Montana OL A.J. Forbes latest to receive NFL rookie minicamp tryout invitation

MISSOULA — A.J. Forbes became the third Montana Grizzlies football player to receive an NFL rookie minicamp invitation when it was announced Monday that he had picked up a tryout offer from the Seattle Seahawks.

Forbes, from Bellevue, Neb., made 42 starts at center for the Grizzlies after originally transferring to UM from the University of Nebraska in 2020.

The 6-foot-2, 300-pound Forbes was named a Walter Camp first-team All-American for the 2023 season, helping the Griz reach the FCS national championship game in Frisco, Texas. He was also a second-team All-Big Sky selection and was the team's Paul Weskamp Award winner as Montana's outstanding offensive lineman.

Forbes helped Montana achieve the fourth-most rushing yards per-game (176.8) and the second-most rushing tourchdowns (32) in the Big Sky in 2023.

Forbes was a third-team All-Big Sky pick as a junior in 2022.

As of Monday afternoon, Forbes was the third Griz player to receive a rookie minicamp invite. Safety Nash Fouch (New York Giants) and punter Travis Benham (New York Jets) picked up tryout offers on Sunday.

Montana State tight end Treyton Pickering received a rookie minicamp invitation from the Giants on Saturday.