Minnesota Gophers Prospect Camp: 7/27 Recap & Top Performers

Yesterday, under a blazing hot Minnesota sun, the PJ Fleck-led Minnesota Gophers held what was the best camp I've been a part of this summer and hosted hundreds of high school football prospects from multiple graduating classes for a day of competition, coaching, and for some, a chance to earn a B1G offer. Additionally, the Gophers had a good crew of committed 2025s and 2026s in attendance, both to compete and/or attend the HYPRR Hangout, and it was overall a loaded camp roster with especially strong QB, DB, and TE groups. I was representing PrepRedzone solo, so it has to be said that I simply could not get eyes on everyone I wanted to (especially OL/DL), but I'm pumped to present our readers with my Top Standouts and Performers from yesterday's blazing hot day of competition. Row the Boat and Ski-U-Mah!   --   MVPs   Owen Lansu (Downers Grove North, Illinois) 2026. QB.   The biggest story coming out of the 7/27 Minnesota Gophers prospect camp comes out of the quarterback group, which, by the way, was a loaded one. After hanging out in Minneapolis for the weekend, throwing lights out in front of the Gophers staff at the camp, and getting a feel for the atmosphere and culture of PJ Fleck's RTB program, Illinois big-school QB Owen Lansu accepted his Golden Gophers offer that camp back in May. This is a commit that Gopher fans should be very excited about, and it's a big win for the staff to land their 2026 QB this early, which allows them to build around him and let Lansu take a vocal role in manufacturing the 2026 Gophers class, which is already looking talented and potentially special. In a QB group loaded with P4 prospects, Lansu reigned supreme on Saturday. The ball came out of his hand different, and he had pinpoint accuracy and ball-placement ability and command of the entire route tree. Not the biggest QB around, but the arm talent is apparent and he has performed well in multiple exposure points in front of a variety of different scouts, media, and coaches, including Saturday's Minnesota Gophers prospect camp. I love the fit and the building block of the 2026 class in the boat this early.   Kenedy Uzoma (Mt. Zion Prep Academy, Maryland) 2026. DE/EDGE.   A raw, twitched-up, athletic, and high-upside 6'6 EDGE out of the DMV, Kenedy Uzoma was certainly an eye-catcher on Saturday, and he was undoubtedly one of the biggest winners of the camp after earning an accepting a Minnesota Gophers offer after his performance in front of talented DL coach Winston DeLattiboudere III. It was his first P4 offer and one he didn't hesitate to jump on, and Gopher fans should be juiced about this one. Tested well, outstanding length, comes out of a competitive recruiting area, and has a very high ceiling at a premium position on the gridiron, Uzoma is on the lighter side, but the pass-rushing skillset of natural twitch, bend, length, and get-off are hard to find, especially with so much room to grow and develop. He came into the camp with a background that was primarily on the offensive side of the ball as a WR, so the upside is about as high as you're going to find. Excellent evaluation by the Gophers staff, as well as to get the recruiting over the finish line early, and great showing in Dinkytown by the Maryland native.   Grant Grayton (Our Lady of Good Counsel, Maryland) 2025. DB.   Coming out of the same high school as Golden Gophers RB great Mo Ibrahim, 2025 safety Grant Grayton competed against a loaded SAF group of 2025s, coming out as the big dog of the group and earning the coveted Gophers offer, his first P4 and first B1G offer. There were around 10 safeties competing for one offer, and Grayton got the job done during all three phases of the camp. Tested well and showed off good hips and footwork during drills, but Grayton really came alive and balled out once 1v1s rolled around. His ability to maintain phase and stay hip-to-hip in and out of breaks as well as vertically downfield was excellent, and his length, ball skills, and competitiveness were an asset at the catch point. I saw him strap up Gopher commits and P4 athletes alike, and he was a high-energy, in-your-face coverage corner who seemed to get better at the lights got brighter. If I'm Grayton, I'm jumping on this offer now.   Top Performers   Omar Jah (Olentangy, Ohio) 2025. DB.   