Why the Gophers should pursue a former MN prep star now in the transfer portal

A former Coon Rapids High School standout has entered the transfer portal.

Aug 23, 2025; Dublin, IRELAND; Kansas State player Joe Jackson is tackled by Khijohnn Cummings-Coleman of Iowa State during the Aer Lingus Classic between Iowa State and Kansas State at Aviva Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO via Imagn Images | INPHO via Imagn Images

Fans of Minnesota high school football might recognize the name Khijohn Cummings-Coleman. Well, the former Coon Rapids High School standout entered his name into the transfer portal on Thursday after two seasons at Iowa State.

thanks for everything cyclone nation❤️‍🩹 #GodsTiming #GodsPlan pic.twitter.com/vXoraEJBFS

— khijohnn cummings-coleman (@khijohnn) December 18, 2025

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Listed at 5-foot-11, Cummings-Coleman was a dynamic three-sport athlete with the Cardinals, playing football, basketball and participating in track & field. He played wide receiver and defensive back in high school, which led to him being labeled an ATH (athlete) as a prospect. The 247Sports Composite ranked him as the 1,460th-best player nationally in the class of 2024, and the No. 9 player in Minnesota.

He ultimately chose Iowa State over top Midwest offers from Iowa, Kansas and Minnesota. He was even on campus for an unofficial visit with the Gophers on September 30, 2022.

Fast-forward to December 2025, Cummings-Coleman just wrapped up his redshirt freshman season in Ames. He played 101 defensive snaps in 2025. 50 of those snaps came in the box as a safety, 42 came as a slot cornerback and the other nine came as a free safety.

His snap count numbers likely would've been larger, but he suffered a season-ending injury in Week 5 against Arizona. He averaged 25 snaps per game in Iowa State's first four games of the season before the injury.

Minnesota is very deep at the safety position with Koi Perich, Kerry Brown and potentially Aidan Gousby all back for another season in 2026. Cummings-Coleman could fill the void left by Jai'Onte McMillan and Darius Green. McMillan has played 49 snaps at slot cornerback in 2025, and Green has logged 196.

Slot cornerback is necessarily a premium position, but it's a significant role in Minnesota's defensive system. They like versatile defensive backs and Cummings-Coleman fits that description. Players like John Nestor, Za'Quan Bryan and Mike Gerald project as the top options at outside cornerback, but there's not a clear favorite to fill the slot cornerback role in 2026.

Cummings-Coleman was originally recruited by Minnesota as a wide receiver, but they could revisit things now as a defensive back. Iowa State's coaching change means that Cummings-Coleman is technically allowed to already enter the portal before the Jan. 2 date for the rest of Division I players. His recruitment could move fast, and the Gophers should take a long look.