2016 Montana High School Football Recruiting List

[IntuitiveGriz]

Very true, and painfully obvious, that a population of 1 million scattered across a state over 700 miles across is not going to be efficient for college recruiters. Which is just the way we like it. Robin Selvig hit his 80000 wins or whatever using a steady pipeline of just enough montana talent. UM, MSU, Carrol and the rest of the Pioneer League maintains success by gleaning the talent off the top of the Montana prep ranks and filling the gaps with quality out of state talent. Sure we export a few great athletes but particularly in football I can't think of a lot of great ones that went out of state (Ryan Leaf, anyone?). The fact is, like rural Texas and Louisiana, in the fall football is king here. Montana flies under the radar of recruiting. And that's fine with me.

Osweiler
Dwan Edwards
Miller

Only three that come to mind in recent years.

Cody Carriger, currently with the 2015 National Runner-Up Oregon Ducks.

 

[KoolMoeDee]

Very true, and painfully obvious, that a population of 1 million scattered across a state over 700 miles across is not going to be efficient for college recruiters. Which is just the way we like it. Robin Selvig hit his 80000 wins or whatever using a steady pipeline of just enough montana talent. UM, MSU, Carrol and the rest of the Pioneer League maintains success by gleaning the talent off the top of the Montana prep ranks and filling the gaps with quality out of state talent. Sure we export a few great athletes but particularly in football I can't think of a lot of great ones that went out of state (Ryan Leaf, anyone?). The fact is, like rural Texas and Louisiana, in the fall football is king here. Montana flies under the radar of recruiting. And that's fine with me.

Osweiler
Dwan Edwards
Miller

Only three that come to mind in recent years.

Cody Carriger, currently with the 2015 National Runner-Up Oregon Ducks.

Dylan Hanser,Washington State

 

[IntuitiveGriz]

Very true, and painfully obvious, that a population of 1 million scattered across a state over 700 miles across is not going to be efficient for college recruiters. Which is just the way we like it. Robin Selvig hit his 80000 wins or whatever using a steady pipeline of just enough montana talent. UM, MSU, Carrol and the rest of the Pioneer League maintains success by gleaning the talent off the top of the Montana prep ranks and filling the gaps with quality out of state talent. Sure we export a few great athletes but particularly in football I can't think of a lot of great ones that went out of state (Ryan Leaf, anyone?). The fact is, like rural Texas and Louisiana, in the fall football is king here. Montana flies under the radar of recruiting. And that's fine with me.

Osweiler
Dwan Edwards
Miller

Only three that come to mind in recent years.

Cody Carriger, currently with the 2015 National Runner-Up Oregon Ducks.

Scout.com talks about recruiting Montana (The Big Sky Region) in this short piece: http://www.scout.com/college/football/recruiting/story/1097559-state-rankings-big-sky?s=143

 

[grizfnz]

Very true, and painfully obvious, that a population of 1 million scattered across a state over 700 miles across is not going to be efficient for college recruiters. Which is just the way we like it. Robin Selvig hit his 80000 wins or whatever using a steady pipeline of just enough montana talent. UM, MSU, Carrol and the rest of the Pioneer League maintains success by gleaning the talent off the top of the Montana prep ranks and filling the gaps with quality out of state talent. Sure we export a few great athletes but particularly in football I can't think of a lot of great ones that went out of state (Ryan Leaf, anyone?). The fact is, like rural Texas and Louisiana, in the fall football is king here. Montana flies under the radar of recruiting. And that's fine with me.

Some noteables who ventured out of state.
Shane Collins ASU
Mark Gillman Nebraska
Tom Corontzas Wyoming
Eli Workman CSU
Greg Caruthers UW
Brady Leaf Oregon
Matt Kegel WSU
Mark Anderson Stanford

 

[AZDoc]

Scout.com talks about recruiting Montana (The Big Sky Region) in this short piece: http://www.scout.com/college/football/recruiting/story/1097559-state-rankings-big-sky?s=143[/quote]

Interesting number 3 on that list...

