MN Gophers Phenom Racking Up Preseason All-America Honors

We are now exactly two weeks from the Minnesota Gophers kicking off the regular season against the Buffalo Bulls. P.J. Fleck’s team finished last season with an 8-5 record and won the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, complete with a condiment shower, against Virginia Tech.

Max Brosmer is no longer on the team. Instead he’s working to secure QB2 duties behind J.J. McCarthy for the Minnesota Vikings. It’s the Drake Lindsey show, and if he can produce, this team could be very good.

No one is drawing more hype than Koi Perich though, and for good reason. The Minnesota-native is going to be utilized all over the field, and every single preseason award list wants to include him.

Koi Perich racking up the preseason accolades for Gophers

Koi Perich understands that college is a necessary part of the process. His eyes are set on the NFL, and the more that the safety can do to stand out on P.J. Fleck’s squad, the more likely he winds up there. With preseason award lists taking shape, it’s easier to highlight which ones Perich is not on.

Beyond just individual awards, Perich also litters Preseason All-American lists and you’d be hard-pressed to find an outlet willing to exclude him.

So what’s being said about Perich to include him in such rarified air? The better question is who isn’t talking about him.

The 6-1, 200-pound Esko, Minn., native and former top-100 recruit started only three games but earned Freshman All-American and first-team Big Ten honors last season. Perich tallied 46 tackles and grabbed five interceptions in only 424 snaps on defense. He also showed elite skills as a return man.

The Athletic

The Golden Gophers lost one of college football’s best safeties in Tyler Nubin and immediately found another in Perich. The true freshman’s five interceptions this past season trailed only Xavier Watts among FBS safeties, while his 88.9 PFF grade was seventh. He was also one of only seven safeties in America who earned 80-plus grades both in coverage and in run defense.

Pro Football Focus

It remains to be seen how high the heights for Perich can be. Last season, as a true freshman, he forced his way onto the field for regular reps.

Across 13 games, Perich recorded 46 total tackles including three for losses. He picked off a Big Ten-leading five passes and forced a fumble as well.

Koi Perich ready for an Minnesota Gophers encore

Perich is still at least another season away from being able to declare for the NFL Draft. That doesn’t mean this next one in Dinkytown isn’t going to be a ton of fun.

After Perich lived up to the billing as the top in-state recruit, he is adding to his arsenal. This time around Perich is going to be utilized on offenses and wherever-the-heck-else P.J. Fleck pleases. Perich is cut from the Travis Hunter cloth in being an athletic freak, and he’s all the way bought in.

Minnesota’s Koi Perich gets it done on both sides of the ball 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/OT1Td2vILx

— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) August 4, 2025

While it’s unlikely that Perich flashes as a top wide receiver, the same could be said about Colorado’s Hunter. The amazement was in the utility, and he flashed as a standout on both sides of the ball.

Related: New Gophers QB Tasked With More Responsibilities at LOS

We’ll see to what extent Perich can replicate that production, but after his freshman season, you’d be goofy to bet against him.