Grizzlies Announce 2013 Football Recruits

The University of Montana announced its latest recruiting class yesterday, which included eight football players from Montana.

Here’s a breakdown of the Grizzlies’ recruits:

Jamaal Anderson, CB, 5-11, 180, So., Fontana, Calif. (San Bernardino Valley College): Jamal is currently enrolled at Montana and expected to participate in spring football … Was an all-conference selection at cornerback as a freshman in 2011 at San Bernardino Valley College, and was also an all-conference pick as a punt returner there … Was an outstanding prep athlete at Summit High School in Fontana.

Nate Bradley, NT, 5-11, 250, Fr., Billings (West): Was a three-year starter on the defensive line and a two-year starter on the offensive line at Billings West High School … Was selected to play in Montana’a annual East-West Shrine Game … Also an outstanding track athlete in the shot put and discus.

Austin Carver, WR, 6-0, 165, Fr., Dillon (Beaverhead County HS): Was all-state at wide receiver as a junior and senior at Beaverhead County High School … A starter in basketball … Was the 2012 Class A 100 meter champion … His older brother, Bryce, was a four-year letterman and wide receiver for the Grizzlies from 2009-12.

Mick Delaney, WR, 6-1, 180, Fr., Bozeman (Bozeman HS): Caught 13 passes for 203 yards for the 2012 Hawks, who lost 38-36 at Butte in the State AA title game … Also a key contributor on special teams.

Treshawn Favors, RB, 5-9, 175, Fr., Glendale, Ariz. (Mountain Ridge HS): Gained 1,065 yards and scored 12 touchdowns on 214 carries (4.98 average) as a senior for the Mountain Ridge Mountain Lions, who went 5-5 … hAe also caught 14 passes for 182 yards and had three receiving TDs … Had an injury-shortened junior season in 2011 and ran for 411 yards in four games … Averaged 23.7 yards per kickoff return as a senior, and 25.9 yards as a junior.

Nico Graham, WR, 5-11, 175, Fr., Missoula (Big Sky HS): The local product from Missoula’s Big Sky High School had 43 catches for 691 yards and three touchdowns as a senior despite missing two games … First-team all-state pick for Class AA … Also excelled at track for the Eagles.

Jordan Harper, WR, 6-2, 205, Fr., HS, Great Falls (CM Russell HS): Recently returned to Montana following a two-year LDS mission … Participated in the East-West Shrine Game and Montana-North Dakota All-Star game following his senior season … A two-time all-state player for the Rustlers … Started on CMR’s 2009-10 state championship basketball team … Academic all-state pick.

Josh Horner, TE, 6-4 ½, 205, Fr., Great Falls (C.M. Russell HS): Moved to quarterback from tight end this past fall at C.M. Russell High School, and threw for 1,392 yards and 10 touchdowns and rushed for 1,036 yards and 27 scores … Caught 4 passes for 67 yards and a score before the position change.

Josh Janssen, WR, 6-0, 185, Fr., Missoula (Loyola HS): An all-state performer at local Loyola Sacred Heart, which earned its first ever State B football title in 2012 … As a senior he caught 43 passes for 958 yards and 15 touchdowns for the 12-0 Rams.

Ryan McKinley, CB, 6-1, 187, Fr., Anthem, Ariz. (Boulder Creek HS): Had three interceptions and 38 tackles in 2012 for Boulder Creek High School. .. Had offers from two-time defending FCS champion North Dakota State and Northern Arizona, among many others.

John Nguyen, RB, 5-7, 187, Fr., Seattle, Wash. (Bellevue HS): Rushed for 1,217 yards and 18 touchdowns while helping the Wolverines run their winning streak to 40 games … Bellevue went 14-0 in 2012 and won its fifth straight Washington Class 3A state title for coach Butch Goncharoff … Rushed for two touchdowns in the 2011 3A title game as a junior … Is the younger brother of 2012 Griz football MVP Peter Nguyen, a running back who finished his career ranked sixth in school history with 1,985 rushing yards.

Chris Parker, DB, 6-0, 175, Fr., Sioux Falls, S.D. (Washington HS): Had 10 pass deflections and an interception last season at Washington High, which won its third state football title in four seasons … Also had 38 tackles – seven for losses – at corner, forced a fumble and recovered another … Had 13 catches for 187 yards … On special teams he had 18 punt returns for a 19.2-yard average and 2 TDs; 5 kickoff returns for a 37.4-yard average and another touchdown.

