High School Football

Lineman factory — Three Rocky Mountain linemen headed for Division I on signing day

Rocky Mountain’s Connor Wood lines up for the national anthem for an Oct. 28 playoff game against Kuna at Rocky Mountain High.
Rocky Mountain’s Connor Wood lines up for the national anthem for an Oct. 28 playoff game against Kuna at Rocky Mountain High. For the Idaho Statesman

Three of Rocky Mountain’s starting five offensive linemen this fall will play on scholarships in the Big Sky Conference.

Zach Redd (6-1, 285) and Connor Wood (6-4, 320) are both headed to Montana State. Jake Wilkerson (6-3, 275) will sign with Idaho State.

Redd said having all that size and talent on one team pushed all three of them to work harder.

“We kind of lucked out in having all that size, in one way,” Redd said. “But in another way, also having coach (Art) Roper and the mentality he raised in the program made us who we are.”

Don’t expect the stream of Division I linemen from Rocky Mountain to end anytime soon either. Grizzlies coach Scott Criner said junior Keeghan Freeborn (6-2, 300) is already fielding interest from several Division I programs.

Montana State will also receive another Rocky Mountain product in the class of 2017. Running back Jake Roper (2016), who walked on at Boise State last season, transferred to Montana State on a full-ride scholarship.

Michael Lycklama: 208-377-6424, @MichaelLycklama

Known Treasure Valley Division I football commits

FBS

Player

Pos.

High school

College

John Ojukwu*

OL

Boise

Boise St.

Harrison Ashby

TE

Capital

Idaho

Brandon Kipper

OL

Columbia

Hawaii

Alec Kuzmack

OL

Eagle

Wash. St.

Maxim Moore

OL

Eagle

Idaho

FCS

Player

Pos.

High school

College

Raoul Johnson

DL

Bishop Kelly

Weber St.

Bronson King

QB

Bishop Kelly

Stetson

George Tarlas

DL/LB

Borah

Weber St.

Ryan Swanson

DB

Eagle

Weber St.

Mitchel Maxfield

LB

Emmett

Weber St.

Tucker Rovig

QB

Mtn. View

Montana St.

Zach Redd

OL

Rocky Mtn.

Montana St.

Jake Wilkerson

OL

Rocky Mtn.

Idaho St.

Connor Wood

OL

Rocky Mtn.

Montana St.

Note: Former Rocky Mountain running back Jake Roper (2016) has transferred from Boise State to Montana State on a full-ride scholarship.

* - Ojukwu signed and enrolled early with Boise State.

This story was originally published January 31, 2017 at 10:31 PM with the headline "Lineman factory — Three Rocky Mountain linemen headed for Division I on signing day."

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