Signing Day Central (final list - 1:54 pm)
2/1/2012 9:10:00 AM | Football
Montana State 2012 Recruiting News
Montana State's 2012 recruiting list...
CURRENTLY ENROLLED AT MSU
Keith Leenders, K - 5-8, 185, Jr, Vacaville, CA (Vacaville/Solano College)
NATIONAL LETTERS-OF-INTENT SIGNED ON FEBRUARY 1, 2012
Austin Barth, QB - 6-5, 210, Fr, Columbia Falls, MT (Columbia Falls)
Kris Cooper, DL - 6-2, 265, Fr, Gardena, CA (Gardena Serra)
Vince DiGiallonardo, DB - 5-11, 180, Fr, Polson, MT (Polson)
JP Flynn, OL - 6-5, 290, Fr, Bettendorf, IA (Bettendorf)
Doug Hanson, OL - 6-4, 265, Fr, Trabuco Canyon, CA (Mission Viejo)
Zach Hutchins, DE - 6-3, 225, Fr, Las Vegas, NV (Bishop Gorman)
Jackson Mahlum, TE - 6-2, 212, Fr, Frenchtown, MT (Frenchtown)
Dakota Prukop, QB - 6-2, 177, Fr, Austin, TX (Vandergrift)
AJ Silva, K - 6-1, 170, Fr, Sparks, NV (Reed)
Fe'ao Vunipola, LB - 5-11, 210, Fr, Pittsburg, CA (Pittsburg)
Marshall Womack, OL - 6-5, 250, Fr, Lakeway, TX (Lake Travis)
TRANSFER
Keith Leenders, K
5-8, 185, Jr, Vacaville, CA (Vacaville/Solano College)
Player Notes: Transferred to MSU at the semester, and is presently enrolled and attending classes... finished 2011 season 10-14 on field goals and 28-31 on extra points, scoring 58 points... helped lead Solano to two straight Bay Valley Conference titles... kicked four field goals in one game (vs. Feather River), including a long of 45... named the league's top kicker in 2010 and '11... finished his junior college career 21-for-29 on field goals, 56-for-65 on PATs... a two-time all-league kicker at Vacaville High
From MSU Coach Rob Ash: "Keith is an extremely consistent and steady kicker who has two years of college experience under his belt. I expect him to immediately contend for the vacant place-kicking position on our team when we begin practicing this spring."
HIGH SCHOOL SIGNEES
Austin Barth, QB
6-5, 210, Fr, Columbia Falls, MT (Columbia Falls)
Player Notes: Earned first team all-state honors at linebacker as a senior and first team all-conference honors at that position twice... two-time second team all-conference quarterback... also all-state choice in basketball.
From MSU Coach Rob Ash: "Austin was the leader of the pack in our recruiting this year. He committed last spring, so he's been a Bobcat for almost a whole year now. He's an outstanding talent as a quarterback, has a big arm, and is very poised. He's an outstanding basketball player and is very athletic for his size."
Kris Cooper, DL
6-2, 265, Fr, Gardena, CA (Gardena Serra)
Player Notes: Earned First Team All-Mission League honors... also named Second Team All-CIF Southern Section.
From MSU Coach Rob Ash: "Kris Cooper was the top-rated inside player on our board. He's from a very strong Catholic school in Los Angeles, where he played high-quality football. His best days are ahead of him in that he still has room to grow and get stronger, but he's very quick and light on his feet and very aggressive. We're hoping he can develop into the same type of player as Zach Minter and Christian Keli'i, who we graduate this year. He's our hope for the future at that position."
Vince DiGiallonardo, DB
5-11, 180, Fr, Polson, MT (Polson)
Player Notes: A three-time all-state quarterback and free safety who earned all-conference honors at safety four times... led his team to a 21-4 record as the its starting quarterback, earning Conference Offensive MVP honors twice.
From MSU Coach Rob Ash: "Vince is an extremely versatile and talented athlete who can play any of a number of positions. We recruited him as a free safety, and think he'll be a very heady, smart, diverse athlete back there. He could also help us on special teams in the return game."
JP Flynn, OL
6-5, 290, Fr, Bettendorf, IA (Bettendorf)
Player Notes: Earned First Team All-State honors as a senior after helping lead Bettendorf to an undefeated regular season and state runnerup finish... First Team All-Mississippi Conference and All-Academic team... also team captain.
From MSU Coach Rob Ash: "I recruited JP's brother Steve to Drake five years ago so we have a connection with the Flynn family, but we recruited JP on his own merits. He is a very outstanding offensive linemen from one of the top programs in the state of Iowa. His team was undefeated throughout the season until the state championship game. He is a big, strong, athletic offensive lineman who could play a number of positions in the offensive line."
