New Roster is up on Gopher Sports

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Willwin40

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Off hand I don’t see any surprises, although I haven’t looked that close yet.
 




Currently see 99 names on the roster. How many of the freshman are early enrolled? Is there some sort of loophole for grandfather rule that allows us to go over 105?
 


I noticed Spencer Alvarez is off the roster, didn’t see him enter the portal, might have retired?
 






Couple of observations. Our only OL transfer, Bennett Thompson from Tennessee, was listed in the portal as 6’7” 325; on the roster he is 6’6” 290. Unless he is really athletic, he might be a depth piece. We got a lot of 6’6” 320+ guys on the roster who know our system.
The new DTs: Nate Crowder listed in portal as 6’3” 320, on roster as 6’1” 310; Sid Kaba listed in portal as 6’3” 289, on roster as 6’1” 310. The third DT, Xion Chapman was in the portal at 6’4” 300, on roster as 6’2” 305. While the shrinkage at DTs is noteworthy, I think it is fine, because we need DTs with leverage. Physically, Kaba looks like a find. Have to see the guys play, but I think PJ patched up well at DT.
 

Interesting. A lot of 4/5 year guys who will be key pieces for us. I like our WR room a lot more than last year. Really hope our front 7 stays healthy, should have a bunch of experience.
 

GophEnEspaña said:
Interesting. A lot of 4/5 year guys who will be key pieces for us. I like our WR room a lot more than last year. Really hope our front 7 stays healthy, should have a bunch of experience.
Click to expand...
Honest question - what makes you think the WR "room' is better than last year?
 

gopherbadgerman said:
Honest question - what makes you think the WR "room' is better than last year?
Click to expand...
For it to be better we will need some of the new guys/freshman to step up. Martino, Blasingame, Jennings, and Thompson have some potential. I'd say the players maybe look slightly better on paper but the biggest change in the room is the WR coach. Hopefully he can get more out of the receivers.
 



GoldRush said:
For it to be better we will need some of the new guys/freshman to step up. Martino, Blasingame, Jennings, and Thompson have some potential. I'd say the players maybe look slightly better on paper but the biggest change in the room is the WR coach. Hopefully he can get more out of the receivers.
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To me the main reason we have a chance to be better at WR is the only real production that has to be replaced is Brockington who was good but not the kind of guy it will be really hard to replace. Thompson would seem like the most likely option assuming he pans out at all.

The other big factor is the guy throwing to them will have another year under his belt and will hopefully be able to open up the passing game even more next season.

Lot of options for the 3/4 spots, just need at least one of them to pan out from the transfers or the young guys on the roster.
 

Gophergrandpa said:
Couple of observations. Our only OL transfer, Bennett Thompson from Tennessee, was listed in the portal as 6’7” 325; on the roster he is 6’6” 290. Unless he is really athletic, he might be a depth piece. We got a lot of 6’6” 320+ guys on the roster who know our system.
The new DTs: Nate Crowder listed in portal as 6’3” 320, on roster as 6’1” 310; Sid Kaba listed in portal as 6’3” 289, on roster as 6’1” 310. The third DT, Xion Chapman was in the portal at 6’4” 300, on roster as 6’2” 305. While the shrinkage at DTs is noteworthy, I think it is fine, because we need DTs with leverage. Physically, Kaba looks like a find. Have to see the guys play, but I think PJ patched up well at DT.
Click to expand...
Extreme cold is well known to cause shrinkage….
 

Noticed the following players not listed on 2026 roster (still had eligibility left?) from last year:

CB 22 Evan Redding
P 91 Luke Ryerse
TE 84 Jack DiSano

-Number changes (as of today):
DB 26 Zach Harden --> 4
WR 13 Bradley Martino --> 7
DB 13 Mike Gerald --> 8
RB 31 Xavier Ford --> 9
S 23 Garrison Monroe --> 9
S 25 Zahir Rainer --> 13
DL 90 Rhett Hlavacka --> 33
LB 43 Ethan Stendel --> 44
LB 48 Mason Carrier --> 46
 

gopherbadgerman said:
Honest question - what makes you think the WR "room' is better than last year?
Click to expand...
I think it's probably pretty close to a wash but if I had to bet, I'd bet the 2026 WRs will be slightly better. It comes down to the fact that I think what we lost (Brockington) will have less of an impact than another year of development will have on our other receivers (Smith and Tracy).

