Gophers Add Two Four-Star Freshmen in Final ESPN, 247Sports, Rivals Rankings

Minnesota is adding a trio of talented freshmen from the 2026 recruiting class to next year's roster.

Nolen Anderson during his official visit to Minnesota. | Picture via: nolen_anderson7 (IG)

Rivals, ESPN and 247Sports have all released their final rankings for the 2026 high school class over the last week, which gives us a perfect opportunity to take a closer look at Minnesota's three incoming freshmen. Two players will hold a four-star distinction before beginning their college careers.

For those who don't follow recruiting rankings closely, ESPN ranks the top 100 players in the class, while 247Sports and Rivals rank the top 150. 247Sports and Rivals also do composite rankings that factor in all three services.

Minnesota's incoming 2026 recruiting class (final rankings)

Nolen Anderson
—247sports: 117, 4🌟
—Rivals: 140, 3🌟
—ESPN: NR

Chadrack Mpoyi
—247sports: 150 *(composite), 3⭐️
—Rivals: 133, 3🌟
—ESPN: 4🌟

Cedric Tomes
—247sports: 278 *(composite), 3🌟
—Rivlas: 3🌟
—ESPN: NR

— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) May 4, 2026

Nolan Anderson, F (Plymouth, MN)

• 247Sports: No. 117, 4-star
• Rivals: No. 140, 3-star
• ESPN: not ranked

Anderson is the No. 1 player from Minnesota, according to 247Sports, while his Wayzata teammate Christian Wiggins is the state's No. 1 player, according to Rivals. Listed at 6-foot-6, he had a tremendous senior season with the Trojans, and he will provide the Gophers with shooting and versatility along the perimeter.

Chadrack Mpoyi, C (Likasi, Democratic Republic of the Congo)

• 247Sports: No. 150 *(composite), 3-star
• Rivals: No. 133, 4-star
• ESPN: 4-star

Mpoyi is below Anderson in 247Sports, but he's the Gophers' top commitment in the class, according to Rivals and ESPN. Listed at 6-foot-10, 240 pounds, he already has the body of a Big Ten big man. Players of his size do not grow on trees, so he might have a chance to quickly crack Minnesota's rotation as a frontcourt option off the bench.

Cedric Tomes, PG (East Ridge, MN)

• 247Sports: No. 278 *(composite), 3-star
• Rivals: No. 302 *(composite), 3-star
• ESPN: not ranked)

Tomes was one of the best scorers in Minnesota high school basketball last season, averaging 27.1 points per game with East Ridge. His 6-foot-1, might hurt his long-term potential, as he finds himself outside the top 250 on both 247Sports and Rivals. He will have to earn his role at an increasingly loaded guard position for the Gophers.