 

[Sam A. Blitz]

Spun off from recruiting posts. Montana kids usually do not have the fanfare of kids from other states. Several factors contribute to this.
1- Scouting sites rarely spend any time in Montana, Idaho or Wyoming.
2- Montana HS players rarely travel to out of state clinics, camps, etc.
3- Montana coaches rarely promote their players.
4- Players rarely take the time to set up info on the recruiting sites.
5- Film in Montana is rare or sucks.

It does not mean they can't play, just that they have a hard time getting the attention of football coaches outside the state of Montana. In addition (like it or not) the trend is for UM and msu to wait until later in the year to offer Montana players, for fear they might "miss" on a out of state kid they really want. UM and msu also try to get Montana kids on partials because the cost of school is so much less for in-state kids.

All that being said, please post info on Montana football players he in this forum, I believe they deserve their own topic.
*** note I listed Grinde and Warp as top recruites because they have already made waves with smaller FBS schools with their play and camp results.***

1- RB- Andrew Grinde CMR
1A- QB- Dane Warp Havre

Other notable names
RB Thomas Trefney 6'1" 220 Glacier
WR Michael Jobman 6-4, 200, Huntley Project High
DL Gus Herzog Helena High
DE Chase Benson 6-5, 245, Helena High
DE/WR Jed Nagler 6-3, 210, Whitefish High
LB Peyton O’Reilly 6-1, 220, Bozeman High
LB Balue Chapman Bozeman
LB Jace Lewis Townsend LB


WR Karl Tucker II CMR (msu verbal)
LB Derek Marks Belgrade (msu Verbal)

6. Montana just doesn't have the amount of HS talent that other states have, pure and simple. It's a population thing.... Why make excuses. It's not going to do your "homegrown" players any good to build in excuses for them. Sure there are "diamond in the rough" players that eventually rise to the top but the overall numbers just aren't there. If the talent was here, FBS recruiters would spend time
scouring the state. It's about "bang for your buck", you "fish where the fish are". It's just not about not going to camps, not having Rivals accounts, Montana coaches not promoting their players or bad film.....it's about where the talent is and where it's not. I just don't get the attitude of explaining away the reality of the situation. I can go to any one of 8 high schools in a five mile radius of my house and pick out the best player on the team and each guy would be a Montana Gatorade HS player of the year candidate. It's just the way it is....

Agreed, for the most part. Same in San Antonio...the 8 schools in my daughter's division all regularly send multiple players to FBS teams....but, Montana does have about the 5th or 6th highest PER CAPITA ratio of players in the NFL (behind I believe Florida, Texas, California, Louisiana and one other state)...just don't have the critical mass of quality players necessary for teams to be willing to spend their recruiting dollars there.

There is truth in what all 3 of you have written. It is a challenge to travel to Montana and the players are very spread out. If you want to play FBS football and you live in Montana you have to attend the camps and combines to give yourself exposure and make the extra effort. Unless you are a surefire prospect, such as a Dissly or Miller, the coaches just aren't going to travel to Montana to see you. It makes more sense for them to drive around population centers where they can recruit a couple dozen potential recruits in a week than it is to travel to Montana and maybe see 3 or 4 players spread out across the state in a week. Just isn't logical to do that. If you put all the population of Montana within a more concentrated area, it would probably be a little different and kids would probably be getting more visits. It's also very expensive for the Montana kids to fly out for unofficial visits to schools that have shown them some sort of interest or to attend invitational camps and combines. I feel that has benefited the Montana schools in getting some FBS level players that fly under the radar.