Doug Hanson, OL
6-4, 265, Fr, Trabuco Canyon, CA (Mission Viejo)
Player Notes: First Team All-Pac 5 selection... Mission Viejo's Offensive Line MVP... Academic All-CIF... named a Top 45 Recruit by OC Varsity... an Honor Roll student and National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete.
From MSU Coach Rob Ash: "Doug is a very versatile and talented offensive lineman who is athletic and bigger. He comes from a very successful program at Mission Viejo and drew attention recently from a number of programs across the country. We're very excited that he's chosen to become a Bobcat."
Zach Hutchins, DE
6-3, 225, Fr, Las Vegas, NV (Bishop Gorman)
Player Notes: A First Team All-State linebacker as a senior... helped lead Bishop Gorman to three straight state titles, lettering each year and starting the last two during the team's 43-3 run... logged 79 tackles, six for a loss, with three sacks... Sunset Southwest Defensive MVP as a senior... earned Nevada's U. S. Marine Corps 2011 Honor, Courage and Commitment Award given to one student-athlete in each state... Bishop Gorman's starting tight end last fall, as well...
From MSU Coach Rob Ash: "Zach Hutchins is a dynamic player from one of the top high school programs in the nation. He played a lot of different positions, but we project him to be a pass-rushing defensive end in the mold of some of the guys we've had that have made such an impact in our program, a Dane Fletcher/Brad Daly type of undersized, speedy defensive end."
Jackson Mahlum, TE
6-2, 212, Fr, Frenchtown, MT
Player Notes: A three-way all-conference choice in Northwestern A as a senior, earning first team honors as a tight end and punter and honorable mention as a defensive end... a team captain and four-year varsity player... Frenchtown's leading receiver as a senior, with 17 catches for 225 yards... averaged nearly 40 yards per punt, and finished second on the team in tackles... also a three-year starter in basketball... the cousin and former high school teammate of Bobcat running back Cody Kirk.
From MSU Coach Rob Ash: "Jackson Mahlum has bloodlines back to the 1984 National Championship team that his dad Tom played on. He's a very good tight end in his own right. He's young and growing and going to get bigger and stronger during his time here. He's very tough and tenacious."
Dakota Prukop, QB
6-2, 177, Fr, Austin, TX (Vandergrift)
Player Notes: A two-year team captain who earned All-District 25-4A honors as a quarterback and safety last fall... Team MVP as a senior, and academic all-district choice... first scholarship student-athlete signed from Vandergrift.
From MSU Coach Rob Ash: "Dakota is in the first senior class to graduate from Vandergrift. He took them from their first football team all the way to the playoffs this year. He's a very skilled athlete. Some teams recruited him as a safety, but we like him as a dual threat quarterback, a good runner and passer."
AJ Silva, K
6-1, 170, Fr, Sparks, NV (Reed)
Player Notes: Earned All-Region Player of the Year honors for leading Reed HS to the state title game as its starting quarterback and kicker... also First Team All-Region Kicker and Quarterback... Max Preps' top-rated kickoff specialist in the nation.
From MSU Coach Rob Ash: "He comes to us as a kicker, but he was a sparkplug of their football team as a quarterback this year. He led them to the finals, where they lost to Bishop Gorman in the championship game. He passed for around 3,000 yards and had a great career as a quarterback, so he's very athletic. He has a very strong leg, and was one of the national leaders in kickoff yardage and touchbacks."
Fe'ao Vunipola, LB
5-11, 210, Fr, Pittsburg, CA (Pittsburg)
Player Notes: An ESPN First Team All-East Bay Athlete... earned Second Team All-CIF Southern Section honors... logged 32 tackles with one interception and a sack as a senior, 26 tackles as a junior... rushed for 1,034 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior, 436 yards and four touchdowns as a junior.
From MSU Coach Rob Ash: "Fe'ao was our top linebacker prospect. He's in the mold of the linebackers we've recruited to Montana State - he can run, he's very fast, he's aggressive, very athletic. He was also a good running back in high school. He'll fit right into the style of Jody Owens and Na'a Moeakiola, fast linebackers that may be a little undersized but can really run."
Marshall Womack, OL
6-5, 250, Fr, Lakeway, TX (Lake Travis)
Player Notes: Helped lead Lake Travis to the 2011 Division 1-4A State Championship, a team ranked fourth nationally, its fifth straight state title... was All-District Second Team, Academic All-District, and a multiple Offensive Lineman of the Week honoree... an avid weight lifter.
From MSU Coach Rob Ash: "Marshall comes from Lake Travis High School, a powerhouse program which has won five state championships in a row. He has a great frame. His best year of football are ahead of him because he is tall and rangy and very athletic and flexible as an offensive lineman."
