Post
by VimSince03 » Wed Jan 27, 2016 8:59 am
Alright enough back and forth guys. There is a reason I made the ranking prior to most of these kids committing to schools...to keep it unbiased. If fans from either side want to sit and say another kid is way better than the other kid, discuss why. These are all good Montana kids and saying who has the better ones is going to be a circle argument until any of them start producing anyway. I think we currently have the better Montana class but why does my opinion even matter? The Griz fans are a passionate group and they are going to build their kids up when recruited no matter what...as they should! Any Montana kid that gets to play for these two teams is getting a special opportunity to either prove the hype or quiet the haters on both sides. So instead of sitting here talking in circles, lets start celebrating the kids we already have on board from Montana. I believe it is going to be a great class. These kids are full of accolades, awards, stats, highlight-reel plays, etc.
Here are my write-ups from the Shrine Game Breakdown:
For the West, Sean Opland is the first player that jumps out. His football film shows a player who can break a big one at any time. He has great hips and moves really well for a running back and linebacker. He has good size at 5'11", 205 lbs. Sean and Jed Nagler from Whitefish are the two best athletes in this state and no one should argue that if they have followed Montana track. He didn't pick up a ton of wins in his career but he finished in the top 5 in rushing yards for a career in Montana high school football history. A great athlete (we have talked about his track ability enough on here), Sean is slated to be a running back for the Cats. He is a three time Class B All-State selection at running back and two time at linebacker. At State track last year, his results were: 100M - 2nd place (11.20), 200M - 1st place (22.6), 400M - 2nd place (49.49), and High Jump - 2nd place (6'2"). The ONLY reason he is not more talked about in the state is because he is from Troy. The Cats offered a full-ride and I cannot wait to see how the kid develops and how he shows his abilities against the best in-state competition this summer. Sean is going to a very valuable recruit sooner than later.
Karl Tucker II was the second Montana player to commit to the Cats this year. He had a strong relationship with the prior coaching staff so good on the new coaches reassuring him that he is part of the future. He is a outstanding wide receiver and one of the better ones to ever come out of CMR. He set the all-time receptions record at CMR and was up there in the receiving yards and touchdowns list. For a storied program, that is impressive. The first thing that jumps out to you when watching his tape are his hands. He catches everything around him, good or bad passes. He can go up and get it and is not afraid to go across the middle. He was used in a lot of spots for CMR but he has great run after the catch ability. He is a slicer on offense. A knock on him would probably be his speed but he will not have to be a burner at MSU as he will most likely be playing a lot in the slot. He is also an excellent route runner and blocker which is huge at the next level. He was a 1st-Team All-State and Super-State selection at receiver for CMR.
Jake Sessions is probably the #1 offensive line recruit in Montana. Here is what Colter posted about Jake from the Bobcat camp last summer: "Sessions was by far the most impressive offensive lineman I saw on Friday. The 6-foot-5, 270-pounder towered over most of his peers. He needs to work on keeping his hips low and he must improve his lower body strength if he wants to be able to compete at the Division I level. But he’s got long levers as former MSU offensive line coach Jason McEndoo used to always say. He has a good, strong punch and he creates separation with consistency. Sessions’ lower body will come along, particularly with his wrestling background. He was a state placer at the Class B meet last winter as a heavyweight." Jake improved his get-off at the line his senior year and he definitely got stronger. Like Colter predicted, Sessions lower body has come along. Sessions is a Montana State commit, an All-State Class B selection, and was selected to the GFT Super-State team as an OG. Good luck Jake!
Balue Chapman was the Montana Football Gatorade Player of the Year in 2015. It was a close battle but arguably the most versatile player between offense and defense was Balue. He played both ways and was a nightmare on both sides of the ball for opposing coaches. His position in college will most likely be as an outside linebacker that will rush the passer but still be able to drop back and cover. I know Balue played defensive end in high school but realistically he could've played any position on defense. His "get-off" at the line of scrimmage is one of the quickest I have seen from a high schooler. It reminds you a lot of Bobcat great Brad Daly, there is no denying it. Balue is also very physical and great with his hands when engaging blockers. Can really turn the corner and dip his shoulder. He also showed well when dropping back in pass coverage. Weaknesses of his will probably always be his size and durability (played hurt a lot during high school). He will put on some weight in college and I see him being around a playing weight of 210-215 lbs. Balue was also one of the best running backs in the State where he split time with fullback Trace Bradshaw. Overall, a really good student, a really good kid, and a really good athlete. His tape is fun to watch on both sides of the ball and I'm glad he is a Bobcat.
