Five Griz named All-Americans while 15 earn All-Big Sky honors from Phil Steele Magazine

Five Montana Grizzlies were named FCS All-Americans, and 15 earned All-Big Sky honors from Phil Steel Magazine and draftscout.com, the publications announced in a joint release Monday.

Linebacker Patrick O'Connell and cornerback Justin Ford, both juniors who finished third and fourth in voting for the Buck Buchanan Award, respectively, were named defensive first-team All-Americans.

Senior long snapper Matthew O'Donoghue was also named first-team All-American for special teams, and junior kick returner Malik Flowers earned a place on the second team All-America list for special teams.

Tight end Cole Grossman was also named a freshman All-American following a breakout season.

All five of Montana's All-America selections earned a place on one of four Phil Steele All-Big Sky teams as well, with ten more Grizzlies receiving an all-conference nod.

Safety Robby Hauck earned first-team honors, while tackle Conlan Beaver, defensive lineman Alex Gubner, linebacker Jace Lewis, and kicker Kevin Macias were named to the second team.

Grossman landed on the third-team all-conference list along with junior linebacker Marcus Welnel. Freshman running back Xavier Harris and offensive linemen Hunter Mayginnes and Dylan Cook were each named to the fourth-team list, as was cornerback Omar Hicks Onu.

With the majority of the FCS All-America teams announced, Ford and O'Connell are considered consensus All-Americans, having earned first-team honors on at least half of the available lists.

Ford is a unanimous pick, earning seven first-team selections on the seven published lists to date. O'Connell has earned four first-team and two second-team honors, O'Donoghue has earned two first-team and two second-team picks, and Flowers has earned two second-team and one third-team selection.

Lewis, Hauck, and Macias have each earned a third-team pick, while Gubner has a sophomore All-America selection and Grossman has two freshman All-America selections.

2021 Phil Steele FCS All-America Team

First Team All-America Defense
LB: Patrick O'Connell
DB: Justin Ford

First Team All-America Special Teams
LS: Matthew O'Donoghue

Second Team All-America Special Teams
KR: Malik Flowers

2021 Phil Steele FCS Freshman All-America Team

First Team All-America Freshman
TE: Cole Grossman, Montana

2021 Phil Steele All-Big Sky Team

First Team Defense
LB: Patrick O'Connell
DB: Justin Ford
DB: Robby Hauck

First Team Special Teams
KR: Malik Flowers
LS: Matthew O'Donoghue

Second Team Offense
OL: Conlan Beaver

Second Team Defense
DL: Alex Gubner
LB: Jace Lewis

Second Team Special Teams
K: Kevin Macias

Third Team Offense
TE: Cole Grossman
LB: Marcus Welnel

Fourth Team Offense
RB: Xavier Harris
OL: Hunter Mayginnes
OL: Dylan Cook

Fourth Team Defense
DB: Omar Hicks Onu

University of Montana Athletics

Five Griz named All-Americans while 15 earn All-Big Sky honors from Phil Steele Magazine

Players Mentioned

Conlan Beaver

Dylan Cook

Malik Flowers

Justin Ford

Cole Grossman

Alex Gubner

Xavier Harris

Robby Hauck

Omar Hicks Onu

Jace Lewis

Kevin Macias

Hunter Mayginnes

Patrick O'Connell

Matthew O'Donoghue

Marcus Welnel

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