Griz get 16 early signees; Cats take in 24
Montana Grizzly head coach Bobby Hauck and his staff added 16 players to the incoming class of 2025 on Wednesday — the first day of the early signing period.
The Montana State Bobcats, meanwhile, signed 24 players.
The Griz show more than half of the 16 signees rated as three-star prep prospects. Nine signees are from the state of Washington, and four more from Montana.
The list also includes five offensive linemen, including Ezra Meyer of Missoula Big Sky. The Grizzlies also officially signed Glacier High receiver Bridger Smith along with linebacker Bridger Solvevold out of 8-man Culbertson and running back Chase Cook out of Red Lodge.
No quarterbacks were signed: Notably absent was Helena Capital’s Merek Mihelish, a QB who guided the Bruins to the State AA championship in November. Mihelish had committed to the Griz in June.
Every signee was a high school player.
“We continue to make high school recruiting the foundation of everything we do, and I think we’ve been able to put together a good class of high school seniors to join the Grizzlies next fall. They are quality young men that are good football players, and we feel really good about them,” Hauck said. “Now we’re entering a phase where we will be looking for the transfer recruiting piece. There is also the potential we might sign a couple more high school guys on the February signing date.”
Montana State signed two quarterbacks: Gallatin High product Grant Vigen, son of Bobcat head coach Brent Vigen; and River Warren out of Del City High in Edmond, Okla.
The Bobcats signed a total of 10 Montanans, including Glacier High product Ben Winters, a 300-pound offensive lineman.
The list also includes D-end Blaine Downing, who helped Malta win the 2024 State B championship; offensive lineman Vaughn Wirkus of AA champion Helena Capital; and linebacker Vinnie Souza of State A champ Billings Central, though Souza missed much of the season.
Billings West running back Malachi Claunch singed, as did Bozeman High receiver Kash Embry and defensive back Luke Oxarart of Boulder.
Carter Curnow, who helped Dillon win the 2023 State A championship, was one of two tight ends signed Wednesday. Helena High's Vaughn Wirkus gave MSU four signees on the offensive line.
2024 Early Signees
Montana Grizzlies
Brady Beaner, S, 6-0, 185, Anacortes, Wash.
Brock Beaner, S, 6-0, 195, Anacortes, Wash.
Cooper Buffington, DL, 6-4, 240, Winfield, Iowa
Forrest Carter, OL, 6-6, 285, Olympia, Wash.
Chase Cook, RB, 5-11, 200, Red Lodge
Malaki Davis, TE, 6-5, 230, Tacoma
Denate Gentry, DB, 5-11, 180, Arlington, Texas
Lincoln Hoefer, OL, 6-6, 260, Everson, Wash.
Quinlan Hyatt, OT, 6-7, 270, Spokane
Kaikoa Kanakaole, OL, 6-5, 330, Kapa’a, Hawaii
Logan Knaevelsrud, DE, 6-4, 230, Snoqualmie, Wash.
Colton Lentz, LB, 6-3, 215, Nooksack, Wash.
Ezra Meyer, OT, 6-5, 250, Missoula
Sage Salopek, DB, 6-0, 175, Seattle
Bridger Salvevold, LB, 6-2, 210, Culbertson
Bridger Smith, WR, 5-11, 180, Glacier
Montana State Bobcats
Xavier Ahrens, LB, 6-2, 210, Tacoma
Josaiah Asuega, DT, 6-4, 298, Fort Orchard, Wash.
Malachi Claunch, RB, 6-1, 192, Billings
Carter Cooke, TE, 6-3, 228, Sumner, Wash.
Marcus Coleman II, CB, 5-11, 149, Spring, Texas
Carter Curnow, TE, 6-4, 205, Dillon
Blaine Downing, DE, 6-3, 205, Saco
Kash Embry, WR, 6-11, 170, Bozeman
Colby Forkjer, P, 6-3, 184, West Haven, Utah
Hayden Gunlock, DB, 6-1, 178, Meridian, Idaho
Maxwell Hendrick, WR, 5-11,
Brody Johnson, LS, 6-1, 204, Peoria, Ariz.
Shanko Kornachuk, RB, 5-11, 170, Lake Oswego, Ore.
Parker Mady, WR, 5-10, 173, University Place, Wash.
Nicholas Maloff, OL, 6-2, 307, Meridian, Idaho
Luke Oxarart, DB, 5-11, 177, Montana City
Graysen Schneider, DT, 6-3, 255, Stewartville, Minn.
Vinnie Souza, LB, 6-2, 197, Billings
Tommy Springman, TE/LB, 6-0, 210, Bozeman
Nate Thornton, OL, 6-4, 276, Poulsbo, Wash.
Grant Vigen, QB, 6-6, 211, Bozeman
River Warren, QB. 6-3, 205, Edmond, Okla.
Ben Winters, OL, 6-3, 320, Kalispell
Vaughn Wirkus, OL, 6-5, 239, Helena