When you win a rivalry game at home, it’s more than just a notch in the win column - it’s a statement. And for Minnesota, that statement echoed loud enough to catch the attention of some key recruits, including offensive line prospect Aaron Thomas, who was on campus for an official visit over the weekend.
Thomas, a standout lineman from Mountain Pointe in Arizona, has had the Gophers on his radar for a while. This wasn’t his first look at the program.
He visited during his junior year, taking in a spring practice, attending a summer camp, and making the trip for the Penn State game last fall. Minnesota’s interest in Thomas has been consistent - head coach P.J.
Fleck and offensive line coach Brian Callahan even traveled to Arizona in January to keep the connection strong.
But the recruiting trail is rarely a straight line. Once programs like Ohio State, Texas A&M, Oregon, and Florida State entered the mix in the spring, the competition for Thomas heated up.
A potential summer visit to Minnesota didn’t materialize, and by June 25th, Thomas had committed to Ohio State. That commitment didn’t stick, though.
He decommitted in November and has since flipped to Minnesota - a big win for the Gophers’ 2025 class.
What makes Thomas particularly intriguing is how new he is to the offensive line. Until his junior year, he was strictly a defensive player.
It wasn’t until last season that he began playing tackle, and the transition has been impressive enough to draw interest from some of the biggest programs in the country. That kind of raw upside is hard to find - and even harder to land.
His visit to Minnesota may not have been packed with activities - it was a game weekend, after all - but it left a lasting impression. Thomas spent time with current players, including his host DJ Shipp, and got a firsthand look at the culture and expectations within the program.
“Practice is really hard and the lifting program is really tough too,” Thomas said. “The game was freezing, but I had a blast.”
That game-day experience clearly hit home. Not only did he get to watch a rivalry win in person, he got the full Minnesota experience - cold weather, snow, and all.
“The entire offensive line class was there. We rushed the field with the students at the end.
The game was the best part. This was my first time being in a snow game.
It was a different experience for sure.”
Thomas also spent time with his future coaches - a chance to connect beyond the recruiting pitch and start building the relationships that will shape his college career.
For Minnesota, landing Thomas is more than just adding a big body up front. It’s a sign that the program can still win key battles on the recruiting trail, even against national powerhouses. And for Thomas, it’s the next step in a journey that’s just getting started.