Smith flashed at times and if he has marginal progression, I think he will clearly better than anyone on our team last year.
Tracy is in his second year in our system, I expect a slight improvement. If he has an Elijah Spencer type of progression, he'd also be our best receiver last year. So even with a marginal improvement, I'd expect him be okay.

For all the new transfer guys, it's "what's behind door #2". We know the transfer guys we lost didn't produce in 2025 (maybe they will elsewhere, but I'm comparing it to what they did here). I think the transfers we brough in will have more than 8 total receptions next year (combined total of Coleman and Lanier).

Lastly, we have young guys who COULD step up. I'm not counting on it, but you never know. We know they didn't last year.

2026 Jalen Smith + 2026 Tracy + (Transfer WRs) + (Chance of Young WRs Development) > 2025 Brockington + 2025 Smith + 2025 Tracy + 8 receptions.

If I had to guess, we'll be slightly better but I'm not blown away by our talent at the position and we could be worse.
 



gopherbadgerman said:
Honest question - what makes you think the WR "room' is better than last year?
Click to expand...
Room is used quite often. It's the go-to word for "position group"

I think our overall depth is better. I think we're more talented and athletic top to bottom. Tracy gets another year in the system. Smith gets another year in the weight room and has a full year of experience under his belt. I think our transfers are better than last year.

Brockington was a great leader by all accounts but he's not a 1.
 


GophEnEspaña said:
Interesting. A lot of 4/5 year guys who will be key pieces for us. I like our WR room a lot more than last year. Really hope our front 7 stays healthy, should have a bunch of experience.
Click to expand...
DT now has 4 guys that are upperclassmen with significant experience playing FBS football. That by itself should be a huge improvement.
 



GophEnEspaña said:
Room is used quite often. It's the go-to word for "position group"

I think our overall depth is better. I think we're more talented and athletic top to bottom. Tracy gets another year in the system. Smith gets another year in the weight room and has a full year of experience under his belt. I think our transfers are better than last year.

Brockington was a great leader by all accounts but he's not a 1.
Click to expand...
I think expectations for last years wr group was higher on paper than this year. I think Loya and Tracy were more proven than this years transfers. We really need a major impact from Perry Thompson imo.
 


pharmacygopher said:
Noted earlier, only eary enrollees are included. Summer/fall not included

More info on them


Click to expand...
So 17 in now, 14 more coming later. Adding those 14 to what is on the GopherSports roster will put us at something like 110 players. So some additional players will have to leave before the season or maybe we have enough grandfathered in players that don't count against the 105 where it won't be an issue.
 

The Deliberate Stranger said:
Currently see 99 names on the roster. How many of the freshman are early enrolled? Is there some sort of loophole for grandfather rule that allows us to go over 105?
Click to expand...
All portal transfers now on the roster. Lots of freshman (17) are enrolled and on the roster, too. Here are freshman not enrolled yet:
DL: Aytch, Johnson
DB: White, Hamilton
LB: Luciano
TE: Voss, Weaver, Rohl
RB: Estrada, Castillo
WR: Hendryx, Dozier, Stevens
OL: Schreiber
Hypothetical 2026 Roster is at 113. PJ might have a few roster exemptions (allowed under the House settlement)—those exemptions being players on the roster or committed as Freshman at the time of the House settlement, but who now receive no benefits or pay—but I’m sure he’ll lose a few off this roster before fall of next year.
 
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Gophergrandpa said:
All portal transfers now on the roster. Lots of freshman (17) are enrolled and on the roster, too. Here are freshman not enrolled yet:
DL: Aytch, Johnson, Benson
DB: White, Hamilton
LB: Luciano
TE: Voss, Weaver, Rohl
RB: Estrada, Castillo
WR: Hendryx, Dozier
OL: Schreiber
Click to expand...
Benson is enrolled.
 


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