Early National Signing Day: Gophers' full 2025 class breakdown

During a time when the transfer portal is dominating any conversation about roster construction in college football, Early National Signing Day is still a thing and we just saw how important it can be for teams like the Gophers with players like Koi Perich. Minnesota is expected to have as many as 22 recruits put pen to paper today.

The Gophers' class is highlighted by the No. 1 player in Minnesota, four-star LB Emmanuel Karmo and four-star Laguna Beach, Calif. quarterback Jackson Kollock. Their 2025 class currently ranks 44th-best in the country according to 247Sports, 49th by On3 and 42nd by Rivals.

EDGE, Emmanuel Karmo (Robbinsdale, Minn.)

• 4-star, No. 330 overall, No. 38 LB
• 6-foot-3.5, 222 pounds
• Top offers: Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State

Karmo played all over the field for the Robbinsdale Cooper Hawks at linebacker, tight end and even a little wildcat quarterback. Minnesota wants him to play at the edge position, but he is a bit undersized at only 6-foot-3 — a similar build to Gophers great Boye Mafe. He has the potential to be an early contributor.

QB, Jackson Kollock (Laguna Beach, Calif.)

• 4-star, No. 439 overall, No. 30 QB
• 6-foot-3.5, 215 pounds
• Top offers: Washington, Colorado, Cal

Originally committed to Washington, Kollock flipped his commitment to Minnesota after Kaleb DeBoer took the coaching staff with him to Alabama. He is statistically the second-highest-ranked QB recruit under Fleck, trailing only Athan Kaliakmanis. He had an up-and-down senior campaign, but he has the tools to be a big-time player in the Big Ten.

RB, Shane Marshall (Ocilla, Ga.)

• 3-star, No. 577, No. 44 RB
• 5-foot-11, 200 pounds
• Top offers: Georgia Tech, Houston, Liberty

Marshall has all of the traits to be the next great Gophers running back. He finished his senior season with 227 carries for 1,817 rushing yards and 28 total touchdowns in Ocilla, Georgia. There was some smoke early in the season that his hometown Bulldogs were interested, but they cooled off he's now heading to Minnesota.

WR, Bradley Martino (Naples, Fla.)

• 3-star, No. 620, No. 32 ATH
• 6-foot-3, 175 pounds
• Top offers: Michigan State, Mississippi State, Louisville

There was some discussion of Martino playing cornerback at the next level, but he shifted to almost exlusively a wide receiver as a senior and that's what he'll play with the Gophers. He had 46 catches for 896 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns in his final high school season. He is the only Minnesota recruit currently slated to play in the Navy All-American game next month.

DL, Jayquan Stubbs (Cleveland, Ohio)

• 3-star, No. 622 overall, No. 70 DL
• 6-foot-6, 265 pounds
• Top offers: Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana

Between Anthony Smith, Jah Joyner and Deven Eastern, Gophers defensive line coach Winston DeLattiboudere III has a great track record of developing defensive linemen. Stubbs has a similar body type and skillset as Eastern and he could have a similar career development.

LB, Ethan Stendel (Caledonia, Minn.)

• 3-star, No. 671 overall, No. 71 LB
• 6-foot-3, 215 pounds
• Top offers: North Dakota, Northern Iowa

Stendel is the classic high school player that played all over the field. He lined up at wildcat quarterback, linebacker, punter and kicker as a senior for Caledonia. He has slowly risen up the recruiting ranks and he'll likely play inside linebacker for the Gophers.

WR, Legend Lyons (Covina, Calif.)

• 3-star, No. 870 overall, No. 128 WR
• 6-foot-2, 190 pounds
• Top offers: Arkansas, Utah, Kansas

Lyons is one of two wide receivers in Minnesota's 2025 recruiting class. He had 55 catches for 898 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior for Charter Oak high school. He is much more than just a cool name and has the potenital to develop into a contributor down the road.

IOL, Mark Handy (Albuquerque, N. Mex.)

• 3-star, No. 956 overall, No. 66 IOL
• 6-foot-5.5, 310 pounds
• Top offers: Arkansas, Texas Tech, TCU

Handy is everything you want in an offensive line prospect. I think he might be one of the most underrated Gophers' commits in this class. If he's at Minnesota for at least four years, I think he will develop into a starter under offensive line coach Brian Callahan.

DL, Abu Tarawallie (Osseo, Minn.)

• 3-star, No. 966 overall, No. 106 DL
• 6-foot-3, 275 pounds
• Top offers: Wisconsin, Penn State, Oklahoma

Starring at Heritage Christian Academy, Tarawallie is another talented in-state recruit, but maybe the most underrated. He was sought after by huge Big Ten programs like Wisconsin, Penn State and Michigan State, but he's another talented player for DeLattiboudere and Minnesota's staff to develop.

EDGE, Enoch Atewogbola (Avon, Ind.)

• 3-star, No. 984 overall, No. 76 EDGE
• 6-foot-4, 215 pounds
• Top offers: Boston College, Marshall, Western Michigan

Atewogbola was a two-sport athlete, playing both basketball and football for Avon High School. At only 215 pounds, he is a bit raw as a pass rusher, but he has immense potential in the Gophers' sytsem.

