The Gophers football team has lacked a reliable big target at wideout and Auburn transfer Perry Thompson might fill that hole for the 2026 season.

The 6-foot-3, 220-pound wideout committed to Minnesota on Monday. “Gopher nation lets ride,” he wrote on X after visiting the U campus.

Thompson had 17 receptions for 154 yards across 12 games in his sophomore season for the Tigers last fall. He had five grabs for 126 yards and one touchdown in 10 games as a true freshman.

With two years of eligibility left, Thompson will join the receiver room for new position coach Isaac Fruechte. Minnesota’s No. 1 target Le’Meke Brockington was a senior last season and returning quarterback Drake Lindsey needed more options on top of Jalen Smith and Javon Tracy in 2026. Both of them are smaller receiver types than Thompson.

Thompson, a composite four-star recruit out of Foley, Ala., was considered a top 30 receiver in the transfer portal class, per On3.com. He entered the portal a few days after new Tigers head coach Alex Golesh took over at the SEC program.

Thompson was the sixth overall commitment to the U this week.

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