Jaylen Crocker-Johnson Expected Back for Senior Season at Minnesota

The Gophers are set to return their top frontcourt player from the 2025-26 season.

Feb 8, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers forward Jaylen Crocker-Johnson (5) shoots over Maryland Terrapins forward Elijah Saunders (13) during the first half at Williams Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Big man Jaylen Crocker-Johnson is expected to return to Minnesota for his senior season in 2026-27, according to multiple reports on Monday.

BREAKING: Big man Jaylen Crocker-Johnson WILL RETURN to Minnesota for his senior season in 2026-27, per multiple reports.

He averaged 13.4 points and 6.8 rebounds in 24 games this season. HUGE retention for Niko Medved heading into Year 2. https://t.co/b5Vs72cLjI pic.twitter.com/ewMZUhM94n

— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) March 30, 2026

Crocker-Johnson was the lone player to follow Niko Medved from Colorado State to Minnesota last offseason. He had a breakout year in Dinkytown, averaging 13.4 points and 6.8 rebounds in 24 games. His season was cut short due to a foot injury, but he proved that he could play in the Big Ten.

Listed at 6-foot-8, Crocker-Johnson acted as Minnesota's center for 19 games after Robert Vaihola went down with a season-ending injury of his own. He had three straight games with 20 or more points against Wisconsin, Illinois and Ohio State in January. His production took a hit before he was officially ruled out indefinitely with his foot injury.

Crocker-Johnson began his career at Little Rock before transferring to Colorado State, so the 2026-27 season will be his fourth and final campaign at the college level. He averaged 9.1 points per game as a freshman, 9.1 in his lone season in Fort Collins, and he made huge improvements in the Twin Cities.

The biggest addition to his game with the Gophers might've been his three-point shooting. He averaged 5.4 attempts per game, and he made 32.3% of them. He also shot 41.5% from the field and 71.8% from the free-throw line. His 1.8 assists per game and 1.0 blocks were also career-highs.

Vaihola and Grayson Grove have the option to return next season as well. Minnesota will need to decide how it wants to approach the frontcourt rotation. All three players might be more natural power forwards, but Medved has historically favored smaller lineups in his last few years at Colorado State.

Minnesota is expected to lose reserves Nehemiah Turner and B.J. Omot to the transfer portal, Crocker-Johnson is the first player who is expected to return. Retaining Isaac Asuma and Bobby Durkin will be two more key dominoes to monitor in the Gophers' offseason plans.