The MSU-N football team has announced its first-round of 2026 recruits. The team has added a significant amount of talent to a large group of returning seniors.

Lights Head Coach, Jerome Souers, likes what he sees of the 2026 recruit class. "Our staff has worked extremely hard identifying talent throughout the country. Montana continues to be the foundation of our recruiting efforts but we have had some success in bringing in quality football players from outside the state this past off-season. I'm excited for the fall and am very proud of our returning players and their efforts in spring camp. I'm looking forward to bringing our vets and newcomers together for a great year in Havre."

The group is highlighted by a trio of quarterbacks, starting with local standout Griffin Terry. The 6'0", 185 lb. Terry was heavily recruited within the Frontier Conference and decided to stay in Havre and suit up alongside his older brother, Crawford. Joining Terry is Manteca, California's Kirk Simoni. The 6'1", 185 lb. quarterback was a Valley Oak League First Team All-League selection at East Union High School. The Lights also signed junior college transfer Malakhi Statler, originally from Bakersfield's Bullard High School. Statler played the last two seasons at Bakersfield College. The dual-threat quarterback stands 6'1" and 200 lbs.

There is a clear emphasis on adding quality talent on the offensive side of the ball. The Lights have signed a strong group of receivers. Xzavian Ferris previously played at Dakota Wesleyan University. Ferris, from Hartford, South Dakota, was a standout receiver at West Central High School. Kohen Ollen, from Henry Wise Wood School in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, is a big target at 6'3", 180 lbs. He is joined by fellow Calgarian Bryan Yobo from Centennial High School. Yobo, at 6'3" and 200 lbs., gives the Lights another big freshman pass catcher. Also added are speedy receiver Blake Barsness from Baker, Montana, and Wheat Ridge, Colorado's Isaiah Osei. Osei, a track and football standout, had 29 catches for four touchdowns his senior year, along with 45 carries for a total of 745 yards of offense. Glasgow, Montana's Toryn Richards transfers in from Dickinson State University, while local Havre product Teegan Solomon, Circle, Montana's receiver/tight end Duke Williamson, and Conrad High School's Jonah Volk round out an impressive receiving group.

The team has added numerous offensive linemen for the 2026 season. A pair of Canadians will suit up for the Lights this fall. Zach Patching, from nearby Lethbridge, Alberta, is a 6'4", 260 lb. guard/tackle who appeared in the Senior Bowl, Alberta's version of a state all-star game. Cochrane, Alberta's Brock Van de Kraats is a 6'0", 250 lb. center and long snapper who also appeared in the Senior Bowl this past season. They are joined by Spring Creek High School's (Nevada) Brody Hanson. Hanson, at 6'3", 235 lbs., played both ways in high school, also contributing as a defensive end. Tyler Gjerde, from Sierra Vista, Nevada, starred on the offensive line for Buena High School's varsity team. Gjerde played in the Blue-Grey All-American Bowl this past December at AT&T Stadium in Texas. The 6'2", 255 lb. lineman played as an interior lineman at Buena. Tanner Bird of Townsend, Montana, rounds out the offensive line group.

At running back, the team added a pair of backs who will make an immediate impact. Brothers Laighton and Kori Scott come to the Lights from California. Laighton, at 6'2", 215 lbs., will be a load for Frontier Conference defenses. Fast and physical, he was a standout at Woodrow Wilson High School, graduating in 2024. He played this past season at El Camino Community College. Kori is a 5'10", 185 lb. back who rushed for 1,274 yards and scored 12 touchdowns his senior season at Wilson.  Glasgow, Montana's Connor Hudyma (6'0", 205 lbs.) adds as an H-back and will join the Scott's as new backs for 2026.

The Lights are also excited to sign decorated Canadian kicker/punter Shawn Green. Green was named a First Team All-Canadian kicker in the Canadian Junior Football League in 2025. In his last season with the Regina Thunder, he went 23-for-28 on field goals while adding 35 PATs without a miss. He also handled kickoff and punting duties.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Lights added several Montana recruits. Chris Brawley joins his brother Jesse on the 2026 roster. Chris is a 6'3", 220 lb. defensive end and long snapper. Brawley was a Class B All-Conference selection this past season. Peyton Fenner was a two-way standout at C.M. Russell High School in Great Falls, Montana, and will likely line up on the defensive line. Landon Retan, a 6'2", 220 lb. two-way player from Malta, Montana, along with his teammate Straud Sims, a 5'11" linebacker, and Baker, Montana's Turner Smith (6'0", 190 lbs.) round out the group of in-state talent. The team also signed Buena High School's Trenton Williams from Arizona. The 6'3", 220 lb. defensive end was named a Second Team Southern Arizona All-Star and, like many of the Lights' signees, played on both sides of the ball in high school.

The team completed spring practices with strong momentum, returning more key veterans than in recent years. Stay tuned for the next round of recruits.