2026 OT Gavin Meier commits to Minnesota

Janesville (Wisc.) Virtual Academy three-star offensive tackle Gavin Meier has committed to Minnesota, he announced on Wednesday night.

He chose head coach PJ Fleck and the Golden Gophers over the likes of Wisconsin, Auburn, Indiana and others.

“The first thing I would like to say is thank you God. All glory goes to the man above who has blessed me with this amazing opportunity. Thank you to everyone who has supported me through everything and throughout the way of this incredible and unforgettable journey. The opportunity that has been given to me is an unforgettable one. This is all a dream come true, but a dream that came true with hard work and perseverance. I am excited to announce my commitment to the University of Minnesota,” Meier wrote on X announcing his decision.

“I can’t wait to step onto the field at Huntington Bank Stadium for the first time with my future teammates and rep the “M” on the front of the jersey. I will give everything I’ve got to help this program succeed. I’m excited to Row The Boat. Let’s go Gopher Nation.”

Meier is the No. 565 overall prospect and No. 45 OT in the 2026 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 2 player in Wisconsin.

The towering tackle is commit No. 6 for Minnesota this cycle. He’s the second tackle in the class, joining Cold Spring (Minn.) Rocori Senior four-star OT Andrew Trout. Early on the cycle, the class ranks No. 28 in the nation, according to the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings.

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The Gophers’ class is off to a hot start. Trout headlines the pledge list to date as the No. 229 recruit and No. 18 OT in the cycle.

Nashville Ensworth four-star cornerback Justin Hopkins is right behind and is the No. 28 corner in the nation. He chose Minnesota over Tennessee, USC and Georgia Tech last month.

“Every time I talked to another school, it just couldn’t compare to how I felt when I talked with the Minnesota coaches,” Hopkins told On3’s Chad Simmons. “Coach (Nick) Monroe came down twice, coach Fleck came down once and there was no comparison for me.”

Behind Meier, Downers Grove (Ill.) North three-star quarterback Owen Lansu and Forest Lake (Minn.) Senior three-star defensive lineman Howie Johnson round out the class. Lansu is the No. 40 QB in the cycle.