’24 Gophers Commit Koi Perich Jumps Into Consensus Top-75 Nationally

The Minnesota Gophers 2024 recruiting class is the best PJ Fleck has had since the NIL era of college athletics began and a large part of his success is thanks to incoming safety Koi Perich, from Esko, MN.

Related: Gophers Koi Perich Snags Interception, Blocks Punt in All-American Bowl MVP Performance

The 6’1″, 200-lb playmaker surprised the entire country when he kept his commitment to the home state Gophers, even with Ohio State and Florida State trying everything they could to steal him away, in the weeks and months leading up to National Signing Day.

Koi Perich is a superstar talent who chose to stay home

But somehow, PJ and his staff found a way to hang onto one of the most freakish athletes that will ever step foot on campus. Not only that, but a leader who has every possible intangible a college football coach wants in a promising superstar talent.

When you watch Koi’s senior highlights, you can’t help but wonder whether or not he ever should’ve been allowed on a football field with AA-level high schoolers in the first place.

Related: Gophers Fly ‘Row The Boat’ Banner Over Koi Perich State Tournament Game

Less than one year ago, when the calendar flipped to March 1, 2023, Koi Perich was an averageish 3-star prospect who wasn’t even in the National top-600 prospects, according to 247Sports.com’s rankings.

Koi Perich becomes consensus national top-75 recruit

Other outlets didn’t even know he existed. When he finally registered on the composite rankings sheet (which includes On3, ESPN and Rivals) in April, he sat outside the top-500. That was until he started catching attention around the country, following his commitment to Minnesota around that same time.

But once football games started being played this fall, Perich shot up the national board like few others in his class. It started in October, when he first jumped into 247Sports’ national top-100.

Two months later, he did the same in the composite rankings, but not only into the top-100. Perich now sits in the national top-75 in both 247Sports and the composite ratings/rankings systems.

Perich set to make Minnesota Gophers history immediately

Koi Perich’s recruiting rankings are so high, at this point, that he is currently set to be the highest rated recruit to ever play a snap for the University of Minnesota, according to 247Sports.

The only higher-rated recruit to ever commit to Minnesota (in the internet era) was Washburn, MN running back Jeff Jones exactly one decade ago. Jones carried a 97 rating by 247Sports, good for 55th in the 2014 class. Unfortunately, he was never able to get academically eligible and never played a down in maroon and gold.

The 3rd highest-rated Gophers commit of all time is Carter Coughlin (2016.

Related: Minnesota Gophers Recruiting Class – 2024