Joseph Hamer is starting to make serious waves in the 2027 recruiting class - and now he’s got a Big Ten offer to prove it. The 6-foot-6, 315-pound offensive lineman out of Lakeville South High School in Minnesota has long been on the radar for programs like the hometown Gophers, and over the weekend, that interest turned into something more tangible.
Following an in-home visit with Minnesota offensive line coach Brian Callahan, Hamer picked up his first Big Ten offer - and it came from the Golden Gophers.
“Coach Callahan came over Saturday and spent time with me and my parents,” Hamer said. “He talked about the campus, what life is like as a student-athlete, and answered a lot of my mom’s questions - she’s still new to the whole college football thing. After a long conversation and presentation, he offered me a full-ride scholarship.”
That offer clearly resonated. Hamer lit up talking about the Gophers and the potential fit.
“I’m very excited about Minnesota and what the near future holds,” he said. “Coach Callahan believes Minnesota is the perfect fit for me and my goals as a lineman. The atmosphere there is intense, and the offensive line coach is really great.”
Hamer has the kind of physical profile that jumps off the tape - tall, powerful, and surprisingly nimble for a player his size. That combination of size and athleticism is what makes him such an intriguing prospect for Power Five programs. Iowa State had offered him back in the spring under Matt Campbell’s staff, but with that regime change in Ames, Minnesota now becomes the first Big Ten school to officially throw its hat in the ring.
And for the Gophers, this is exactly the type of in-state recruitment they need to win. Keeping top-tier local talent home has been a priority for the program, and Hamer fits the mold of a foundational piece for an offensive line - a position group that’s been central to Minnesota’s identity in recent years.
While it’s still early in Hamer’s recruitment, there’s no question this offer is a significant step forward. He’s not just on Minnesota’s radar anymore - he’s a priority. And judging by his reaction, the feeling might be mutual.