Ex-Ohio State commit offensive lineman flips decision to Minnesota

Minnesota continues to stay busy on the 2026 high school recruiting trail.

Sep 29, 2023; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Mountain Pointe Pride offensive lineman Aaron Thomas (57) holds an American flag as he runs onto the field prior to the game against the American Leadership Academy Patriots at Mountain Pointe High School s football field in Phoenix on Sept. 29, 2023. | Diannie Chavez / USA TODAY NETWORK

Three-star 2026 offensive lineman Aaron Thomas decommitted from Ohio State on Monday, and he flipped his verbal commitment to Minnesota on Wednesday. The Phoenix, Arizona, native is now the eighth-highest-ranked player in the Gophers' 2026 class.

"Riding my own wave.
@GopherFootball
is home.
#RTB #GoGophers #SkiUMah," he posted to X on Wednesday.

BREAKING: 3⭐️ 2026 (Phoenix, AZ) OL Aaron Thomas (@AaronEliThomas) has verbally committed to Minnesota.

Ranked as the 506th-best recruit in the class, he decommitted from Ohio State on Monday. He now becomes the 8th-highest-ranked player in the Gophers' class.… pic.twitter.com/0MDo0SEkgT

— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) November 5, 2025

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Standing at 6-foot-7, 300 pounds, Thomas has elite traits for an offensive line prospect. The latest 247Sports Composite ranks him as the 506th-best player in the class of 2026, the 46th-best offensive tackle and the No. 8 player in Arizona.

Thomas is a player whom Minnesota has been recruiting hard for a while. He was on campus an unofficial visit in April 2024 and then again in June and November of the same year. P.J. Fleck and offensive line coach Brian Callahan paid him a visit in January of 2025, and they set up an official visit with him for the spring. He never made it to that visit, and he was heavily pursued by top programs such as the Buckeyes, Oregon, Florida State and Texas A&M, among others.

After offensive linemen Daniel McMorris and Mataalii Benjamin decomitted from Minnesota earlier this fall, you could make the argument that they have upgraded with Thomas and Wisconsin lineman Beckett Schreiber. With 28 total verbal commitments, the Gophers' current 2026 class is one of the biggest in the country, and it ranks as the 29th-best according to 247Sports.

Updated 2026 recruiting class: 28 verbal commitments

• Andrew Trout, OL (Rocori, MN)
• Justin Hopkins, CB (Nashville, TN)
• Howie Johnson, DL (Forest Lake, MN)
• Gavin Meier, OL (Janesville, WI)
• Hayden Moore, WR (Newberry, FL)
• Rico Blassingame, WR (Tolleson, AZ)
• Owen Lansu, QB (Downers Grove, IL)
• Ezekiel Bates, RB (Malvern, PA)
• Hudson Dunn, LB (Peoria, AZ)
• Angel Luciano, LB (Steelton, PA)
• Anthony Charles, DE (McDonald, PA)
• Chance Payne, CB (Jefferson, GA)
• Aaden Aytch, DE (Lafayette, IN)
• Lucas Tielsch, OL (Akron, OH)
• Jordan Lampkins, S (Boilingbrook, IL)
• Jeremiah Benson, DL (West Bloomfield, MI)
• Gabe Weaver, TE (St. Louis, MO)
• Josiah Anyansi, DL (Murrieta, CA)
• Ryan Estrada, RB (El Paso, TX)
• Trason Richardson, S (Rosharon, TX)
• Roman Voss, TE (Jackson, MN)
• George Rohl, TE (Ellsworth, WI)
• Charlie Jilek, LB (Portage, MI)
• Lamont Hamilton, DB (Racine, WI)
• Braiden Stevens, WR (Platte City, MO)
• Jett Walker, RB (Georgetown, TX)
• Beckett Schreiber, OL (Madison, WI)
• Aaron Thomas, OL (Phoenix, AZ)