RECRUITING CENTRAL: update on Montana State’s 2021 commits

High school football at the Class A, Class B, Class C 8-man and Class C 6-man levels are entering the fourth week of the 2020 season on September 18 and 19.

Class AA opened up action last week. A variety of players committed to Montana State and Montana along with a slew of other hopeful college football prospects continue to have opportunities to prove themselves.

Montana State currently has 12 known verbal commitments for the Class of 2021, including eight from the state of Montana. Throughout the season, Skyline Sports will provide updates on the top prospects in the Treasure State.

“Going into my fifth year at Montana State, there has been some really good years in Montana and there has been some lean years,” MSU head coach Jeff Choate said in early September when asked to evaluate the in-state recruiting class broadly. “This is one of those really good years. There’s more FCS football players in the state this year than in an average year.

“In an average year, you are probably looking at six to 10 at the most for guys who are fulls or partial scholarships. You are going to take some reaches on some guys because of who they are and they usually make you look right because they are going to over achieve.

“This year, there’s as many as 15 guys, 16, 17 maybe. These kids are getting to play some football so they are going to get some senior film that others aren’t. I do believe this is a better year than an average year in Montana.”

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General overview of in-state recruiting, Tootell and Nuanez:

Montana State verbal commits from Montana for Class of 2021

OFFICIAL STATS ARE UNAVAILABLE FOR MONTANA PREP PLAYERS

Kenneth Eiden IV, Bozeman, defensive end

The reigning Class AA Defensive MVP rolled up 94 tackles, 15.5 sacks and an unbelievable 41 tackles for loss as a junior. The 3-star recruit has fielded a substantial amount of recruiting buzz — much of it generated by Eiden and his social media savvy — heading into his senior season with the defending state champion Hawks.

Before his senior season was set to begin, Eiden decided he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps. The 6-foot-1, 238-pounder verbally committed to Montana State.

A few weeks later, Eiden suffered an ankle injury while fishing, according to 406mtsports.com. That injury caused him to miss Bozeman’s season opener at No. 4 Billings Senior. Without Eiden, the Broncs had little trouble blowing past the Hawks. Senior jolted out to a 13-0 lead and cruised to a 34-13 victory.

Eiden enters his final season with 36.5 sacks and 79 tackles for loss in his illustrious career. He also scored 14 touchdowns as a junior while playing tight end, fullback, H-back and running back.

UPDATE AS OF OCTOBER 22: Bozeman is 5-1 and ranked as the No. 5 team in Class AA. The Hawks finish their regular season against No. 2 Billings West on October 23.

Eiden on Tootell and Nuanez, ESPN Radio:

Kade Cutler, Flint Creek, athlete —

Cutler is the next in an impressive line of Division I-caliber players to come out of the Drummond-Phillipsburg area. Most who came before him — Chase Reynolds, Alex Verlanic to name a few — came from Drummond.

Cutler, the son of Flint Creek head coach Mike Cutler, claims Phillipsburg as his hometown. Unlike many Drummond products turned Grizzlies who came before him along with former Flint Creek star Jaxon Lee, Cutler decided to commit to Montanan State before his senior season.

When he’s gotten a chance to compete, he’s dominated. He only played the first half of Flint Creek’s first game and the first quarter of the second game, Cutler said.

In Flint Creek’s most recent 58-6 win over St. Ignatius, Cutler returned a kick 74 yards for a touchdown to spark what became a run of eight straight touchdowns for his team. Despite limited action, Cutler has completed 5-of-7 passes for 102 yards and four touchdowns while rushing 13 times for 160 yards and three more scores.

Entering his senior season, the 6-foot, 180-pound Cutler had thrown for 2,85 yards and 53 touchdowns against just 12 interceptions. As a sophomore, he threw 26 touchdowns and he threw 24 more last season.

The elusive yet strong athlete is more dangerous on the ground and as a kick returner. Last season, he rushed for 1,435 yards and 29 touchdowns.

Defensively, he has piled up 122 tackles and 7.5 sacks overall while helping Flint Creek to a variety of dominant victories that usually include a running clock and not a ton of time for Cutler on the field.

UPDATE AS OF OCTOBER 22: Flint Creek is 7-0 entering its regular-season finale Victor on Saturday.

