Former 4-star quarterback is leaving the Gophers in the transfer portal

Jackson Kollock was one of Minnesota's top recruits from the Class of 2025.

Now-former Gophers quarterback Jackson Kollock. | Jackson Kollock via Instagram

Jackson Kollock, a former four-star prospect who was the third-ranked player in the Gophers' 2025 recruiting class, announced Thursday that he's entering the transfer portal.

"First off I want to thank the University of Minnesota and especially coach Fleck, Harbaugh, Nichol, the rest of the coaching staff, my teammates, and the rest the staff. After careful consideration I have decided to enter the transfer portal with 4 years of eligibility remaining," Kollock posted on X.

Kollock originally committed to Washington in late 2023, only to withdraw his verbal pledge after head coach Kalen DeBoer left Washington for Alabama. He then committed to P.J. Fleck and the Gophers in March 2024, ultimately signing and spending his freshman season at the University of Minnesota.

He never saw game action with the Gophers, and with Drake Lindsey entrenched as the starting quarterback with three years of eligibility remaining, there doesn't appear to be a non-injury-related path to playing time for Kollock in Minneapolis.

Kollock's departure could also be why Minnesota signed two quarterbacks when the signing period opened earlier this week. Among the 30+ players in the Gophers' 2026 class are quarterbacks Brady Palmer and Owen Lansu, who are expected to be on the 2026 roster along with Lindsey, Dylan Wittke, and Max Shikenjanksi.

Kollock set his high school's records in California with 7,087 passing yards, 94 passing touchdowns, and 115 total touchdowns in his prep career. He once compared his play to pro-style quarterbacks like Josh Allen and Justin Herbert.

"I'm a pro-style quarterback that can make plays when needed, so I'm going to stay there, I'm going to sit in the pocket, I'm going to sling it around, but when things break down I'm going to go get that first down or I'm going to go run someone over to get in that end zone," he said. "I'm a competitor, no matter what I am scoring."

It'll be interesting to see where he takes his competitive edge in the transfer portal. He was, after all, one of the highest-rated quarterback recruits in Gophers history when he signed in 2024.