5 most intriguing high school recruits to schedule Gophers official visit

Minnesota will have plenty of talented 2026 recruits on campus this spring.

West Des Moines Valley's Jayden McGregory runs the ball during the West Des Moines Valley and Waterloo West football game at Valley Stadium on Friday, Oct. 11, 2024, in West Des Moines. | Lily Smith/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Golden Gophers have been busy on the 2026 recruiting trail, scheduling official visits with nearly 20 different prospects. They already have verbal commitments from four recruits, but who are the five most intriguing uncommitted players who will be on campus later this year?

Jayden McGregory, safety (Des Moines, Iowa)

McGregory was one of the first 2026 recruits to schedule an official visit with the Gophers back on Feb. 3. At 6-foot-2, 182 pounds, he is being recruited as a safety, but he plays on both sides of the ball at Valley High School. He is a four-star prospect and the No. 220 player in the country according to the latest 247Sports Composite.

Mason Bonner, tight end (Denver, Colorado)

If you look at the recruiting boards, Bonner will not blow you away, but I think he could wind up being one of the best players out of the whole group. At 6-foot-6, 200 pounds he had 33 catches for 617 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior and reminds me a lot of Brevyn Spann-Ford.

Rico Blassingame, wide receiver (Tolleson, Arizona)

Minnesota has scheduled official visits with three wide receivers, but I think Blassingame is the most intriguing. At 6-foot-3, 180 pounds he's a bit undersized to be a Big Ten wide receiver in the near future, but he has impressive route-running skills for a high school junior. He's currently the 824th-ranked player on the 247Sports Composite, but he could be a big-time addition.

Almirian Thomas, cornerback (Cape Coral, Florida)

Thomas is currently listed as the No. 501 recruit on the 247Sports Composite, and he's everything you want out of a cornerback prospect. Standing at 6-foot-1, 165 pounds he holds top offers from Michigan State, Illinois and Indiana. He could be an early contributor in the Big Ten.

Freddie Wilson, defensive tackle (Port Orange, Florida)

Wilson was recruited heavily by former Gophers defensive line coach Winston DeLattiboudere III, so it will be interesting to see how interested he remains in Minnesota. He is a consensus top 500 prospect and he has official visits scheduled with Miami (FL) and Georgia Tech, but he's worth keeping an eye on.

Stay up to date on all things Gophers by bookmarking Minnesota Gophers On SI, subscribing to our YouTube channel, and signing up to receive our free Gophers newsletter.