Gophers player makes preseason True Freshman All-American Team

A Minnesota Golden Gophers football player has made On3's preseason True Freshman All-American Team .

Minnesota-native Koi Perich is named on the team as he's expected to see playing time on head coach P.J. Fleck's defense this season.

Perich, a four-star recruit that Minnesota edged Ohio State out in landing, has the talent and ability to contribute early on for the Gophers.

On3's Director of Scouting and Rankings Charles Power says:

"He is an outstanding athlete at safety and plays with an extremely aggressive physical mindset. He was a standout at the All -American Bowl, earning defensive MVP honors in that game. He has the ability to be a playmaker, both on defense and special teams. He got a later start as a June enrollee at Minnesota, but we would be surprised if he doesn’t make an impact over the balance of his true freshman season for the Golden Gophers.”

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Perich was named First-Team All-State by the Associated Press and was ranked as the No. 1 prospect in Minnesota and the No. 3 safety in the nation by On3.

Veteran safeties like Darius Green and Coleman Bryson are on the roster and could cut into Perich's playing time, however, the true freshman has more potential in comparison to his teammates.

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During Fleck's tenure, he has consistently played true freshmen so it's likely Perich will step into a role quickly. However, the 6-foot-1, 200-pound freshman didn't join the program early so it could hinder his immediate impact.

The Gophers open the 2024 season on Aug. 31 against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Huntington Bank Stadium.