Aug 30, 2018; Minneapolis, MN, USA; A general view of Minnesota Golden Gophers helmets at a tailgate party before a game against the New Mexico State Aggies at TCF Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Gophers add Georgia cornerback for 6th commitment in 24-hour surge

Originally posted on Minnesota Golden Gophers on SI
By Joe Nelson | Last updated Jun 2, 2025 2:41 PM ET

The Golden Gophers have landed another commitment following the weekend "Summer Splash" recruiting event, with cornerback Chance Payne giving Minnesota the verbal nod on Monday.

Payne is listed at 5-10 and 175 pounds. 247Sports rates him as a three-star cornerback from Jefferson, Georgia. He also holds offers from Wake Forest, Navy, Miami (OH), Appalachian State, Troy and Yale.

Payne is the sixth Gophers commit since the Summer Splash event concluded on Sunday. The others:

Daniel McMorris, OT
Angel Luciano, LB
Aaden Aytch, EDGE
Anthony Charles, EDGE
Mataalii Benjamin, OT

Listed at 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, Payne is a late-blooming recruit, who currently holds other top offers from Wake Forest, Miami (OH) and Appalachian State. He only has one other official visit currently scheduled with the Mountaineers for June 19.

According to the ever-changing rankings from 247Sports, the Gophers' 2026 recruiting class is ranked 18th nationally and is comprised of 16 hard commits. The two highest-rated recruits of the 16 are Minnesota high school standouts Howie Johnson and Andrew Trout.