The Gophers football program kept a majority of the top in-state talent home in its 2025 recruiting class, while sprinkling in other prospects from coast to coast.

But it’s been hard for Minnesota to crack the Top 25 in the nation, or the top half of the Big Ten. The U currently sits at 43th in the country and 13th in the 18-team mega conference.

The Pioneer Press and 247 Sports’ Allen Trieu analyzed parts of the Gophers’ class, which can sign starting Wednesday.

Strength

The Gophers garnered commitments from the top three players in the state — Robbinsdale Cooper linebacker Emmanuel Karmo, Caledonia linebacker Ethan Stendel and Heritage Christian Academy defensive tackle Abu Tarawallie.

“The strength, first of all, was winning the state,” Trieu said. “I  think this class is very different if Emmanuel Karmo had left the state, which he could have, (or) Abu Tarawallie had left the state, which he could have. I think those are kind of your two of the bell cows of the class.”

As the top player in the state, the 6-foot-3, 235-pound Karmo’s other primary suitors were Wisconsin, Nebraska and Ohio State. Tarawallie, who is listed at 6-3, 275, had Oklahoma and Wisconsin, as well as Michigan State and Kansas State after him. Former U coaches Joe Rossi (Spartans defensive coordinator) and Brian Anderson (Wildcats running backs coach) both recruited Tarawallie.

“Neither of those (two) were lay-ups, like, ‘These guys are gonna absolutely just go to Minnesota because they’re from Minnesota,’ ” Trieu said.

The next three top-rated recruits in Minnesota are headed elsewhere: Edina athlete Meyer Swinney (California), Monticello athlete Luke Emmerich (Wisconsin) and Shakopee lineman Trey Boyd (Northwestern). Time will tell if they missed out on those Power Four Conference recruits.

Big stat

Cornerback commit Naiim Parrish had 15 career interceptions to set a program record at powerhouse program Bergen Catholic High School in Oradell, N.J.

Gophers cornerbacks coach Nick Monroe, who previously coached at Syracuse, continues to bear fruit from his East Coast connections. Last year, the U brought in cornerback Samuel Madu from White Plains, N.Y.

‘Poached’

Minnesota did well in recruiting offensive linemen in the previous year, maybe too well.

The Gophers later had two tackle prospects de-commit — Nelson McGuire (Midlothian, Texas) to Texas A&M and Zac Stascausky (Portland, Ore.) to Washington, and then Oregon on Saturday. They became top 170 players in the nation, per 247 Sports.

“I think (Minnesota) almost did too good of a job on the offensive line,” Trieu said. “Those guys ended up getting poached by other schools.”

That left the Gophers in need of another O-lineman, and they did so last weekend with the commitment of Kaveon Lee of Plainfield, Ill.

The U has four total offensive lineman, some from places they rarely recruit — Nick Spence of Peoria, Ariz., Mark Handy of Albuquerque and Daniel Shipp of Corona, Calif. Trieu considers Shipp a “sleeper” in this year’s collection.

“He had some injuries early in his career, missed a lot of time in his sophomore and junior seasons,” Trieu said. “So, his name wasn’t even on the radar as of the summer, but he kind of quickly became a Power Four recruit. He’s one of those kids where there’s so much room to grow.”

Another strength

Trieu also singled out defensive linemen Jayquan Stubbs of Cleveland, Ohio, and Enoch Atewogbola of Avon, Ind., as players he thinks have a “chance to be really good.”

“I think that defensive line, and front seven, is a strength of the class,” he said.

Soft commit?

Rumor has it that safety pledge Grant Grayson might leave the U’s recruiting class. Kentucky, which offered him a scholarship this fall, could be the program swaying him.

Grayson, a 6-foot-2, three-star prospect, attends Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic High School in Olney, Md., the same place as U’s all-time leading rusher Mo Ibrahim, the U’s current assistant running back coach. The pair were pictured together when Grayson visited the U campus.

Minnesota has been pushing its recent success with safeties — Antoine Winfield Jr., Tyler Nubin and Koi Perich, to name three — and are likely continuing to use that pitch with Grayson in the 11th hour.

Context on QB

Four-star quarterback Jackson Kollock did not put up huge stats during this senior season at Laguna Beach (Calif.) High School: 56% completions (145 for 258) for 1,711 passing yards, 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

But Kollock, who added 315 rushing yards and 8 TDs on the ground, played hurt on a Breakers team that dealt with a lot of injuries, especially up along the line.

Trieu said 247 Sports’ analysts on the West Coast noted his college-ready frame (6-foot-3, 215 pounds), strong right arm (when healthy) and ability to take care of the football (even fewer interceptions earlier in career).

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