 

[Buttegrizzle]

Very true, and painfully obvious, that a population of 1 million scattered across a state over 700 miles across is not going to be efficient for college recruiters. Which is just the way we like it. Robin Selvig hit his 80000 wins or whatever using a steady pipeline of just enough montana talent. UM, MSU, Carrol and the rest of the Pioneer League maintains success by gleaning the talent off the top of the Montana prep ranks and filling the gaps with quality out of state talent. Sure we export a few great athletes but particularly in football I can't think of a lot of great ones that went out of state (Ryan Leaf, anyone?). The fact is, like rural Texas and Louisiana, in the fall football is king here. Montana flies under the radar of recruiting. And that's fine with me.

Some noteables who ventured out of state.
Shane Collins ASU
Mark Gillman Nebraska
Tom Corontzas Wyoming
Eli Workman CSU
Greg Caruthers UW
Brady Leaf Oregon
Matt Kegel WSU
Mark Anderson Stanford

Still a short list considering the time that spans. A couple get away each year but like I said the less out of state coaches that Montana has to compete with the better. Still in the age of Hudl anybody can see anyone. AA Skelly competition tomorrow on Griz practice fields. Some of these guys mentioned in the thread will be there.

 

[grizatwork]

Anyone watch Michael Banna's hudl clip? If so....I'm thinking possible RB recuit.

Is that Jamie Banna's kid? That guy was a phenomenal hurdler in his day.

 

[IH8STATE]

Trase Letexier. Another Jefferson High product. 6' 3" 228 lbs MLB . 2 time all-state football (4 total all sport all state), will break Kirk Timmer's all time school tackle record, over 300 career tackles, MVP of MT Tech class A/B football camp, 4 year starter both ways.

http://www.hudl.com/athlete/2248769/highlights/215314378/v2

 

[WaGriz4life]

Very true, and painfully obvious, that a population of 1 million scattered across a state over 700 miles across is not going to be efficient for college recruiters. Which is just the way we like it. Robin Selvig hit his 80000 wins or whatever using a steady pipeline of just enough montana talent. UM, MSU, Carrol and the rest of the Pioneer League maintains success by gleaning the talent off the top of the Montana prep ranks and filling the gaps with quality out of state talent. Sure we export a few great athletes but particularly in football I can't think of a lot of great ones that went out of state (Ryan Leaf, anyone?). The fact is, like rural Texas and Louisiana, in the fall football is king here. Montana flies under the radar of recruiting. And that's fine with me.

Osweiler
Dwan Edwards
Miller

Only three that come to mind in recent years.

Cody Carriger, currently with the 2015 National Runner-Up Oregon Ducks.

Dylan Hanser,Washington State

Will Dissly from Bozeman could start for Washington this year at DE

 

[krammer]

McMillan, out of billings central, played his jr and senior years on o/l special teams at u of iowa....

 

[krammer]

McMillan, out of billings central, played his jr and senior years on o/l special teams at u of iowa....

also the o/lineman out of billings west that started for Missouri a couple years ago on that real good Missouri team....don't recall his name....I remember he was an excellent student too, major in chemistry I believe...

 

[Buttegrizzle]

McMillan, out of billings central, played his jr and senior years on o/l special teams at u of iowa....

also the o/lineman out of billings west that started for Missouri a couple years ago on that real good Missouri team....don't recall his name....I remember he was an excellent student too, major in chemistry I believe...

Hmmm. More than I remembered. Maybe just maybe Montana is actually producing ridiculously more footbsll players per capita than other states...

 

[AZGrizFan]

McMillan, out of billings central, played his jr and senior years on o/l special teams at u of iowa....

also the o/lineman out of billings west that started for Missouri a couple years ago on that real good Missouri team....don't recall his name....I remember he was an excellent student too, major in chemistry I believe...

Hmmm. More than I remembered. Maybe just maybe Montana is actually producing ridiculously more footbsll players per capita than other states...

And how many of those guys would stay in-state if we were playing at the next level?

 

[Spanky]

Several!

 

[Paytonlives]

You can mark QB- Dane Warp Havre off UM's possible list

The Griz now have a QB- Verbal for 2016
Warp's 40 time is listed as 5.15 :shock:

 

[Filthy McGrizzly]

So that is Warp speed?