Came into the camp with over 10 FBS and FCS offers, I liked Jah amongst the loaded SAF group and he continued to catch my eye throughout all three phases of the Minnesota camp. Not the tallest DB in the group, but he was one of the fastest players in attendance, and a front-of-the-line kid all day long. Jah was technically-sound and fluid, owns a good weave and snappy COD ability, and was smooth out of his breaks and concise with his movements. I saw him get a couple nice PBUs on underneath routes throughout 1v1s. High-end athlete who is going to bump up and improve a college DB room soon.   Lincoln Watkins (Port Huron Northern, Michigan) 2026. TE.   The Michigan-made TE came in with the deepest offer list of anyone in attendance, with 12 P4 offers that included a Gophers offer, and was as advertised. 6'3+, great frame, wide shoulders, cut-up muscular definition, and a thick lower body, Watkins doesn't miss days in the weight room, and I was impressed by his catch radius, strong hands, ability to reel in receptions through tight and contested coverage, body control in the air, and solid speed going vertically. A priority target for the Gophers, he was coachable and competitive in a high-stress environment and was top dog in a talented TE group.   [player_tooltip player_id='752525' first='Cameron' last='Begalle'] (Andover, Minnesota) 2025. WR.   Golden Gophers commit and instate product Begalle once again showed up and showed out in his future home in Dinkytown. Begalle has competed at two of the three Gopher camps held this summer, which I believe makes him the only commit to do so, and he was a standout performer during 1v1s against high-quality DB competition. The speed, both vertically and out of his breaks, route-running ability and nuance, soft hands, and ball skills all helped him win the majority of his reps. He's going to be unguardable as a senior in 2024.   Jackson Kollock (Laguna Beach, California) 2025. QB.   Gophers 2025 QB commit and California native Kollock led the loaded QB group on Saturday, both in performance and off-field disposition and competitiveness. Front of the line kid who the group deferred to to start things off, Kollock was the most consistent thrower on the day, with a huge arm and accuracy to all three levels of the field. Big-framed gunslinger with the size to fit in with his B1G peers, Kollock's ball placement was on point on Saturday, and he had some exciting reps and 1v1 wins with his future TE, Lake Catholic High School's (Ohio) Cross Nimmo, a preview of many successful connections to come in the Maroon & Gold. Kollock is the real deal, and it's hard not to be giddy about the Gophers QB room right now and into the future.   Naiim Parrish (Bergan Catholic, New Jersey) 2025. DB.   The 2025 Gophers DB commit out of national powerhouse Bergan Catholic is one of my favorite commits in the Gophers 2025 class, and he was outstanding to watch during DB positional groups and drills, popping off rep after rep of coaches tape and showing top-tier footwork, hips, and twitch. The burst out of his breaks was eye-catching and explosive, and he did everything right in front of his future teammates and coaches. Great land for the Gophers out of the Garden State.   Chris Hewitt Jr. (Calvert Hall College, Maryland) 2026. DB.   Yet another Maryland standout, rising junior DB Hewitt Jr. was also one of the more accomplished and prolific recruits in attendance, coming into Dinkytown with 18 P4 offers from the likes of South Carolina, Michigan, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Penn State, Wisconsin, and Miami (FL). It doesn't take a scouting expert to realize that Hewitt Jr. moves, looks, and plays different. Ultra-twitchy, loose quick hips, flies out of his breaks, controlled, and zero wasted movement, Hewitt Jr. was on a visibly different plane of athleticism and quickness than his peers. Good to see the Gophers get such a talented kid on campus, Hewitt Jr. is going to highly-sought after up until he signs, seals, and steps onto campus.   Locke Kennedy (Battle Ground Academy, Tennessee) 2025. DB.   One of the biggest DBs in attendance, Kennedy was also one of the quickest, displaying eye-popping testing numbers in the shuttle and a great frame that could really blow up at the college level. Got pulled aside to work with the LB group, as well as the DBs, and also had a good showing during 1v1s. Good coverage ability who can mirror and stay in the hip pocket of receivers all around the field. Gets out of his breaks well, can read and time out his breaks on the ball, and scored a nice INT during 1v1s to go along with some nice wins.   