Gophers seeking wide receiver help with two transfer portal visitors

Minnesota hosted a handful of transfer portal recruits on campus on Friday.

Bowling Green Falcons cornerback JoJo Johnson (10) tackles Cincinnati Bearcats wide receiver Noah Jennings (8) in the fourth quarter of the NCAA football game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and Bowling Green Falcons at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati on Sept. 6, 2025. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Gophers hosted a handful of transfer portal recruits on campus for official visits on Friday. Two of the most notable were intriguing options at the wide receiver position.

Noah Jennings, Cincinnati

Cincinnati transfer wide receiver Noah Jennings (@TheNoahJennings) is visiting the University of Minnesota today.

Listed at 6-foot, 190 pounds, he had 23 catches for 323 yards in 2025. Began his career at Charleston Southern.

📸 // sayjen8 (IG) pic.twitter.com/EAyXdqHRgF

— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) January 9, 2026

Jennings officially entered the transfer portal on Jan. 5, and the Gophers moved fast, getting him on campus for an official visit on Friday. He began his college career at the FCS level with Charleston Southern, where he had more than 400 receiving yards in back-to-back seasons in 2023 and 2024.

The Columbia, South Carolina native made the jump up to FBS, and he joined Cincinnati for the 2025 season. He finished the year with 23 catches for 323 yards as an outside wide receiver for the Bearcats. He will have one year of college eligibility remaining at his new school.

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Zion Steptoe, Tulsa

Tulsa transfer WR Zion Steptoe (@ZionSteptoe) made it to his Gophers official visit yesterday, which was scheduled to carry into today. 👀

Listed at 5-foot-11, 195 pounds, he had 21 catches and 272 yards for the Golden Hurricane in 2025.

📸 // steptoezion (IG) pic.twitter.com/UHjJkEEWPt

— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) January 9, 2026

Steptoe arrived at his Gophers' visit on Thursday, according to his social media. Hailing from Little Elm, Texas, he was a top-800 high school recruit in the class of 2022. He opted to sign with Purdue over notable top offers from Utah, Vanderbilt and Pittsburgh, among others. After taking a redshirt year in 2022, he saw the field for 264 total snaps as a defensive back in 2023. He wanted to play wide receiver, so he dropped down to the Group of 5 level to join Tulsa in the 2024 offseason.

Standing at 5-foot-11, 195 pounds, Steptoe compiled 15 catches for 203 yards in 2024. He improved those numbers to 21 catches for 272 yards last season. He has plenty of athletic potential in his final college football season.

What's next?

Minnesota's 2026 wide receiver room is currently expected to be led by Javon Tracy, Jalen Smith and Auburn transfer Perry Thompson. The only other players at the position are Bradley Martino and Donielle 'Nuke' Hayes, alongside five incoming freshmen.

Neither Jennings nor Hayes would likely transform Minnesota's wide receiver room in 2026, but they would provide the team with a much-needed veteran presence. Since both of their visits carried into Friday, their decisions could be coming soon. The Gophers have already added 14 players from the transfer portal so far, and another wide receiver remains near the top of their needs. Steptoe and Jennings immediately become two of the most notable players to keep an eye on as we head into the weekend.