Derek Marks is another defensive end Bobcat commit from Belgrade. Derek committed early last year and has held his commitment even though the Griz made a push on him this fall. He is another great two-way player that excelled at both tight end and defensive end during his high school career. He has been an All-State football player since he was a sophomore and was the Central A Defensive Player of the Year in 2015. Derek definitely got stronger and more physical from his junior to senior season and it shows on tape. His get off is quicker and he used his long arms way more often than in 2014 to engage and shed blocks. At 6'3", 230 lbs., he is one of the bigger defensive ends in this game but if you look at him, you can tell he can put on even more weight. His overall body still needs to get stronger (which it will). I'm very intrigued to see what happens to this kid when he gets put on a college training program. He is a tough kid due to the fact he played hurt throughout his entire senior season. A great athlete with a high ceiling at the next level, Derek should show well in the Shrine game for the East. Him and Balue make a heck of a starting pair at defensive end so good luck West OTs.
Chase Benson from Helena High has been my #2 Montana prospect since I started the list after signing day last year and it won't change. He is the most powerful defensive lineman Montana has had since Will Dissly two years ago. A good comparison for Chase would be either Caleb Kidder for the Griz or former Bobcat Taylor Sheridan. Just a big, physical kid who doesn't really have any moves other than the bull-rush yet. He overpowered most offensive lineman in Class AA as can be seen by watching his junior highlight tape. If I had to give him a knock, he at times needed to add in maybe a few moves or play a little technically sound in terms of pad level and hand placement. Another knock you can put on Chase is his durability. He has had some knee issues which shortened his senior season but he came back and still produced in the last half of the season. Chase will play defensive end in this game but his future may be at defensive tackle. But he also could be an excellent 3-4 defensive end prospect (think J.J. Watt). There you go I have gotten through this thing and I compared Chase to JJ Watt. Both Cats and Griz have offered and their is a possibility he may even walk-on to an FBS school. We will see in the next few weeks.
Michael Jobman was one of the more sought after recruits in Montana this year, garnering offers from the Griz and Bobcats and possibly the Wyoming Cowboys. I counted on Twitter that six Griz coaches were following him including Bob Stitt (which implies he was wanted). The MSU Ag program helped win the Bobcats a stud in-state recruit. He lined up and played everywhere for the Red Devils this year and helped lead them to the Championship game for the second consecutive year. He can make quick cuts and is a smooth athlete for his size. He has a ton of room to put on weight as his upper body hasn't quite developed yet. That is what makes Michael such an exciting prospect. You can mold him into any number of positions depending on what fits your scheme. We should be very excited to get a verbal from a player like Jobman because he is so versatile. He will start his journey on the Bobcats defensive line and in this game he will be an outside linebacker. He was a two time All-State selection for the Red Devils and an OLB selection for the GFT 2015 Super-state team.
Jered Padmos comes into this game as a safety from Class B Jefferson High but his elite ability comes from his special teams ability. Jered is one of the better kickers/punters to come out of Montana in the past few years (along with MSU's kicker Luke Daly). His highlight film is a 13 minute display of his abilities as a kicker, punter, quarterback, and safety. Jered is also a good athlete and it shows when you watch him play offense and defense. At QB, he was an excellent scrambler who could make plays out of the pocket and he displayed a strong arm. As a safety, he was good in coverage as his "quick twitch" athleticism helped him break up passes and get interceptions. Was also a good tackler on the edge in run support. MSU is getting not only a good punter/kicker, but a good football player.
Last edited by
VimSince03 on Wed Jan 27, 2016 9:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
"There's two times of year for me: Football season, and waiting for football season."
let's see that hair again, wanna make sure it's real.