Cam O'Hara (Cooper High School, Kentucky) 2026. QB.   In a loaded QB group that has already gotten a ton of love, I found myself getting more and more bullish on Kentucky product Cam O'Hara as the day wore on. Talk about arm talent and an arm that "pops", O'Hara had a super snappy release, got put noticeable and significant zip on the ball, and was one of the most consistent quarterbacks accuracy-wise on the day. I loved watching him throw the pigskin around on Saturday.   Trevor Gibbs (Crown Point, Indiana) 2026. TE.   Nearly 6'2, and 225 lbs., Indiana product Gibbs was a player I was excited to see going into the morning of competition, as he's got five FBS offers going into his junior season and comes out of a talent-rich area of Indiana and a high school program that has been producing high-quality prospects as of late. Gibbs was a standout in a loaded TE position group, and was the most consistent and exciting pass-catcher, showing off coordination and soft hands, good body control, contested catch ability and shake at the top of the route. He owns a thick, powerful build that is balanced and strong through contact, and was a mismatch problem for DBs and LBs during 1v1s. Great showing by Gibbs in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.   [player_tooltip player_id='1255902' first='Pierce' last='Petersohn'] (Triton, Minnesota) 2026. TE.   A big-time name out of Minnesota's 2026 class who PRzMN readers should get to know, Triton's [player_tooltip player_id='1255902' first='Pierce' last='Petersohn'] jumped 6'10" (!) on the high jump this spring and will be competing for the state's high jump record soon and was a name everyone was itching to watch at the Minnesota Gopher's Prospect Camp. Nearly 6'4, long, lean frame, light right now, but he has a ton of room to fill in, and the athleticism was very exciting. His running technique and track background showed up all over the field and in multiple portions of the even, and Peterson's top-end speed, bounce and catch radius, and 50/50 ability were the best in attendance. He could also finish catches through contact and create separation at the top of the route. He's on offer-watch going into his junior year.   Dveyoun Bonwell-Witte (Sioux Falls Washington, South Dakota) 2026. WR.   The alpha dog of the WR group, South Dakota product Bonwell-Witte is a special talent, and he came into Dinkytown already holding a Gophers offer, aling with Wisconsin (earned at camp), Nebraska (earned at camp), Oklahoma (earned at camp), Kansas State (earned at camp), see a theme here? The combination of size, speed (10.90 100M), and route-running ability was second-to-none at the Minnesota camp, and he had his way with the top-tier DB competition during 1v1s. Nasty in his releases and at the top of the route, uses his size to his advantage, and catches everything that comes his way. He's one of the better skill prospects out of the Dakotas in the last decade. The kid's a dog.   Dylan Berymon (Ouachita Parish, Louisiana) 2026. DL.   A raging bull of a iDL prospect, Berymon was unstoppable in his power rushes and showed why he's a consensus 4star talent with his combination of size, power, and footwork. Just a mammoth DL prospect who looks ready and physical enough to plug gaps, eat doubles, and disrupt run games of his opponents in the college level. Not just a power rusher though, this kid has some mobility on him despite his eye-popping size.   Sullivan Garvin (Allegan, Michigan) 2026. OL.   A brute of a rising junior OL, Garvin had a good showing in 1v1s and is a good athlete at his size with quickness, balance, and explosiveness under his toolbelt. Big pop, heavy hands, and good leg drive after contact. Don't find big bodies who can move and compete like this very often.   Gavin Meier (Janesville Parker, Wisconsin) 2026. OL.   The quickness, balance, and footwork of Janesville Parker's massive 2026 OT prospect really stand out live, especially during competition. Flexible, quick, active feet, and a good base, Meier is tall, thick but holds his weight well, has huge hands and feet, and is still growing. Strong kid and a good athlete, who had a good showing during 1v1s. I think he's a future P4 OL.   