Minnesota was the first school to make an offer to Jackson County Central’s Roman Voss in May 2024 and the Golden Gophers were the last ones standing at the end of the end of the process on Monday.
In all Voss received 14 offers from Power Four programs including some from each conference.
Last month the 6-foot-4, 225-pound Voss announced his two finalists, Minnesota and Alabama.
On Monday he announced his choice on his X account. “All Glory To God. Home” Voss wrote in a post.
His announcement gives the Gophers 24 hard commits for the Class of 2026.
Voss is the number one ranked player in the state by both prepredzone.com and 247sports.com. He’s listed as an athlete but is projected as a tight end in college.
The next two players on those lists, No. 2 Rocori offensive tackle Andrew Trout and No. 3 Forest Lake defensive lineman Howie Johnson, committed to Minnesota and coach P.J. Fleck earlier.
Minnesota is also waiting for a commitment from the No. 4 player on the list, Triton athlete Pierce Petersohn. He’s listed the Gophers and Penn State as his finalists.
Fleck and his entire offensive staff made an in-home visit to Voss and his family in early January.
That visit came less than 72 hours after getting doused with mayonnaise while sitting next to Flava Flav following Minnesota’s 24-10 win over Virginia Tech at the Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte, N.C.
It was Minnesota’s eighth straight bowl win, the longest current streak in the country and the longest in Big Ten conference history.
The 2025 season will be Fleck’s ninth as head coach at Minnesota. It’s the 13th year overall. He was head coach at Western Michigan for four years prior to the Golden Gophers.
Fleck is 58-39 at Minnesota and 88-61 overall. He has bowl game appearances as head coach, going 1-2 at Western Michigan and he is 6-0 at Minnesota.
Gopher commits
Minnesota has 24 verbal commitments for the 2026 recruiting class:
Howie Johnson, DL, Forest Lake
Andrew Trout, OL, Rocori
Justin Hopkins, CB, Nashville
Daniel McMorris, OT, (Norman, Okla.
Gavin Meier, OL, Janesville, Wis.
Mataalii Benjamin, OT, Lehi, Utah
Ryan Estrada, RB, El Paso, Tex.
Gabe Weaver, TE, St. Louis
Hudson Dunn, LB, Peoria, Ariz.
Angel Luciano, LB, Steelton, Penn.
Anthony Charles, DE, McDonald, Penn.
Jordan Lampkins, S, (Boilingbrook, Ill.
Ezekiel Bates, RB, Malvern, Penn.
Hayden Moore, WR, Newberry, Fla.
Rico Blassingame, WR, Tolleson, Ariz.
Chance Payne, CB, Jefferson, Ga.
Aaden Aytch, DE, Lafayette, Ind.
Lucas Tielsch, OL, Akron, Ohio
Kai Meza, WR, Draper, Utah
Owen Lansu, QB, Downers Grove, Ill.
Trason Richardson, S, Rosharon, Tex.
Josiah Anyansi, DL, Murrieta, Calif.
Jeremiah Benson, DL, West Bloomfield, Mich.
Roman Voss, TE, Jackson County Central
Gophers from Minnesota
There are five players on the 2025 University of Minnesota football roster from the state.
Listed are name, position, years of eligibility and high school.
Jaxon Howard, DL, 3 years, Robbinsdale Cooper
Emmanuel Karmo, LB, 4 years, Robbinsdale Cooper
Koi Perich, DB, 3 years, Esko
Max Shikenjanski, QB, 3 years, Stillwater
Jalen Smith, WR, 4 years, Mankato West