Cutler on Tootell and Nuanez, ESPN Radio:

Eli Aby, Laurel, athlete —

Laurel is one of the fastest-growing towns in Montana. That growth has directly influenced the numbers for the football team. The Locomotives have 79 players out this season according to their MaxPreps page.

Last season, more than just population helped propel Laurel all the way to the Class A state championship game. Part of that run was the play of Aby, a 6-foot-2, 195-pounder who’s a standout at quarterback and linebacker.

The 2-star recruit committed to Montana State in May, part of a week that saw MSU land five in-state recruits, including Cutler as well.

Last week, Laurel and the rest of the Eastern AA opened up the season. The Locomotives played Havre; the Blue Ponies advanced to the semifinals of the State A playoffs last season. Aby led the Locomotives to a 42-0 win.

UPDATE AS OF OCTOBER 22: Laurel fell to rival Billings Central 28-14 the final game of September but rallied to win two straight to enter Friday’s showdown 4-1 against Miles City. The Locomotives lost to the Cowboys in the Class A state title game last season.

Aby on Tootell and Nuanez, ESPN Radio:

Jace Fitzgerald, Dillon, athlete

Fitzgerald is the son of a former Grizzly and the younger brother of current Bobcat fullback R.J. Fitzgerald. He decided to follow his brother to MSU.

The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder has been one of the top receivers in Class A since breaking into the rotation as a freshman. He had an all-state sophomore campaign, hauling in 54 passes for 600 yards and five touchdowns. Last season, he suffered a season-ending injury a little more than a month into the season and missed the rest of Dillon’s 9-2 campaign.

Before his senior season, Fitzgerald announced his commitment to the Bobcats.

During his senior season, Fitzgerald is playing quarterback and linebacker. In Dillon’s 41-0 win over Butte Central last week, he completed 12-of-19 passes for 284 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for three scores and played solid defense from his outside linebacker spot.

UPDATE AS OF OCTOBER 22: The Beavers entered their showdown at top-ranked Hamilton 3-0 but fell 37-14. Dillon hasn’t lost since and enter their regular-season finale against Whitefish (5-3) with a 6-1 record.

Fitzgerald on Tootell and Nuanez, ESPN Radio:

Elijah Reynolds, Red Lodge, tight end/defensive end —

Reynolds was the first athlete for MSU’s 2021 recruiting class to verbally commit. It didn’t take him long to weigh the opportunity when the coaching staff extended an opportunity in December of 2019. He committed shortly after.

Reynolds is the first player from Red Lodge to earn a Division I opportunity since 2003. No former Ram has played for the Bobcats in nearly 60 years. Gary Cliche in 1961 is the last MSU letterman from Red Lodge.

The 6-foot-3 tight end us up to 230 pounds and looks like a prospect with tremendous upside. Last season, he led Red Lodge to the semifinals of the Class B playoffs before losing 39-35 to eventual state champion Eureka.

This season, Reynolds has played a key roll in Red Lodge’s 2-1 start. He plays for John Fitzgerald, who is Jace Fitzgerald’s uncle and a former Montana Griz who grew up in Columbus. Reynolds helped clear a path for Jay Jetmore as the running back rushed for 381 yards and five touchdowns in Red Lodge’s win over Big Timber.

UPDATE AS OF OCTOBER 22: Red Lodge knocked off previously second-ranked Fairfield 28-20 to enter the final week of the regular-season with a 4-2 mark, same as their opponent, rival Shepherd.

Reynolds on Tootell and Nuanez, ESPN Radio:

Jace Fisher, Troy, offensive line

Fisher is quite literally the biggest recruit landed by the Bobcats this recruiting season. The 6-foot-5, 310-pounder is an offensive and defensive lineman at Troy, a tiny town that hasn’t produced a notable Division I player since Blaine McElmurry came to Montana and became a star in the last 1990s.

So far this season, Troy has struggled. But Fisher has had a few moments defensively. He enters the third week of the season with five tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack.

He has been committed to MSU since May. He was part of the run that saw the ‘Cats earn verbal commitments from Fitzgerald, Cutler and Aby in the same week.