Tyler Chukuyem (South Paulding, Georgia) 2026. OL.   Great frame. All of 6'5 and very lean, with a big wingspan and a ton of room to fill in. Active feet, balanced, pass set, good technique, and arguably the best athlete in the talented OL group, Chukuyem has some serious upside and a high-ceiling coming out of one of America's top high school football states.   Honorable Mentions   [player_tooltip player_id='224134' first='Nick' last='Kinsey'] (Stillwater, Minnesota) 2026. QB.   The best QB prospect out of Minnesota in the last decade+, Kinsey had a good showing amongst an ultra-talented QB group in Dinkytown and once again solidified himself as a P4 QB prospect. Accurate, good ball control and velocity, led his receivers open, and used good timing, he made some big boy throws in 1v1s and had an exciting couple of reps with Gopher WR commit [player_tooltip player_id='752525' first='Cameron' last='Begalle'], which got the homer in me fired up. His deep ball touch was one of the best in attendance and I think he raised his stock a bit after his performance for the home state school. Keep an eye on Stillwater this fall!   Josh Myers (Sioux Falls Lincoln, South Dakota) 2025. RB.   Didn't get to see Myers as much as I would have liked, but the Sioux Falls product was one of the best athletes in attendance and I saw him get pulled aside by the Gophers staff. Real-deal burners and a dynamic athlete who is very under-recruited right now. FCS schools should take notice!   JJ Chapman (Oak Creek, Wisconsin) 2028. QB.   Yes, you saw that right, rising FRESHMAN QB JJ Chapman was undoubtedly a top performer amongst a loaded group of QBs and prospects in Dinkytown yesterday morning. A name I was stoked to get eyes on, Chapman tore up the summer camp circuit in 2024, earning an in-person offer from Toledo in late May and balling out at the Wisconsin Badgers camp later in June. He's one of the best QB prospects I've seen at his age, especially in the Midwest, and is a no-doubt P4 prospect in the arm talent and mental acumen departments. Great mechanics, accurate and showed some eye-catching ball placement ability, and the arm pops out of his hand. I also liked his hustle and competitive makeup, and he's well ahead of the curve and his age in every possible QB benchmark. Could be a national prospect with Sunday projections if he keeps developing and improving.   Jeremiah Peterson (Kasson-Mantorville, Minnesota) 2026. DB.   The Minnesota native and KM Komet rising junior was consistent, notably quick, and smooth in DB footwork, COD, and bag drills. Didn't get to see him much during 1v1s, but the short-area quickness and movement ability caught the eye on Saturday.   Keizavion Woods (Haynesville, Louisiana) 2025. LB/EDGE.   Passed the eye-test and is a versatile defender capable of playing LB or EDGE, Woods has good length, heavy hands, and is quick in space.   Jensen Rice (Iola-Scandinavia, Wisconsin) 2026. ATH.   One of the fastest football players in the Midwest, small-school Wisconsin standout Rice brought a 10.66 100M time into the camp, along with a 100M and 110HH state championship in his bag, and he brought the track speed to Dinkytown in explosive fashion. Popped off two of the fastest 40s in attendance, catching the eyes of Gophers coaches and getting pulled aside for some 1v1 attention. Not the biggest prospect out there, but he's dynamic and explosive and has a decorated track background. Junior year is going to be a big one for the rising junior.   [player_tooltip player_id='641141' first='Evan' last='Kludt'] (Alexandria, Minnesota) 2025. DB/LB   I've been itching to see Alexandria's 2025 stud athlete Kludt in-person, and he lived up to the hype and then some. Over 6'3 with good testing numbers, Kludt's frame could easily add 30-40 pounds and retain its athleticism, and I liked his flexibility, footwork, and COD ability throughout testing and drill work. Had some good reps in 1v1s, but I'm not sure if his future would be better served at LB as opposed to the defensive backfield. Either way, the athleticism and dynamic ability he showed on tape was backed up in-person on Saturday. I think Missouri Valley and MAC schools should be taking a hard look at the senior tape as it comes.   Dayvion Ellis (Saint Viator, Illinois) 2025. DB/WR.   