This Mountain West transfer could round out Minnesota's wide receiver room

The Gophers have landed one wide receiver in the portal, but will they go after another?

Sep 27, 2025; Stanford, California, USA; San Jose State Spartans wide receiver Kyri Shoels (4) catches the ball before the start of the first quarter against the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images | Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

The Gophers made a big splah on Monday, adding Auburn transfer Perry Thompson to their wide receiver room. With only four returning scholarship players at the position, it seems innevitable they will add at least one more transfer to that room this winter. San Jose State's Kyri Shoels could be the perfect fit, and he's why.

Standing at 6-foot, 182 pounds, Shoels had a breakout season in 2025. He had 59 catches for 768 yards and two touchdowns. His two best games came in the Spartans' only two matchups with a Power Conference opponent. He had a season-high 10 catches for 147 yards and one touchdown against Stanford and eight catches for 73 yards against Texas.

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Hailing from Las Vegas, Nevada, Shoels began his college career at junior college (JUCO) level. He had only 24 receptions for 378 yards across two seasons at Palomar College from 2022 to 20223. He made the jump to Division-I and he signed with San Jose State in 2024 over other offers from Alcorn State and Alabama A&M.

Shoels didn't even see the field in 2024 for the Spartans, but he emerged as the team's second-leading receiver behind Colorado-bound Danny Scudero in 2025. He's now the 58th-best wide receiver in the transfer portal, according to 247Sports.

According to a repost on Shoels' X account, he's hearing from other top schools such as LSU, Ole Miss, Utah, Wisconsin, and TCU, among others. If you want to put on your detective glasses, he's currently followed by new Gophers' wide receivers coach Isaac Fruechte and assistant wide receivers coach Nick Faus. If you jump over to Instagram, he's followed by Gophers quarterback Drake Lindsey, so it's fair to presume Minnesota has some interest.

NEW: Former San Jose State Wide Receiver Kyri Shoels has been in contact with these 17 schools since entering the Transfer Portal, he tells me.

The 6'0", 180 lb WR totaled 59 Receptions for 768 Yards & 2 TDs with the Spartans in 2025.

Where should he go? pic.twitter.com/GS5wvTwgnm

— JGPCFB (@jgpvisuals) January 6, 2026

In the modern college football world, transfers are generating lucrative financial deals in the portal. Thompson is a former top-40 high school recruit, and a top-25 receiver currently in the portal. It's fair to presume he generated a big money deal with the Gophers. With a lot of resources tied up with him, and the return of Jalen Smith and Javon Tracy, a player of Shoels' caliber could be realistic.

Shoels likely only has one season of eligibility remaining, but he would give Minnesota another outside receiver, and add serious depth to a position group that lacked consistency in 2025.