What Minnesota’s transfer portal additions mean for the 2026 WR room

The Gophers have revamped their wide receiver room this offseason through the transfer portal.

Dec 26, 2025; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers wide receiver Jalen Smith (8) celebrates with the offensive MVP trophy after defeating the New Mexico Lobos during the Rate Bowl at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Without a single player surpassing 500 receiving yards in 2025, improving the wide receiver room was near the top of Minnesota's transfer portal needs this offseason. With Auburn's Perry Thompson, Cincinnati transfer Noah Jennings and Tula's Zion Steptoe set to join the 2026 roster, let's take an early look at what the position group could look like next season.

Returning production

Underclassman Jalen Smith has already announced his plans to return to Minnesota for his redshirt sophomore season. He had a breakout 2025 campaign, which was highlighted by a Rate Bowl Offensive MVP award, after reeling in six catches for 64 yards and two touchdowns. He signed with the Gophers in the same high school recruiting class as Drake Lindsey, and it's clear they have built chemistry.

The only other wide receiver set to return for Minnesota in 2026, who had a reception in 2025, is former Miami (OH) transfer Javon Tracy. He had 37 catches for 454 yards and a team-high six touchdowns last season. If you include Darius Taylor, Pierce Walsh and Julian Johnson, the Gophers are set to return 46.1% of their receiving production from 2025.

Sep 13, 2025; Berkeley, California, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers wide receiver Javon Tracy (11) pulls down a pass for a first down against the California Golden Bears during the second quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

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Transfer portal additions

Thompson is the most highly-regarded addition of Minnesota's three receiver transfer portal additions, but he had only 280 receiving yards in two seasons at Auburn. Jennings had only 23 catches for 323 yards in his lone season at Cincinnati and Steptoe had 21 catches for 272 yards last year on a bad Tulsa team.

It's fair to think Thompson will have the biggest opportunity of all three transfers since he has two years of eligibility remaining, compared to only one year for Jennings and Steptoe. Overall, it's hard to have great confidence that any of their three additions will surpass 500 yards in 2026.

Potential rotation

• Starting X: Jalen Smith
• Starting Y: Perry Thompson
• Starting slot: Javon Tracy
• WR4: Noah Jennings
• WR5: Bradley Martino
• WR6: Zion Steptoe

I am confident that Smith and Tracy are still the No. 1 and No. 2 options for this Gophers team at receiver heading into 2026, but after that, it's wide open. The transfers bring experience, but I wouldn't count out returning players like Martino and Donielle 'Nuke' Hayes as potential threats to have a breakout year as Smith did in 2025.

The Gophers are bringing in five freshman receivers in the 2026 high school recruiting class with Rico Blassingame, Josiah Dozier, Hayden Moore, Braiden Stevens and Quayd Hendryx. It's an impressive class, but I don't think any of the five players will have a huge role in 2026. Minnesota had six wide receivers run at least 70 routes in 2025, and I think they might have that group.