Signing Roman Voss in the 2026 high school cycle was one of P.J. Fleck’s biggest recruiting wins of his Gophers tenure. We’re quickly learning why Alabama and numerous top programs were after Voss, as Minnesota’s true freshman tight end continues to find his footing this season.

Now 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds, Voss was a decorated prep athlete at Jackson County Central (JCC) High School in southern Minnesota. The Huskies played at the Class 2A level, but Voss was so dominant he won Minnesota Gatorade Player of the Year and Minnesota Mr. Football as a senior. He played quarterback and finished his senior season with 1,902 yards and 21 touchdowns through the air and 1,893 yards and 30 more touchdowns on the ground.

Voss’s final college choice came down to Alabama and Minnesota. He also had notable offers from programs like Miami (FL), USC, Oklahoma, Auburn and more. He was dubbed a four-star prospect and the second-best player in Minnesota, according to the 247Sports Composite.

Transitioning from quarterback at the high school level to tight end in the Big Ten isn’t easy, so there were plenty of questions about how quickly Voss could contribute for the Gophers. Through seven weeks, he has seven receptions for 117 yards and two touchdowns, all of which are the most by a tight end on Minnesota’s roster.

FLEA FLICKER FOR THE LEAD 😲@GopherFootball turns some trickeration into a highlight TD at No. 4 Indiana.
Watch on CBS pic.twitter.com/zxFB04WwHA

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) October 31, 2026

Voss has still played only 94 offensive snaps this season, but when he’s on the field, the Gophers want to get him the ball. He has run a route on 95.5 percent of those snaps, which emphasizes that Minnesota sees him as more of an offensive weapon than a blocker at this moment.

The Gophers’ No. 1 tight end, Pierce Walsh, has missed the last two games due to injury. Their No. 2 tight end, Julian Johnson, has joined Walsh on the injury report this week, and both players are “doubtful” against UCLA as of Thursday night.

That leaves Voss, Oklahoma transfer Kaden Helms, third-year player Jacob Simpson and fellow true freshman George Rohl as the Gophers’ only healthy tight ends who have played significant snaps this season.

Minnesota’s offense has averaged just 14.5 points per game since the bye week. Voss has averaged 36.5 yards in the same span, which is just one yard per game fewer than Darius Taylor, who received 18 more touches. Javon Tracy’s 53.5 yards per game is the only mark significantly higher than Voss’s, but he has also gotten significantly more opportunities.

Voss has more yards than TJ Thomas, Noah Jennings and Jalen Smith over the last two games. If Johnson and Walsh end up missing this week’s game against UCLA, Minnesota’s game plan should include getting Voss more involved. It’s time to take off the training wheels. Nothing appears to be working consistently right now, and getting the football into the hands of your best playmakers is typically a sound strategy to fix that.

Source: Yahoo Sports