MISSOULA — As July begins and the fall football season quickly approaches, planning for the future never ends in the world of college football, and the Montana Grizzlies have been no exception after recently adding their first verbal commitments for their 2025 recruiting class.
Last week and this week, the Grizzlies saw six high school seniors announce their commitment to Montana via social media, officially becoming the first recruits in the Class of 2025 for UM. They include running back Julius Gillick, safety Brock Beaner, defensive lineman Cooper Buffington and athletes Merek Mihelish, Brady Beaner and Colton Lentz.
Five of the recruits hail from outside Montana, starting with Gillick, who was the first player to commit to Montana. Gillick, who is 6-foot-10 and 210 pounds, is a Seattle native.
Gillick spent his junior season at Edison High School in Huntington Beach, California, where he racked up 1,596 rushing yards and ran for 15 touchdowns. Gillick, who committed on June 25, is rated a three-star prospect by 247Sports and also held an offer from Idaho State.
Twin brothers Brock and Brady Beaner announced their commitment to Montana on June 26. Both are listed as three-star prospects by 247Sports, with Brock listed at 6-foot-185 pounds while Brady is listed at 6-foot-175 pounds.
Both compete for Anacortes High School in Anacortes, Washington. Brock, who was recruited as a safety, had reported offers from other Big Sky Conference rivals Idaho, Idaho State, UC Davis and Eastern Washington, as well as Boise State, Navy, Air Force and Army. Brady was recruited as an athlete and also had offers from all of the same schools.
Lentz, who is 6’2″ and 210 pounds, also announced his commitment on June 26. An upcoming senior at Nooksack Valley High School in Everson, Washington, Lentz was recruited as an athlete and also held offers from UC Davis, Eastern Washington, Idaho, Portland State and Air Force. Lentz is also listed as a three-star recruit.
Mihelish is The group’s only product in the state so far.Mihelish, a senior at Helena Capital, was recruited as an athlete and plays quarterback and safety for the Bruins.
Last year as a junior, Mihelish threw for 1,541 yards and 15 touchdowns and also rushed for 930 yards and seven more scores. Listed at 6-foot-2 and weighing 170 pounds, he committed to the Grizzlies on June 27 and also held offers from Carroll College, Dickinson State, Montana Tech and Montana Western.
The latest signing came Wednesday in the form of Cooper Buffington, who is from Winfield, Iowa, and Winfield-Mt. Union High School. Buffington, a 6-foot-3, 230-pound two-way lineman, was recruited as a defensive end and reportedly had offers from South Dakota and Saint Francis.
While they have verbally committed, the six are not officially tied to UM until they sign letters of intent. The early signing period for NCAA Division I football runs from Dec. 4-6, while the regular signing period runs from Feb. 5-April 1, 2025.