Official 2026 Roster Movement Thread - Who's In and Who's Out?

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DarrenTheGreek said:
Le'Meke will always hold a place in my heart for Gopher football simply for his tremendous RAC against Wisconsin to seal the victory in 2022. If by some chance our paths ever crossed later in life that is the Gopher memory I would bring up to him.
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That play against the Badgers will always be cemented in my memory as well

The Bateman/Johnson 1/1A combo will be really difficult to replicate and we have to accept that as Gopher fans. I doubt we will ever be tOSU that seems to run a first-round draft pick or two out at the WR position every year. That doesn't mean we should settle and I hope the coaching staff knows how important high-quality WRs are in the modern game.

I will get pushback I'm sure, but I never saw either Brockington or Daniel Jackson as true "Number 1's" as WRs. Don't get me wrong. They were both very good college WRs and their stats bear that out. They just didn't jump off the page for me.
 

50PoundHead said:
That play against the Badgers will always be cemented in my memory as well

The Bateman/Johnson 1/1A combo will be really difficult to replicate and we have to accept that as Gopher fans. I doubt we will ever be tOSU that seems to run a first-round draft pick or two out at the WR position every year. That doesn't mean we should settle and I hope the coaching staff knows how important high-quality WRs are in the modern game.

I will get pushback I'm sure, but I never saw either Brockington or Daniel Jackson as true "Number 1's" as WRs. Don't get me wrong. They were both very good college WRs and their stats bear that out. They just didn't jump off the page for me.
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I don’t feel you’ll get much pushback

Jackson was our number one.
But the fact he was our number one is why we weren’t as good as people wanted. He would’ve been a great number 2


Autman bell was our number 3 on the best team in the last 50 years and he is top 10 in yards and catches and 12th in touchdown. He was the number 3! Him and Jackson the two best post Bateman
 

Some guy said:
I don’t feel you’ll get much pushback

Jackson was our number one.
But the fact he was our number one is why we weren’t as good as people wanted. He would’ve been a great number 2
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Jackson may have caught less balls if there would have been a true #1 on the squad, but he may have been even more effective. He clearly had skills. I did love watching him play. Tough and great in winning contested balls.
 

Some guy said:
I don’t feel you’ll get much pushback

Jackson was our number one.
But the fact he was our number one is why we weren’t as good as people wanted. He would’ve been a great number 2


Autman bell was our number 3 on the best team in the last 50 years and he is top 10 in yards and catches and 12th in touchdown. He was the number 3! Him and Jackson the two best post Bateman
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Daniel Jackson was one of my favorite Gophers of the last 20 years but you're not wrong.
 

Some guy said:
Rios = 9th in catches in program history
Maye = 18th in catches and also had 51 rushes

Hosack = 17th in touchdowns and 18th in yards.



You’re saying the names of undeniable top 25 wideouts in program history here.



This is not me saying Brockington is an nfl guy. This is just saying you may have a higher standard for what is solid than I do.
There is a massive amount of space between all time great and below average.
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Thats fair. More than anything I am saying the bar is low I guess.

Averaging 250 yards a year and having one solid season puts you in the top 30 of all time, maybe I worded it wrong. For the Gophers program he had a solid career. In my opinion slightly disappointing, but solid.

If after his Freshman year when he caught the TD vs Wisconsin you were told that the rest of his career he would have basically 800 yards and 6tds would you have thought that would be a letdown?
 


Jackson and LeMeke both could fight for a contested ball. Jackson had almost supernatural power to haul in a contested catch. That trait is lacking, from what I've seen, on the current 2026 WR roster. Combine that with WRs that can't seem to get meaningful separation (and a scheme that doesn't do much to assist separation) and the passing game, especially our phantom downfield game, suffers.

