Gophers are first Big Ten offer for 2026 Georgia CB, schedule official visit

Minnesota will be hositng Chance Payne on an official visit at the end of the month.

Chance Payne (left) with Gophers CBs coach Nick Monroe (right) during an in-home visit. | Picture via: @chance_payne5 (X)

Minnesota became the first Big Ten program to offer 2026 Jefferson, Georgia cornerback Chance Payne a scholarship on Thursday, and then they quickly locked in an official visit for the end of the month.

"Excited to be at Minnesota may 30th!!," Payne posted to X on Thursday.

Excited to be at Minnesotta may 30th!! https://t.co/qLuZEkvTzf

— Chance (@chance_payne5) May 16, 2025

Listed at 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, Payne is a late-blooming recruit, who currently holds other top offers from Wake Forest, Miami (OH) and Appalachian State. He only has one other official visit currently scheduled with the Mountaineers for June 19.

Related: Gophers to host four-star 2026 Baltimore RB on official visit

Minnesota has a unique group of defensive back priority targets in the cycle alongside committed four-star Justin Hopkins. Payne joins ️Mason Lewis from Arizona, Darrion Jones from Nebraska, Xavier Jackson from New Jersey and Illinois' Jordan Lampkins as the fifth uncommitted 2026 cornerback to schedule an official visit with the Gophers.

Updated list of 'Summer Splash' official visits

• WR Rico Blassingame (committed)
• S Jayden McGregory
• DL Freddie Wilson
• OT Mataalii Benjamin
• LB Hudson Dunn (committed)
• OT Andrew Trout (committed)
• QB Owen Lansu (committed)
• DL Howie Johnson (committed)
• LB/TE Pierce Petersohn
• CB Darion Jones
• DE Anthony Charles
• TE Mason Bonner
• WR Dre Pollard
• LB Angel Luciano
• TE Preston Fryzel
• OT Daniel McMorris
• RB Delvecchio "Deuce" Alston
• ATH Roman Voss
• OT Oliver Moore
• DE Aaden Aytch
• RB SirPaul Cheeks
• RB Damon Ferguson
• WR Hayden Moore (committed)
• WR Kai Meza (committed)
• CB Justin Hopkins (committed)
• CB Chance Payne
• CB Mason Lewis (June 13-15)
• RB Ashton Rowden (June 13-15)
• CB Jordan Lampkins (June 13-15)
• LB Braylon Hodge (June 13-15)
• DE Josiah Anyansi (June 13-15)
• TE Tyler Ruxer (June 13-15)
• TE Gabe Weaver (June 13-15)
• S Gabe Davis-Ray (June 13-15)
• TE Jack Sievers (June 13-15)
• OT Lucas Tielsch (June 13-15)
• CB Xavier Jackson (June 13-15)
• LB Julian Manson (June 13-15)
• RB Ryan Estrada (June 13-15)
• OT Gavin Meier (June 13-15) (committed)
• ATH Messiah Tilson (June 13-15)
• S Jamarcus Jones (June 13-15)