Signing Day: Boise State adds six players from Idaho high schools, 5-star kicker
The top-rated high school football player in Idaho, Gooding tight end Colston Loveland, decided to leave the state to play college ball, opting to sign with Michigan in December.
And Boise State didn’t sign any players from Idaho to scholarships as part of its 2022 recruiting class, but that doesn’t mean the Broncos’ coaching staff has been neglecting its home state.
Boise State opened the traditional signing period on Wednesday by announcing that seven players are joining the program as walk-ons — six of whom spent their high school careers in Idaho.
“We value our state,” Boise State football coach Andy Avalos told reporters on Wednesday. “The young men in this state, they’re taught how to work a certain way. They’re taught accountability and what teamwork is, and that’s what our program has been built on.”
In the past, Boise State didn’t announce walk-ons — players who join a college football program without a scholarship — until they were enrolled in school and on campus. But schools can announce them as long as they’ve been accepted into the school and have paid their “intent to enroll fee,” according to a Boise State spokesperson.
Avalos said coaches on his staff visited just about every high school in the state during the first few days of the winter recruiting period, and they plan to hit those they missed this spring.
Avalos also mentioned the program’s success bringing in local talent to develop in the past — using former center Matt Paradis and linebacker Leighton Vander Esch as examples. Both joined the team as walk-ons, earned scholarships and have enjoyed long NFL careers — Paradis with the Broncos and Panthers, Vander Esch with the Cowboys.
Even if no members of this year’s crop of Idaho recruits sees similar success, their lives will change after taking the field for the program they grew up rooting for, Avalos said.
“They all may not become NFL stars, but they will become important leaders of this state and this community in different arenas,” Avalos said. “That’s what we’re about building here.”
Boise State is pretty much done adding scholarship players to its 2022 recruiting class, which 247Sports ranks No. 1 in the Mountain West and No. 60 in the nation, but Avalos said the program could still adds transfers on an as-needed basis.
The Broncos might not be done adding walk-ons, though. Avalos said his staff will continue to mine for diamonds in the rough on the offensive and defensive lines throughout the spring and summer.
“As you all know, we cannot build enough depth there,” Avalos said.
The Broncos signed the bulk of their 2022 recruiting class during the early signing period, adding 22 players in December — 11 of whom enrolled early and are already on campus. Boise State also added former Oregon State transfer quarterback Sam Vidlak last month, and he’s already on campus, too.
The only walk-on Boise State announced Wednesday morning who didn’t spend his high school career in Idaho was kicker Wyatt Redding, from Sumner High School in Washington.
Here’s a look at the seven walk-ons Boise State announced.
RB Ethan Mikita, 5-9, 199, Eagle
The running back and wide receiver’s senior season came to an early end after he suffered a torn ACL on just his second carry of the season. As a junior, he racked up 608 yards and five touchdowns on just 43 touches. Mikita is a three-star recruit, according to 247Sports, who also had a scholarship offer from Idaho and was offered a roster spot at College of Idaho.
Despite Mikita missing most of his senior year, Avalos took notice of the explosive runner when Eagle went to Boise State for a camp last summer.
“His team came in and was extremely competitive in camp, and guess who was leading the charge?” Avalos said. “The way he runs that ball, he runs it with a certain mentality and physicality, and has the ability to make people miss and run through people.”
LB Seth Knothe, 6-0, 188, Bishop Kelly
Knothe played running back and linebacker at Bishop Kelly, and he was the top rusher in Idaho’s 4A classification last fall, with 1,965 yards and 33 touchdowns. He posted 1,004 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns as a junior. Knothe, who will play linebacker at Boise State, is a two-star recruit, according to 247Sports.
RB Taylor Marcum, 6-1, 185, Timberline
Marcum was originally committed to FCS national runner-up Montana State, but he turned down a scholarship offer from the Bobcats to walk-on with his hometown Broncos. He led all 5A rushers in Idaho as a sophomore, made three straight all-conference or all-division teams, and capped his career with 765 yards of offense and 12 touchdowns last fall.
