How Does Minnesota's 2027 Recruiting Class Stack Up to Previous Classes?

The Gophers have completed the bulk of their high school recruiting for 2027 class.

Nov 22, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck directs his team against the Northwestern Wildcats during the first half at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

The Gophers have been busy on the recruiting trail this spring, adding 24 verbal commitments to their 2027 recruiting class. They now have 30 total recruits committed to their class, and 247Sports currently rates it as the 23rd-best group in the country.

There's still a lot to shake out between now and early national signing day in December, but let's see how it compares to years in the past.

Number of commits

• 31 (2026)
• 30 (2027)**
• 26 (2017)
• 25 (2018)
• 24 (2020)
• 22 (2025)
• 21 (2024)
• 21 (2023)
• 21 (2019)
• 18 (2022)
• 18 (2021)

Roster-building strategy has completely changed since P.J. Fleck began his Minnesota tenure in 2017, but this year's 2027 recruiting class is trending to be one of their biggest in program history. Last year's 31-player class was the biggest under Fleck. With more than five months until early national signing day, this year's class could top that number.

El Dorado's Ryan Estrada (1) runs the ball during a football game against Montwood on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, at the Socorro ISD Student Activities Complex 2 in El Paso. | GABY VELASQUEZ/ EL PASO TIMES / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Four-star recruits (247Sports Composite)

• Six (2026)
• Four (2027)**
• Four (2021)
• Three (2025)
• Three (2024)
• Three (2022)
• Three (2018)
• Three (2020)
• Two (2023)
• One (2019)
• Zero (2017)

A major reason why last year's class was so special was the four-star recruits who signed with the program. The Gophers signed six four-star recruits, according to the 247Sports Composite, which is a record under Fleck. This year's class of four is still among the best in program history, which could obviously change between now and early national signing day.

Lennox wide receiver Drake Mikkelsen (2) runs the ball to the end zone for the touchdown during the third quarter on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, at Dakota Dome in Vermillion, South Dakota. | Samantha Laurey / Argus Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In-state recruiting (scholarship players)

• Seven (2023)
• Seven (2027)**
• Six (2024)
• Five (2022)
• Five (2025)
• Five (2017)
• Four (2019)
• Four (2018)
• Three (2026)
• Three (2020)
• Two (2021)

High school talent in Minnesota has certainly improved since 2017, but Fleck and his staff deserve a ton of credit for keeping so many of those players in-state. This year's class currently has seven scholarship players verbally committed, which would match 2023 as the most under Fleck.

What's next?

Early national signing day for the 2027 class is still more than five months away, so making sweeping recruiting conclusions in June might seem silly, but the Gophers operate differently than most teams. They've likely completed the bulk of their work, but there will almost certainly be some flips and decommitments between now and signing day.

The Gophers' sheer number of commitments will put them high on many recruiting rankings now, but that number will change, and probably by a lot, between now and signing day. Minnesota has objectively gotten off to a solid start in the 2027 class, but it's probably missing one big piece to compete with last year's cycle.