Mike Ralston, TE, 6-5 ½, 245, Fr., Eugene, Ore. (Sheldon HS): Caught just a handful of passes in 2012 at Sheldon High (5 for 29 yards and 2 TDs), but is an excellent athlete and he could be pressed into action right away … Reported to have a 40-inch vertical jump … Also had team-highs of 8 sacks and 18.5 tackles for loss playing defensive end for the Irish, who went 14-0 and won the Oregon Class 6A title.

Marq Rogers, WR, 6-4, 181, Fr., Fort Wayne, Ind. (Concordia Lutheran HS): Was one of the top receivers in Fort Wayne’s Summit Athletic League with 50 catches for 683 yards for Concordia Lutheran High School … Was one of the fastest 400-meter runners in the prep ranks a year ago, running a 48.1.

Cameron Rokich, OL, 6-5, 245, Fr., West Jordan, Utah (Juan Diego Catholic HS): Was a starter for his 12-1 Juan Diego Catholic High School team in Draper, Utah … An all-region pick as a senior … Ream was ranked third in the state in 3A.

Marquin Russell, CB, 6-0, 185, Fr., Lakewood, Wash. (Lakes HS): Had 33 catches for 482 yards and six touchdowns last season for the Lakes High Lancers, a perennial power … On defense, he had four interceptions, returning two for touchdowns … Was a state 400 champ.

Noah Scarver, TE, 6-4, 234, Fr., Minneapolis, Minn. (Washburn HS): Caught 27 passes for 283 yards (14.1 yards per catch) and 7 touchdowns as a senior at Washburn High, which went 6-3 that season … Also led Minnesota’s prep ranks with 14 sacks, playing defensive end.

Tucker Schye, LB, 6-4, 215, Fr., HS, Malta, (Malta HS): Defensive leader for the State B runner-up Mustangs, Schye had 100 tackles in 12 games, including 20 sacks … Also forced 10 fumbles, five in the playoffs, and had an interception return for a touchdown … All-state in 2012 and helped the Mustangs to the State B basketball title last March.

Makena Simis, QB, 6-2, 195, Fr., HS, Boise, Idaho (Capital HS): Completed 180 of 263 passes for 2,240 yards and 24 touchdowns as a senior at Boise’s Capital High School … Also ran for 535 yards and eight TDs … First team all-state for Class 5A … 5A Southern Idaho conference “Player of the Year” … Chosen East-West Shrine Game captain … Second team all-state QB as a junior … Had 5,085 total career yards and 51 TDs.

Cooper Sprunk, TE, 6-4, 215, Fr., Portland, Ore. (Jesuit HS): Was a starter at tight end for the 12-3 Jesuit HS Crusaders … Team lost to eventual 6A champion Sheldon HS 35-28 in the state semi-finals … Also competes in track and field in the javelin.

Connor Strahm, Safety/WR, 6-2, 215, Fr., Eugene, Ore. (Sheldon HS): Had 92 receptions for 1,138 yards and 14 touchdowns, plus another 564 yards rushing for nine touchdowns on 78 carries … Had 53 tackles, three sacks, and four picks as a two-way star for Sheldon High School … Was the state 6A “Defensive Player of the Year” last season as a senior for the state champion, 14-0 Irish … Was all-state at wide receiver and defensive back as a junior and senior … Chosen league offensive and defensive MVP.

Travon Van, RB, 5-11, 195, Jr., TR, San Diego, Calif. (Marshall): A transfer from Marshall University … Rushed for 551 yards and three TDs for the Herd in 2011 … After three games in the 2012 season he led the team with 93 yards on 39 carries, and was moved then to defense, which led to his transfer to UM … At Helix High School in San Diego in 2008, Travon rushed for 1,237 yards … Spent a year at a prep school, Milford (N.Y.) Academy.

Kendrick Van Ackeren, Safety, 6-1, 215, So., TR, Bellevue, Wash. (Bellevue HS/Hawaii): Played linebacker at Hawaii in 2012, which was his redshirt freshman season, and he had 25 tackles, eight of them solo … Was the Seattle Times’ 3A Washington state Player of the Year in 2010 after helping Bellevue High School to a 13-1 mark and the Wolverines’ third straight state title, when he threw for 960 yards and ran for 550, and on defense he had six interceptions … As a junior had 90 tackles, four fumbles caused and three interceptions.

Zach Vis, WR, 6-3, 185, Fr., Lynden, Wash. (Lynden HS): Was one of the top-ranked wide receivers in the state of Washington for the 31-1 Lions last season … Last season he had 52 receptions for 929 yards and 10 touchdowns … Also rushed for a TD … Set the state championship game playoff record with 271 receiving yards (on just nine catches) and his 3 scoring grabs tied the state standard in the title game against Tumwater in the 2A state championship game … In his career he had 157 catches, for 28 TDs, and 2,579 yards.