When the old Russian Army hockey team wanted to begin winning Olympic medals, they didn't spend much time studying film of themselves, looking for their own weakness, etc. The coaches religiously studied film of the Montreal Canadiens. The coaches wanted to see what that great winning team was doing, its style of play, its strategy, etc. And the Russians "borrowed" liberally from that study. I know that the Gophers study "film" constantly, all the time. I wonder whether, in the pre-season, the Gopher coaches study--really study--the game film of teams that have player recruiting profiles akin to, or less impressive than the Gophers ... and that also manage to field creative, dangerous offenses? Plagiarism is OK in football, and can help a team become less predictable and more productive.
 

50PoundHead said:
That play against the Badgers will always be cemented in my memory as well

The Bateman/Johnson 1/1A combo will be really difficult to replicate and we have to accept that as Gopher fans. I doubt we will ever be tOSU that seems to run a first-round draft pick or two out at the WR position every year. That doesn't mean we should settle and I hope the coaching staff knows how important high-quality WRs are in the modern game.

I will get pushback I'm sure, but I never saw either Brockington or Daniel Jackson as true "Number 1's" as WRs. Don't get me wrong. They were both very good college WRs and their stats bear that out. They just didn't jump off the page for me.
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I'd agree they are not true #1's. But really the Gophers have had about 3-4 of those in the past 20 years.

Again, not to jump on anyone or try to put him down, but calling Brockington a very good WR and that his stats bear that out is crazy to me. Jackson yes 100% he was very very good. Brockington was no where near that, IMO...
 

Gophergrandpa said:
Jackson and LeMeke both could fight for a contested ball. Jackson had almost supernatural power to haul in a contested catch. That trait is lacking, from what I've seen, on the current 2026 WR roster. Combine that with WRs that can't seem to get meaningful separation (and a scheme that doesn't do much to assist separation) and the passing game, especially our phantom downfield game, suffers.

When the old Russian Army hockey team wanted to begin winning Olympic medals, they didn't spend much time studying film of themselves, looking for their own weakness, etc. The coaches religiously studied film of the Montreal Canadiens. The coaches wanted to see what that great winning team was doing, its style of play, its strategy, etc. And the Russians "borrowed" liberally from that study. I know that the Gophers study "film" constantly, all the time. I wonder whether, in the pre-season, the Gopher coaches study--really study--the game film of teams that have player recruiting profiles akin to, or less impressive than the Gophers ... and that also manage to field creative, dangerous offenses? Plagiarism is OK in football, and can help a team become less predictable and more productive.
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I’m pretty sure Smith, Tracy and Martino will be just fine. Probably a portal player too. Who wouldn’t want Drake throwing to them?
 





MaxyJR1 said:
It is a bit alarming that our weakest position right now if possibly WR and it's our HC's position of expertise and he's had a consistent coach at the position. It's the depth that is the issue. We can put 2-3 good players on the field, but it falls off quickly with depth and players seeing the field.

Brockington has a solid career. 46 catches in 12 games
Smith was a R-Fr and has potential. 22 catches in 12 games
Tracy played well 35 catches in 12 games
Loya 10 catches over 10 games
Lainer 3 catches over 10 games
Coleman 5 catches over 8 games

TE's had 5 players play all 12 games and combined for 49 catches.

We return Smith and will need at least 3 WR's to come in or step up.
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WR is the position room that will suffer the most in this current transfer/NIL era. Once these kids think they're beat out on the depth chart, they're gone. No more waiting around for your turn.

That all being said, apart from your important first point, I think Harbaugh is just not a WR-friendly OC.
 

GophEnEspaña said:
WR is the position room that will suffer the most in this current transfer/NIL era. Once these kids think they're beat out on the depth chart, they're gone. No more waiting around for your turn.

That all being said, apart from your important first point, I think Harbaugh is just not a WR-friendly OC.
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Hayes was beat out and stayed? Or was he injured all year?
 

GophEnEspaña said:
WR is the position room that will suffer the most in this current transfer/NIL era. Once these kids think they're beat out on the depth chart, they're gone. No more waiting around for your turn.

