Gopher Football Recruiting Momentum Takes a Hit

The Minnesota Gophers football program has been on a recruiting heater this month, landing over a dozen commitments for the class of 2026, including some of the most talented high schoolers to ever verbally promise to put on a maroon and gold helmet.

Earlier this week, momentum on the 2026 recruiting trail reached fever pitch when (4-star 91 OVR) athlete out of Jackson County, MN, Roman Voss, chose his hometown Gophers over the Alabama Crimson Tide, marking the third straight year PJ Fleck has received a commitment from the No. 1 overall recruit in the state of Minnesota.

But the week wasn’t over for Fleck and the boys, following the Voss’ commitment on Monday. There was another composite 4-star (.8984) Minnesotan — 6’5″, 195 lb (ATH) Pierce Petersohn, out of Triton High School — set to make his college decision this week too.

Pierce Petersohn stiff arms hometown Minnesota Gophers

Recently, Petersohn narrowed his list down to the Golden Gophers and Penn State Nittany Lions. He also held offers from Duke, Iowa, Iowa State and Kansas State.

Unfortunately, after starting the week off hot, Wednesday’s homegrown 4-star announcement halted Minnesota’s momentum a bit, when the teenager stiff-armed his hometown University in favor of taking his talents to State College, PA.

BREAKING: Four-Star TE Pierce Petersohn has Committed to Penn State, he tells me for @on3recruits

The 6’5 200 TE from Dodge Center, MN chose the Nittany Lions over Minnesota

“Happy Valley, see y’all soon!”https://t.co/HV9PmZVN0Y pic.twitter.com/RjyYGL66tw

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) June 25, 2025

Related: PJ Fleck, Minnesota Gophers Land No. 1 In-State Recruit (Again)

247Sports has Petersohn (ATH) — who stands at 6’5″, 195 lbs and played QB/FS at Triton — ranked as the 4th best high school football player in the state. Other recruiting sites like him even more. Of note, Penn State recruited the Dodge Center, MN product as a tight end.

Why Petersohn chose Penn State over Minnesota

And according to Andy Greder (Pioneer Press), that was a major factor in Pierce’s decision. In high school, Petersohn and the aforementioned Roman Voss both played quarterback for their respective smaller town schools. And it just so happens that both athletes project at the same offensive position in college, too.

Context: A deciding factor in four-star recruit Pierce Petersohn of Dodge Center, Minn., committing to Penn State over #Gophers: Nittany Lions plan to put him at tight end. Minnesota first made that position pledge to Roman Voss and penciled in Petersohn at linebacker, then TE.

— Andy Greder (@andygreder) June 25, 2025

In fact, the Minnesota Gophers also have another highly-rated tight end committed for 2026 — 6’5″, 220 lb 3-star, Gabe Weaver, out of the St. Louis area. Thus, Fleck & Co told Petersohn that, if he committed to the Gophers, come to campus as a OLB/EDGE defender first, and tight end second.

After promising Voss the tight end position, as part of his commitment earlier in the week, Petersohn didn’t want to give up on his tight end dreams, something you certainly cannot blame him for. Thus, he’s off to College Station.