MN Gophers Football Transfer Portal Tracker – 2026

The 2026 college football transfer portal officially opened on January 2nd, just one week after P.J. Fleck’s Minnesota Gophers wrapped up their season on December 26th with a thrilling overtime victory vs the New Mexico Lobos in the 2025 Rate Bowl.

Looking forward, Minnesota has already secured the best high school recruiting class in program history. And now, Fleck and his staff are trying to build through the transfer portal, in order to immediately fill holes throughout the roster.

College football recruiting has evolved far beyond home visits and signing days. With the NIL (name, image, and likeness) in full motion, “student athlete” no longer means what it once did.

Minnesota Gophers win some, lose some in 2026 transfer portal

In 2026, if you want to bring in talent, you have to pay for it. If you have money, anything is possible. Just ask Indiana. If you don’t, you will become a minor league system for schools that do.

Where do the Minnesota Gophers currently stand in the NIL pecking order? They are somewhere in between.

We’ve seen PJ Fleck lose a handful of starters from 2025, during this portal cycle, but he’s been able to hang onto most of their most important pieces, in part thanks to a new NIL program sponsored by Cub Foods.

Out of the portal, Minnesota is adding a mixed bag of overachievers from lower level programs and former top recruits who have underachieved and washed out of powerhouse programs, including Tennessee and Auburn.

2026 Gopher Football transfer portal additions

Below is a look at all of the players Minnesota has added through the transfer portal for 2026 so far, along with their portal rating (247Sports). Underneath that, are the outgoing transfers who have thrown their name into the portal.

This group features a mix of projected starters and key depth pieces. Drake Lindsey will remain under center for the Gophers, while Michael Merdinger appears poised to step into the primary backup quarterback role.

Darius Taylor has already confirmed his return to Dinkytown next season. The depth behind him remains a question mark, however.

A.J. Turner was an intriguing transfer last season but appeared in only three games due to injury. Purdue transfer Jaron Thomas should help stabilize and deepen the running back rotation.

On the defensive side, Naquan Crowder looks like an immediate starter with multiple interior defensive linemen departing. Perry Thompson arrives as a potential No. 1 wide receiver, addressing a major need in a young position group in need of veteran talent.

Minnesota’s 2026 Transfer Portal Departures

Safety Parker Knutson faces a significant jump in competition after transferring from the Division II level, but Koi Perich’s departure creates a clear opportunity for him to earn playing time right away.

Among the most notable departures for Minnesota are Koi Perich (S), Kenric Lanier II (WR), Cristian Driver (WR), Fame Ijeboi (RB), Malachai Coleman (WR), and Za’Quan Bryan (CB). The transfer portal window closes on January 16, with an extension to January 24 for players participating in the National Championship game.

Looking ahead, the Minnesota Gophers will open the 2026 season at home against Eastern Illinois on September 3. Fleck’s non-conference schedule also features Mississippi State on September 12 and Akron on September 19.

With a strong recruiting foundation already in place, the coming weeks in the portal will go a long way toward determining whether Minnesota can take the next step in 2026.