That all being said, apart from your important first point, I think Harbaugh is just not a WR-friendly OC.
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Agree. Next to QBs (or maybe even more than QBs), WRs really want the ball and they will go to places where they think they will get the ball.
 



GophEnEspaña said:
WR is the position room that will suffer the most in this current transfer/NIL era. Once these kids think they're beat out on the depth chart, they're gone. No more waiting around for your turn.

That all being said, apart from your important first point, I think Harbaugh is just not a WR-friendly OC.
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I think QB is the room that suffers the most and it isn't even close. Having any sort of true depth at QB right now is next to impossible with the way guys move around.

There are 3 and sometimes 4 WR on the field at one time so even if you are not the top guy there is still the opportunity to work your way into the mix over the course of the season.
 



GophEnEspaña said:
WR is the position room that will suffer the most in this current transfer/NIL era. Once these kids think they're beat out on the depth chart, they're gone. No more waiting around for your turn.

That all being said, apart from your important first point, I think Harbaugh is just not a WR-friendly OC.
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Why would wide receivers be more likely to transfer than any other position?
And why should any of them at any position "wait around"?

There's also this: there are X number of college football teams, with X number of WR spots. Transfers change neither of those numbers. Just reshuffle which college they're at. Nobody is "suffering."
 

USAF said:
Why would wide receivers be more likely to transfer than any other position?
And why should any of them at any position "wait around"?

There's also this: there are X number of college football teams, with X number of WR spots. Transfers change neither of those numbers. Just reshuffle which college they're at. Nobody is "suffering."
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We're all suffering from bad football due to no continuity. The NFL is gonna hurt most from lack of development, imo.
 
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minnyrules11 said:
I’m pretty sure Smith, Tracy and Martino will be just fine. Probably a portal player too. Who wouldn’t want Drake throwing to them?
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PJ has pretty much said that Braiden Stevens will see the field next year, because he possesses rare speed.
 

Thank goodness all these guys announced playing in a bowl game and signing for next year, on Tuesday!

That means they could hop on a plane and join the team for today's practice!?


Oh wait ... they were already playing in the game and had been down there the whole time.


I see ... it was nothing other than a weak attempt at a publicity grab by DTA and Ryan Burns. Got it
 

Now that we're in the age where the House Settlement is active and so the U athletic department can give these guys more money than they can get from DTA or any other third-party NIL deals .... I'd like to start seeing some FOIA filings to get some documentation out of the U on how much they're paying these guys.

Let's go STrib and PP. Do your jobs


All this stuff needs to be out in the open, like NFL salaries. It's trash that it's being hidden
 

MonikerSchmoniker45 said:
We're all suffering from bad football due to no continuity. The NFL is gonna hurt most from lack of development, imo.
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Eh, I don't see it. If anything, we're seeing better players on the field earlier. Less stashing of talent on big school's benches.
But mostly I just don't see any big difference due to transfers. Same players.
 




Malachi Coleman - I didnt know his background:

www.facebook.com

2M views · 94K reactions | A high school football star is spreading kindness by using lessons from his painful past to give others a brighter future. And it all started with one simple gesture. On the Road with Steve Hartman is in Lincoln, Nebraska.

A high school football star is spreading kindness by using lessons from his painful past to give others a brighter future. And it all started with one simple gesture. On the Road with Steve Hartman...
www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
 

GopherGrit said:
Now that we're in the age where the House Settlement is active and so the U athletic department can give these guys more money than they can get from DTA or any other third-party NIL deals .... I'd like to start seeing some FOIA filings to get some documentation out of the U on how much they're paying these guys.

Let's go STrib and PP. Do your jobs


All this stuff needs to be out in the open, like NFL salaries. It's trash that it's being hidden
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It's hidden for competitive reasons. What does your knowing accomplish? Coyle has already stated close approximations of what each sport is getting and that the University is spending the max of the House settlement. While all of the players can certainly share with anyone what they're getting, I don't see that being a positive for our favorite team.
 

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