Rocky Mountain lineman named a football All-American. Here’s how he made exclusive list
The awards keep rolling in for Rocky Mountain standout Jax Tanner.
The Grizzlies’ offensive lineman was recently named an All-American by SBLive Sports/Sports Illustrated, earning one of the 37 spots awarded to the best high school football players in the country.
The 6-4, 275-pound junior tackle has dominated Idaho competition for years, starting every game since his freshman year and making the All-Idaho first team each of the past two seasons. But he’s quickly drawn the attention of national scouts and news outlets, too.
The state’s all-class Gatorade player of the year hasn’t surrendered a single sack the past two seasons and racked up a staggering 115 pancake blocks for Rocky Mountain last fall, driving opponents into the ground over and over to lead the Grizzlies to the 6A state semifinals and a 6A SIC championship.
The three-star recruit holds 24 Division I scholarship offers, according to 247Sports, including from national powerhouses like Michigan, Oregon, Auburn and USC. Boise State was one of the first colleges to offer the hometown star.
“Jax is one of the most versatile offensive linemen I have coached against,” Timberline coach Ian Smart said when Tanner was named the Gatorade player of the year. “He is equal parts strong, athletic and physical.
“As you prepare to play that team, creating a plan to deal with Jax is at the top of the list. He will certainly become a major contributor when he arrives at the next level.”
Tanner was the only player from Idaho selected to the All-American team, which saw the bulk of its selections hail from traditional high school football hotbeds California, Florida and Texas.
This story was originally published February 11, 2025 at 5:43 PM.
