a big play in any game as a return man and receiver.
Listed at just 5-8 and 165-pounds, Stevens can run a 10.4 100-meter dash, per Burns. That could translate into explosiveness at slot receiver including catching bubble screens. He might also be a gamebreaker on jet sweeps and in the return game.
“I think maybe all three of them (Voss, Estrada, Stevens) can potentially play as true freshmen,” Burns said.
Howie Johnson, from Forest Lake, is 247’s highest rated future Gopher. “He’s the most relentless defensive tackle who’s strong like a bull,” Burns said. “ … He’s very quick, he’s got a relentless motor. I think he’s someone that hopefully early in his career can be a really good pass rusher for Minnesota. That’s where I think he thrives.”
Johnson, followed by Voss, Rico Blassingame, the wide receiver from Arizona and Aaden Aytch, edge rusher from Indiana, are all 247 four-stars, although Blassingame is a three-star in the 247 composite rankings that include other recruiting sources. The next highest rated is Rocori offensive lineman Andrew Trout, who although he gets a three-star ranking from 247, also earns a four-star in the composite rankings.
“I mean he’s like you draw them up in a lab,” Burns said. “I mean he’s…to me the best offensive line prospect from the state since Greg Johnson (Gopher junior guard) a few years ago…
“I’ve seen Andrew Trout for a very long time and he’s legitimately 6-foot-7, 300 pounds and he looks like he’s 250 pounds. He’s exactly like it looks. If he can stay healthy and add strength, that’s a guy you can pencil in at tackle for three years, and then good things will happen.”
Who among the 2026 class might have the most impactful career? And possibly even start next fall as a true freshman?
Burns first mentioned Voss, noting the Gophers lose three tight ends after this season and he could see the Minnesota prep playing right away. “Roman Voss gives them a skillset they don’t have. He’s great with the ball in his hands. You can use him in a lot of different ways.”
Trout is part of Burns’ response, too, noting it’s believed he has set the state record for tackles for loss.” And there are Stevens and Estrada with their speed and potential big play ability.
Among the most recent verbal commits now expected to sign with the Gophers is three-star quarterback Brady Palmer from San Diego. Palmer had been committed to Cal before the head coaching change. Burns said Palmer, who counted college offers from the likes of former Ohio State offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, was recruited by Minnesota offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh Jr. going back 18 months.
By state the class as comprised now (there could be Wednesday dropouts and additions) consists of four players each from Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, per 247. After that are Minnesota and Arizona with three each.
Often the Gophers have a few more state natives, but Minnesota is not considered rich recruiting territory by major college teams. “I don’ think the state of Minnesota is great at producing talent,” Burns said. “I think it’s kind of an anomaly they’re taking more Wisconsin kids than they are Minnesota kids, especially cause a lot of those Wisconsin kids are more project types that they’re just trying to take (a)…shot on.”
Of course, the Gophers won’t make perfect decisions on every player in the state. They and other programs will misjudge players they give scholarships to and blow the opportunity to take someone else—sometimes available right under their I-Pads.
It looks like the Gophers are passing on Minnetonka running back Caleb Francois. Despite being a touchdown machine and named Strib Varsity All-Minnesota Player of the Year, Burns said the Gophers “really didn’t recruit him very heavily.” He added that Iowa State, where Francois is headed, was the only Power Four school to offer the playmaker.
Gopher fans will be fingers crossed there’s not a repeat of the Emmett Johnson gaffe. The Minneapolis native was the state’s 2021 Mr. Football and this year the Nebraska running back is leading the Big Ten with 1,451 yards rushing. He’s a top candidate for post season Big Ten and national awards.
Burns said Johnson wanted to be a Gopher, but Fleck was only going to take one running back in the class of 2022 and that was Zach Evans from Texas. Burns also said recruiters hesitated about Johnson’s speed and ability to make tacklers miss, and that for much of the recruiting cycle he had no Power Five offers. That was true even after he made an official visit to Nebraska.
“Then the offer came just before Signing Day and he took it, and he’s obviously done really, really well with it,” Burns said. “Minnesota did not offer him. Nebraska was the only Power Five school to do so and they certainly look like a genius.”
The Gophers 2026 class is ranked No. 24 in the 247 rankings and its composite rankings. As more schools fill in their classes in the closing hours, including blue-bloods, Minnesota’s rank is expected to fall.
“They’ll probably end up in the 30’s would be my guess,” Burns said.