CB, Zachry Harden (Covington, Ga.)

• 3-star, No. 1,066 overall, No. 90 S
• 6-foot-2, 190 pounds
• Top offers: Texas A&M, Auburn, Ole Miss

Harden was Minnesota's first verbal commitment of the 2025 class all the way back in March. He's remained committed to the Gophers despite some late pushes from top-end schools like Missouri, USC and Colorado. He will have the versatility to play cornerback or safety.

CB, Naiim Parrish (Oradell, N.J.)

• 3-star, No. 1,212 overall, No. 92 CB
• 5-foot-11, 165 pounds
• Top offers: Wisconsin, Penn State, Michigan State

Parrish has an argument to be the most accomplished high school player in this class for Minnesota. He was a four-time state champion and set the all-time interception record with 15 picks for Bergen Catholic in New Jersey. He is another underrated prospect who has intriguing long-term potential.

S, Grant Grayton (Olney, Md.)

• 3-star, No. 1,212 overall, No. 104 S
• 6-foot-2, 185 pounds
• Top offers: Kentucky, Memphis, Temple

Hailing from Good Counsel High School, Grayton comes from the same school that produced Gophers legend Mohamed Ibrahim. He's received a late push from Kentucky, but he has all of the traits you want out of Big Ten safety.

OT, Daniel Shipp (Corona, Calif.)

• 3-star, No. 1,389 overall, No. 96 OT
• 6-foot-6, 275 pounds
• Top offers: Boise State, Washington State, San Diego State

Shipp missed his entire junior season with a knee injury, but he came back and had a solid senior campaign. He has elite mesurables and he's a really impressive athlete for the tackle position. He's a bit raw, but a fun long-term player to have in the building.

IOL, Nick Spence (Peoria, AZ)

• 3-star, No. 1,435 overall, No. 101 IOL
• 6-foot-6, 280 pounds
• Top offers: Iowa State, Duke, San Diego State

Spence committed to Minnesota during their "Summer Splash" event in the summer. He has great size at 6-foot-6, 280 pounds and he should be another talented prospect for Callahan and the Gophers' offensive line to develop.

LB, Nathan Cleveland (River Grove, Ill.)

• 3-star, No. 1,576 overall, No. 147 LB
• 6-foot-1, 215 pounds
• Top offers: Kansas State, Illinois, NDSU

Cleveland is a traditional inside linebacker. He played safety and quarterback as a junior, but moved to full-time linebacker as a senior, where he compiled 81 total tackles, 12 TFLs and one sack.

DL, Collin Hansen (Bryon, Minn.)

• 3-star, No. 1,618 overall, No. 177 DL
• 6-foot-5, 230 pounds
• Top offers: NDSU, Northern Illinois, Northern Iowa

Hailing from Byron, Minnesota, Hansen is one six in-state players in this class for Minnesota. He will likely have to add some weight before becoming a Big Ten contributor, but he has the intangibles you want from a defensive lineman.

OL, Kaveon Lee (Plainfield, Ill.)

• 3-star, No. 1,627 overall, No. 119 OT
• 6-foot-6, 275 pounds
• Top offers: Kansas State, Purdue, Memphis

Lee was the Gophers latest verbal commitment, pledging to the school last Saturday. 247Sports projects him as an offensive tackle, but he has the versatility to kick inside. He is one of four offensive linemen in this class.

EDGE, Rhett Hlavacka (Fond Du Lac, Wisc.)

• 3-star, No. 1,673 overall, No. 127 EDGE
• 6-foot-4, 235 pounds
• Top offers: Memphis, Ohio, Northern Illinois

Listed at 6-foot-4, 235 pounds, Hlavacka is a bit undersized to contribute on the defensive line early in his career, but he has the potential and motor you want to see. He is one three pass rushers in this class for Minnesota.

RB, Grant Washington (Cleveland, Ohio)

• 3-star, No. 1,697 overall, No. 126 RB
• 5-foot-10, 195 pounds
• Top offers: Arkansas State, Central Michigan, Akron

Washington was originally committed to Central Michigan before flipping to Minnesota. At 5-foot-10, 195 pounds, he's a bit undersized, but the Gophers' have a track record of developing just about any running back that comes into their system

P, Luke Ryerse (East Ridge, Minn.)

• 3-star, No. 2,182 overall, No. 2 P
• 6-foot-1, 210 pounds
• Top offers: Alabama

Ryerse is one of the best athletes in the entire state of Minnesota. He will play both football and baseball with the Gophers and he was originally committed to Alabama. He will have the potential to compete for the starting punter role as soon as this season with Caleb McGrath.

K, Daniel Jackson (Alexandria, Minn.)

• Unranked
• 5-foot-9, 160 pounds
• Top offers: Army, Cornell, NDSU

With Dragan Kesich off to the NFL, Minnesota is looking for its kicker of the future. Hailing from Alexandria, Minn., Jackson will compete with Sam Henson and David Kemp for kicking duties as soon as this year as a true freshman.