MISSOULA — Three Montana State Bobcats and a pair of Montana Grizzlies have been named to the Reese’s Senior Bowl watch list, the game’s organizers announced Wednesday.
Bobcats Brody Grebe, Marcus Wehr and Brendan Hall were listed as players to watch, along with Grizzlies Junior Bergen and Cole Grossman.
The Reese’s Senior Bowl is widely regarded as the preeminent college football all-star game and the first stage in the NFL Draft process. The longest continual-running all-star game, it has taken place in Mobile, Alabama, for the past 75 years. The game gives elite draft prospects from around the country the chance to showcase their talent and connect with coaches and decision-makers from all 32 NFL teams.
Grebe, Wehr and Bergen have racked up preseason accolades this summer, as all three were named to the preseason All-Big Sky Conference team and Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America first team. Wehr and Bergen were also named to the East-West Shrine Bowl 1,000 and the preseason watch list for the Walter Payton Award.
Grebe, a 6-foot-2, 248-pound senior defensive end from Melstone, is coming off a 2023 season in which he recorded 9.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss. He finished with 50 total tackles, three forced fumbles and six quarterback hurries en route to a first-team all-conference selection. He's the Big Sky's preseason defensive player of the year and was named to the preseason watch list for the Buck Buchanan Award.
Wehr is a 6-4, 292-pound senior offensive lineman from Billings Central High. He is coming off a first-team All-America season for the Bobcats in which helped the team rush for a Big Sky-leading 292.4 yards per game and finish with the conference's No. 1 scoring offense at 39.9 points per game.
Bergen, a 5-11, 180-pound senior from Billings Senior High, earned three places on the preseason All-Big Sky team as a receiver, punt returner, and all-purpose player. In 2023 he set a school record with an FCS-best three punt return touchdowns in a single season and tied the Big Sky record with the fifth return TD of his career. As a receiver he totaled 791 yards and five touchdowns.
Hall, a 6-9 punter/kicker from Springtown, Texas, earned All-America honors at punter last season after he averaged 46.1 yards per punt. As a kickoff specialist in 2023, he led the FCS with 72 touchbacks out of 86 kicks.
Grossman returns to action for Montana after missing the 2023 season due to injury. The 6-4, 220-pound senior tight end has 65 career catches for 873 total yards and 10 touchdowns.
Hall and Grossman were also named to the Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America second team.
Another eight Big Sky Conference players were also named to the Reese’s Senior Bowl watchlist: Dante Chachere, QB, Portland State; Efton Chism, WR, Eastern Washington; David Hoage, DL, Northern Colorado; Lan Larison, RB, UC Davis; Elijah Ponder, DL, Cal Poly; Tyreese Shakir, DB, Portland State; Jackson Slater, OL, Sacramento State; and Abraham Williams, DB, Idaho.
This year’s Senior Bowl is set for Feb. 1, 2025, at the University of South Alabama’s Hancock Whitney Stadium.