Fisher on Tootell and Nuanez, ESPN Radio:

Neil Daily, Billings West, defensive end/outside linebacker

Daily actually began his prep career at Missoula Sentinel. As a sophomore for the Spartans, Daily scored points in the 200 meters (sixth) and the high jump (third, 6-foot-2) while also running a leg on the 4×100-meter team that took second. Those points helped Sentinel earn its first boys’ track and field state championship since 1963.

Daily transferred to Billings West before last season. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound defensive end/outside linebacker earned second-team all-state honors last season. His long frame, speed and athleticism helped him earn offers from Air Force, Montana and Montana State last spring. He committed to Montana State in August.

Last season, West went 9-2 and advanced to the semifinals of the Class AA playoffs before losing to Butte. This season, the Bears are again a contender. Daily has four catches for 42 yards and a pair of touchdowns along with a pair of tackles defensively in West’s 63-7 season-opening win over Billings Skyview.

UPDATE AS OF OCTOBER 22: West has outscored its opponents 319-55 this season, including a 41-14 demolition of inner-city rival No. 4 Billings Senior. West is the second-ranked team in the state entering a showdown with Bozeman on Friday.

Daily on Tootell and Nuanez, ESPN Radio:

Paul Brott, Billings West, defensive end — 

Brott surely has more inside information on what it’s like to play for Jeff Choate than any other prospect in the state of Montana. Paul Brott’s oldest brother, Wilson, played three of his five seasons at MSU for Choate. The middle Brott brother, Mitch, was a four-year starter at left tackle and an All-American as a senior after extending his streak of consecutive starts to a program-record 50 straight games.

That familiarity helped Paul Brott commit to MSU early on, giving his pledge the first week of June.

Paul is not as big as his older brothers — Wilson played his last two years as a tight end and tackle at 6-foot-5, 265 pounds while Mitch was 6-foot-6, 295 as a senior — but the 6-foot-3, 235-pounder is just as athletic. The standout in both hoops and football is on a tear already during his senior year.

In West’s season opener, Brott had nine tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.

UPDATE AS OF OCTOBER 22: West has outscored its opponents 319-55 this season, including a 41-14 demolition of inner-city rival No. 4 Billings Senior. West is the second-ranked team in the state entering a showdown with Bozeman on Friday.

UNCOMMITTED TOP PROSPECTS

Dylan Rollins, Missoula Sentinel, offensive line — 

Rollins is endlessly intriguing not only for his 6-foot-6, 285-pound frame but also his variety of ties to various college football programs. His father, Josh, played for Cliff Hysel at Montana State in the late 1990s. His brother, Byron, is a defensive lineman currently for the Bobcats

Rollins also has an offer from Central Michigan. CMU head coach Jim McElwain was the offensive coordinator at MSU when Josh played for the Bobcats. Dylan has an offer from Oregon State; OSU offensive line coach Jim Michalczik was MSU’s offensive line coach under Hysel.

The Rollins family is also part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Byron went on an LDSU mission. Dylan might too. The natural ties to BYU and Utah State are strong and alluring as well.

Dylan Rollins also has great academic resume, helping him earn offers from prestigious schools like Yale, Bucknell, Dartmouth, Cornell and Harvard. But he told those schools he does not want to attend college that far from home.

Rollins also has offers from Northern Arizona, UNLV and Air Force. He has a preferred walk-on offer from Nebraska.

UPDATE AS OF OCTOBER 22: Sentinel is 6-0 entering Friday night’s showdown with No. 5 Kalispell Glacier.

Rollins on Tootell and Nuanez, ESPN Radio:

Junior Bergen, Billings Senior, athlete

Bergen was one of the top wide receivers in the state a year ago. He is also a standout defensive back who thrives on the basketball court. And outside of Rollins, who is shooting to become the first player from Montana to go to the FBS in seven years, Bergen is the top remaining prospect in the state who is not committed.

During the first week of his senior season, Bergen made the move from wide receiver to quarterback for the No. 4 Broncs. He accounted for four total touchdowns as Senior blasted defending state champion Bozeman 34-13.

UPDATE AS OF OCTOBER 22: Senior is 5-1 entering its regular-season finale against Bozeman Gallatin.

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