Minnesota WR Jalen Smith officially returning for 2026 season
Welcome to the new age of college football. On Tuesday, Minnesota wide receiver Jalen Smith’s agency SetVision Management announced that the Mankato (MN) native has resigned with the program for the 2026 season.
Smith is the first Gopher to reaffirm his return for the 2026 season. As a redshirt freshman, Smith played in all 12 games for the Gophers posting 22 receptions for 355 yards and two touchdowns while avearging 16.1 yards per reception.
Smith had a 38-yard touchdown in week one against Buffalo and also had a nine-yard touchdown against Rutgers in September as part of a four reception, 103-yard day.
With Le’Meke Brockington exhausting his eligbility this season, Smith alongside former Miami (OH) transfer Javon Tracy will be looked towards to be the the top options as of right now for Gophers quarterback Drake Lindsey.
In Lindsey’s first season as the program’s starting quarterback, he completed 228-of-361 passing attemtps for 2,235 yards and 16 touchdowns with just six interceptions thrown.
Smith was a three-star prospect in the 2024 recruiting class, ranked as a top-900 player nationally and the No. 7 player in the staet of Minnesota. He committed to the Gophers over offers from Iowa State and kent State.
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