Good showing from the Chicagoland rising senior ATH, who came into camp with offers from North Dakota, Kent State, Marshall, and Bowling Green State. Good weave, fluid in drill work and came alive during 1v1s. He had multiple impressive PBUs during competition and was up there with the most wins on the day for any DB. Short-area quickness and burst helped him compete on all kinds of routes around the field and was a competitive kid who was locked in and focused all afternoon long. Good name to keep track of out of Illinois for the senior season.   Bradley Esser (Harrisburg, South Dakota) 2026. DB.   A rising junior who is having a successful sophomore summer camp circuit, Esser is fresh off an offer from the defending, back-to-back FCS champs SDSU after their latest prospect camp this week. Solid athlete, big arms, and was flying around during 1v1s, finding success and wins in man coverage. Was effective at the catch point and could drop his hips and shut things down well for a bigger DB. Good name to know out of South Dakota.   Maliek Hill (The Bolles School, Florida) 2025. WR.   Florida boy and Jacksonville product Hill was a twitched-up, effective route runner who had the speed to burn at the top end. Severely and astonishingly under-recruited right now given the athleticism, competition level he's seeing in North Florida, and technical ability. D1s be on notice.   [player_tooltip player_id='551299' first='Aaron' last='Briggs'] (Champlin Park, Minnesota) 2025. DB.   A busy and competitive camp performer from this summer's circuit, I've seen Champlin Park's CB Briggs pop off multiple 4.5s in the 40 coming into the camp, so I wasn't worried about the speed and athletic numbers. Briggs had a strong showing during 1v1s, flying out of his breaks and competing hard on shorter first and second level throws around the field. Got some hard-earned wins against high-quality wideouts throughout the day. Scholarship kid at the CB position for MN recruiters.   Nolan Anderson (Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin) 2025. DB.   A well-known name who PRzWI is a big fan of, Anderson once again showed he had P4-worthy athleticism on Saturday, and he made a nice INT during 1v1s right in front of me to add some splash to his performance. Holds a PWO from Wisconsin and I'd be surprised if the Gophers don't match that offer. He's too athletic, explosive, and physical to not take a flyer out on.   Preston Fryzel (Central Catholic, Ohio) 2026. TE.   6'3, with room to fill in, Ohio-made TE Fryzel showed off strong hands, contested catch ability, and really got the Gophers staff fired up by a few eye-catching receptions and finished during 1v1s. Held a Gophers offer coming into the camp and showed why during testing and competition. Big-time asset in the pass game from the TE position.   Tayshon Bardo (Penn, Indiana) 2026. WR.   Saw the Indiana native win some 1v1s thanks to his route running ability and short-area quickness.   Korz Loken (Iola-Scandinavia, Wisconsin) 2027. TE.   A big name to know in the budding 2027 TE class in the Midwest, Loken was pulled up to the big boy group of TE prospects and held his own both in the eye test and with his on-field performance. Great frame with a ton of room to fill in, laterally quick and effective, and had a big catch radius. He's still growing into his body but is going to be a beast once his upperclassman campaign rolls around. Get on the bandwagon now!   Connor Coffman (Page, Tennessee) 2026. OL.   Eye-catching lateral agility and movement skills, Coffman looked great as a tested and is a big kid with real-deal athleticism. Wish I got to see him more during 1v1s.

Yesterday, under a blazing hot Minnesota sun, the PJ Fleck-led Minnesota Gophers held what was the best camp I've been a part of this summer and hosted hundreds of high school football prospects from multiple graduating classes for a day of competition, coaching, and for some, a chance to earn a B1G offer. Additionally, the Gophers had a good crew of committed 2025s and 2026s in attendance, both to compete and/or attend the HYPRR Hangout, and it was overall a loaded camp roster with especially strong QB, DB, and TE groups. I was representing PrepRedzone solo, so it has to be said that I simply could not get eyes on everyone I wanted to (especially OL/DL), but I'm pumped to present our readers with my Top Standouts and Performers from yesterday's blazing hot day of competition. Row the Boat and Ski-U-Mah!