Avalos called Marcum a natural fit at Boise State because of his positional versatility.
“In the slot, line him up at the outside wide receiver, move him into the backfield — he can do all those things,” Avalos said.
WR Hunter Steacker, 6-0, 169, Rocky Mountain
The 2021 Co-Offensive Player of the Year in the 5A SIC Foothills Division wore many hats at Rocky Mountain last fall. He played quarterback and wide receiver, and also returned kicks, and finished with 994 yards of offense and seven touchdowns. He is a two-star recruit and also had the chance to walk on at Utah State, according to 247Sports.
Avalos complimented Steacker’s speed and elusiveness on Wednesday.
“He’s got change of direction, lateral quickness and he’s got a burst,” Avalos said.
Edge/long snapper Mason Jacobsen, 6-2, 225, Rocky Mountain
After moving to linebacker last fall, Jacobsen was named first-team all-state and Co-Defensive Player of the Year in the 5A SIC Foothills Division after recording 58 tackles and four sacks. He’s a two-star recruit, according to 247Sports.
OL Austin Schultsmeier, 6-2, 257, Mountain View
Schultsmeier played guard and tackle at Mountain View, and he earned first-team All-Idaho honors last fall after helping to pave the way for the 5A classification’s top rushing attack.
K Wyatt Redding, 6-0, 184, Sumner (Washington) High
Redding announced on Tuesday that he was joining the Broncos as a walk-on. He has a five-star rating from Chris Sailer Kicking, which is reserved for those who have the talent to earn a scholarship at the FBS level, according to the company’s website. Redding also considered walk-on offers from Idaho and Eastern Washington.
Notes
▪ The Broncos didn’t land 6-foot-7, 336-pound junior college offensive lineman Lisala Tai on Wednesday. He chose BYU after whittling his list of scholarship offers down to the Cougars, Boise State, Fresno State and Jackson State. Boise State signed Tai’s former teammate at Snow College — defensive end Cortez Hogans Jr. — in December.
BOISE STATE’S 2022 CLASS
CB Dionte Thornton, 6-3, 185, Lawndale (California) High
OT Kage Casey, 6-6, 250, Clackamas (Oregon) High
TE Austin Terry, 6-5, 230, Tumwater High (Olympia, Washington)
S Keenan McCaddy, 6-4, 180, Moanalua High (Honolulu, Hawaii)
OT Roger Carreon, 6-5, 295, Jal (New Mexico) High
DL JJ Talo, 6-3, 250, Kearns High (Salt Lake City, Utah)
LB Jayden Virgin, 6-3, 220, Mt. Carmel High (San Diego, California)
OT Hall Schmidt, 6-7, 300, Peninsula (Washington) High
WR Zamondre Merriweather, 6-2, 200, Valencia (California) High
QB Maddux Madsen, 6-0, 185, American Fork (Utah) High
LB Jake Ripp, 6-3, 215, Los Gatos (California) High
LB Gavin Hambrick, 6-2, 220, Apple Valley (California) High
RB Ashton Jeanty, 5-9, 195, Lone Star (Texas) High
P James Ferguson, 6-1, 175, Pro Kick Australia
OT Tyson Molio’o, 6-4, 295, St. John Bosco (Bellfower, California)
DE Cortez Hogans Jr., 6-3, 265, Snow College (Palatine, Illinois)
LB Dishawn Misa, 6-3, 230, Eastside Catholic (Sammamish, Washington)
Edge Deven Wright, 6-5, 230, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (Clarksdale, Mississippi)
OL Cade Beresford, 6-7, 300, Washington State (Woodinville, Washington)
Edge George Tarlas, 6-4, 260, Weber State (Chalkida, Greece)
WR Prince Strachan, 6-4, 185, John Carroll High (Fort Pierce, Florida)
DT Braxton Fely, 6-2, 240, Timpview High (Provo, Utah)
QB Sam Vidlak, 6-1, 187, Oregon State (Applegate, Oregon)
*Scholarship players only
This story was originally published February 2, 2022 at 9:30 AM.
