Only the names have been changed to...no, wait. Same names, just more national preseason honors.

Do you think it's fair to say that these guys are on the national Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) radar? University of Montana Sports Information Director Eric Taber reports that once  again, four of the brightest stars on the 2022 Montana Grizzly football team have earned recognition on a preseason All-America team.

This time it's the Stats Perform Preseason All-America team, a lineup compiled by prominent FCS analyst Craig Haley. Eric tells us that linebacker Patrick O'Connell, cornerback Justin Ford, and kick returner/wide receiver Malik Flowers have all been named to the Stats preseason first team. Safety Robby Hauck earned a spot on the second team.

Just last week, all four of these players, along with Griz defensive lineman Alex Gubner, were also named to the Big Sky Conference preseason all-conference team, during the annual kickoff event.

And here are your Stats first-team preseason All-America picks, which include 6 Big Sky Conference standouts:

OFFENSE
QB – Xavier Shepherd, 6-0, 205, junior, Kennesaw State (2021 All-Purpose)
RB – Isaiah Davis, 6-1, 220, junior, South Dakota State
RB – Isaiah Ifanse, 5-10, 202, senior, Montana State
FB – Hunter Luepke, 6-1, 236, senior, North Dakota State (2020, 2021)
WR – Xavier Gipson, 5-9, 170, senior, Stephen F. Austin (2021)
WR – Taylor Grimes, 5-11, 190, senior, UIW
TE – Tucker Kraft, 6-5, 255, junior, South Dakota State (2021)
OL – Michael Corbi, 6-6, 335, senior, Villanova
OL – McClendon Curtis, 6-6, 328, senior, Chattanooga
OL – Matthan Hatchie, 6-2, 310, senior, UT Martin
OL – Cody Mauch, 6-6, 303, senior, North Dakota State
OL – Mason McCormick, 6-4, 310, senior, South Dakota State
DEFENSE
DL – Nate Lynn, 6-3, 255, junior, William & Mary (2021)
DL – Devonnsha Maxwell, 6-3, 296, senior, Chattanooga (2021)
DL – Josiah Silver, 6-2, 234, sophomore, New Hampshire
DL – Spencer Waege, 6-5, 278, senior, North Dakota State
LB – Jacob Dobbs, 6-0, 232, senior, Holy Cross (2021)
LB – Ryan Greenhagen 6-1, 245, grad, Fordham
LB – Isaiah Land 6-4, 215, senior, Florida A&M (2021)
LB – Patrick O'Connell, 6-2, 225, redshirt senior, Montana (2021)
LB – Stone Snyder, 6-3, 240, senior, VMI (2020)
DB – Anthony Adams, 6-0, 185, senior, Portland State (2019)
DB –Justin Ford, 6-2, 190, redshirt senior, Montana (2021)
DB – Ferlando Jordan, 6-0, 180, redshirt senior, Southeastern Louisiana
DB – Kedrick Whitehead, 5-11, 195, senior, Delaware (2020)
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK – Matthew Cook, 5-11, 180, junior, Northern Iowa
P – Grant Burkett, 6-1, 191, sophomore, Missouri State
LS – Robert Soderholm, 6-1, 230, senior, VMI
KR – Malik Flowers, 6-2, 200, redshirt senior, Montana
PR – Jah'Marae Sheread, 5-7, 175, redshirt senior, Florida A&M
AP – Ulonzo Gilliam Jr., 5-9, 189, senior, UC Davis
AP – Jacob Saylors, 5-11, 195, senior, ETSU

In other Griz good news, it was reported today (Tuesday) by UM Women's Sports Information Director Joel Carlson that former Lady Griz basketball standout Abby Anderson recently signed a professional contract to play for Ausarta Barakaldo, a team that plays in Spain's Liga Femenina 2 League.

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