 

[XxSpectrexX]

Spun off from recruiting posts. Montana kids usually do not have the fanfare of kids from other states. Several factors contribute to this.
1- Scouting sites rarely spend any time in Montana, Idaho or Wyoming.
2- Montana HS players rarely travel to out of state clinics, camps, etc.
3- Montana coaches rarely promote their players.
4- Players rarely take the time to set up info on the recruiting sites.
5- Film in Montana is rare or sucks.

It does not mean they can't play, just that they have a hard time getting the attention of football coaches outside the state of Montana. In addition (like it or not) the trend is for UM and msu to wait until later in the year to offer Montana players, for fear they might "miss" on a out of state kid they really want. UM and msu also try to get Montana kids on partials because the cost of school is so much less for in-state kids.

All that being said, please post info on Montana football players he in this forum, I believe they deserve their own topic.
*** note I listed Grinde and Warp as top recruites because they have already made waves with smaller FBS schools with their play and camp results.***

1- RB- Andrew Grinde CMR
1A- QB- Dane Warp Havre

Other notable names
RB Thomas Trefney 6'1" 220 Glacier
WR Michael Jobman 6-4, 200, Huntley Project High
DL Gus Herzog Helena High
DE Chase Benson 6-5, 245, Helena High
DE/WR Jed Nagler 6-3, 210, Whitefish High
LB Peyton O’Reilly 6-1, 220, Bozeman High
LB Balue Chapman Bozeman
LB Jace Lewis Townsend LB


WR Karl Tucker II CMR (msu verbal)
LB Derek Marks Belgrade (msu Verbal)

6. Montana just doesn't have the amount of HS talent that other states have, pure and simple. It's a population thing.... Why make excuses. It's not going to do your "homegrown" players any good to build in excuses for them. Sure there are "diamond in the rough" players that eventually rise to the top but the overall numbers just aren't there. If the talent was here, FBS recruiters would spend time
scouring the state. It's about "bang for your buck", you "fish where the fish are". It's just not about not going to camps, not having Rivals accounts, Montana coaches not promoting their players or bad film.....it's about where the talent is and where it's not. I just don't get the attitude of explaining away the reality of the situation. I can go to any one of 8 high schools in a five mile radius of my house and pick out the best player on the team and each guy would be a Montana Gatorade HS player of the year candidate. It's just the way it is....

Agreed, for the most part. Same in San Antonio...the 8 schools in my daughter's division all regularly send multiple players to FBS teams....but, Montana does have about the 5th or 6th highest PER CAPITA ratio of players in the NFL (behind I believe Florida, Texas, California, Louisiana and one other state)...just don't have the critical mass of quality players necessary for teams to be willing to spend their recruiting dollars there.

AZGrizFan, I've been trying to find this kid who attended camp and lucked up on YT. You mentioned San Antonio, Texas and apparently this kid is in that area. All I heard is he came all the way from Texas for the camp. Is he committed somewhere down there? Some people commented on him as I was there and my buddy and I started watching him and he flat out has jets. I watched the video and a few of his others... looks like a potential Griz to me. With all those schools down in Texas I imagine he has suitors... I know this is a thread about MT players and recruiting, but the subject line wandered towards out of state players. After all, once we get our hands on them they are Montanans!

https://youtu.be/r-hrZN5bAII

 

[SoldierGriz]

Texas kid is from Clemens HS.....suburb of San Antonio. No news of him committing anywhere in the news down here. He is listed as a player to watch in Texas HS preview magazines, which is common for top players on their respective teams. Saw a video where he ran a 4.52 in 7th grade. He is good...there are bunches just like him or better in this area.

Now, back to Montana recruits on this thread...sorry Payton.

 

[KoolMoeDee]

5'6 and 130 lbs. Hasn't played on varsity yet.