Oct 5, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck looks on before the game against the USC Trojans at Huntington Bank Stadium. Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Top 2026 football recruit in Minnesota is down to Gophers or Alabama

Originally posted on Minnesota Golden Gophers on SI
By Will Ragatz | Last updated May 7, 2025 7:22 PM ET

Roman Voss, the state of Minnesota's No. 1 high school football recruit in the class of 2026, is down to two schools, he told On3's Hayes Fawcett: the Gophers and the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Voss is a 6'4", 220-pound kid from Jackson, MN, a small town in southern Minnesota with a population of less than 4,000 people. Listed as an "athlete" by most recruiting services, he plays quarterback, wide receiver, and safety at Jackson County Central High School.

Last May, P.J. Fleck and the Gophers became the first Division I program to extend Voss a scholarship offer. Since then, in the wake of his junior season, his recruitment has blown up. Ranked as a four-star prospect and borderline top-200 player in the country, Voss has picked up offers from Alabama, Auburn, USC, Miami, and Oklahoma, as well as other major Midwestern programs like Wisconsin and Iowa.

Now Voss faces a fascinating decision. Does he follow in the footsteps of someone like Koi Perich and play for the Gophers, or does he go to the program that has had more success — and produced more NFL players — than anyone else this century? Nick Saban is no longer at Alabama, but Kalen DeBoer is a great coach in his own right. Voss is set to take official visits to both schools in the coming months, according to 247Sports' Ryan Burns.

Fleck and Minnesota, who were in on Voss before anyone else, are obviously very much hoping to land his commitment. Back in January, their entire offensive staff went to Jackson to visit Voss and his family. Regardless of what position he ends up playing at the next level, the Gophers would love to see him play his college football in maroon and gold.

Voss had his 2024 season end early due to an injury, but his Huskies team won the Class 2A state title last year to cap an undefeated campaign. He's also a star basketball player at JCC. Voss's older brother Rudy played quarterback at South Dakota State.

The Gophers' 2026 recruiting class currently includes ten commits, including Rocori OT Andrew Trout — the No. 2 player in Minnesota — and Forest Lake DL Howie Johnson (No. 4 in MN). It also includes OT Gavin Meier, the No. 1 recruit in the state of Wisconsin.

Fleck and the Gophers have landed the top high school recruit in Minnesota in three of the four previous years: Trey Bixby (2022), Perich (2024), and Emmanuel Karmo (2025). The top in-state recruit in 2023, Jaxon Howard, began at LSU but transferred to the Gophers last offseason. Will Voss make it four in five years?