Jaylen Crocker-Johnson Continues to Exceed Expectations with Gophers

Crocker-Johnson has performed like one of the best big men in the Big Ten this season.

Jan 20, 2026; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers forward Jaylen Crocker-Johnson (5) controls the ball as Ohio State Buckeyes center Christoph Tilly (13) defends during the first half at Value City Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

Jaylen Crocker-Johnson was the only player from last year's Colorado State team to follow Niko Medved to Minnesota through the transfer portal last offseason. According to 247Sports, he was the Gophers' fifth-best addition of the cycle, and it's fair to say he has exceeded those expectations.

After opening the season as a rebounding machine with 11 or more boards in the first four games of the season, Crocker-Johnson has taken his offensive game to another level with three straight games of 20 or more points.

After a career-high 26 points on Tuesday night against Ohio State, Crocker-Johnson is averaging 22.6 points and 8 rebounds per game on 52% shooting from the field, 30.4% from three and 75% from the free throw line. He has led Minnesota in scoring for three straight games against Wisconsin, Illinois and the Buckeyes.

CROCKER-JOHNSON THROUGH THE CONTACT 💪

📺: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/sZdyKOm18s

— Minnesota Men's Basketball (@GopherMBB) January 21, 2026

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Crocker-Johnson is only two seasons removed from averaging 9.1 points per game in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) at Little Rock in 2023-24. He had less production last season at Colorado State with 9.0 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. He was a primary starter for both of those seasons, and he has completely elevated his game to another level this year, despite making the jump to the high-major level in the Big Ten.

Bobby Durkin, Chansey Willis Jr., Cade Tyson and B.J. Omot all had a higher transfer portal ranking than Crocker-Johnson, according to 247Sports. Willis and Omot have both battled injuries, but Crocker-Johnson might be exceeding expectations more than any other player on the team.

What makes his recent emergence even more intriguing for the Gophers is that he has one year of eligibility remaining after the 2025-26 season. At 6-foot-8, he has been asked to cover most teams' opposing five, and he has held his own as one of the most productive big men in the Big Ten. The loss of Robert Vaihola for the season severely hurt Minnesota's already questionable frontcourt, and Crocker-Johnson has picked up the slack.

The Gophers have dropped four games in a row and now sit 10-9 on the season, but the future looks bright, and Crocker-Johnson could be a building block on the 2026-27 roster. There's a scenario where Langston Reynolds and Tyson are the only two major contributors Minnesota loses in the offseason. Minnesota's path towards postseason success in 2025-26 might be shaky, but there's plenty of reason to be optimistic about Gophers basketball, and Crocker-Johnson is a big reason why.