Parker Knutson holds the NB · Starter spot in Minnesota Golden Gophers’s safety room. Where he sits among the room’s front-line roles:

Parker Knutson is a nickelback from Sartell, Minnesota who transferred to Minnesota in January 2026. He spent three seasons at Southwest Minnesota State (2023-25), appearing in 25 games with 22 starts. During that span, Knutson recorded 86 tackles (56 solo), 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack, 13 interceptions, and 32 pass breakups. In 2025, his final season at SMSU, he tallied 39 tackles, one sack, eight interceptions, and 14 pass breakups across 11 games. Knutson earned All-NSIC First Team honors in 2025 and 2024, and was named a Walter Camp Division II All-America First Team selection in 2025.

Southwest Minnesota Statethrough 2025

Minnesota2026 — present