Former Griz shine at Pro Day
4/3/2026 7:37:00 AM | Football
Fifteen former Montana Grizzlies and three NAIA players from around the state competed in the annual Griz Pro Day on Friday, running through strength, speed, and agility tests and position drills for scouts from 12 professional franchises.
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And by showing up, the Griz showed out, putting in several performances that would have ranked them among the tops in their position groups at this year's NFL Combine.
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With a crowded roster of participants, perhaps no former Grizzly star shined brighter than Michael Wortham, the all-everything, do-everything record breaker who has been one of the most coveted FCS prospects in this year's draft class.
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Wortham didn't disappoint, either, putting on a show worthy of a draft pick with an eye-popping 37.5-inch vertical jump and a three-cone drill time of 6.75 that would have been the second-fastest time among all receivers at the combine.
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The Grizzly Swiss Army Knife who shattered the UM record for all-purpose yards in his senior season came back to Missoula as the second-highest rated receiver in the 2026 draft class by Pro Football Focus. He's also already worked out for scouts this offseason at the AFCA FCS Showcase in Nashville, making him an old hand at the Pro Day process.
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While that experienced showed, he remained humble in accessing his performance.
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"I'm just blessed to be here. It's a great opportunity to come out here with these guys. Each and every day we train is for this moment and to get it done at the highest level in front of scouts. It's an amazing journey, and I'm just thankful to be out here with these guys and to put up numbers for scouts," Wortham said.
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"I had some ups and downs, but I hold myself to high expectations. There were definitely a lot of ups though. I'm thankful regardless of the outcome. God just blessed me to be a part of this process."
ÂGallery: (4-3-2026) FB: Pro Day (4.3-26)
Wortham wasn't the only player to turn the heads of scouts on Friday, however.
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Tight end Evan Shafer, known as one of the strongest players on the team last year, proved it with 30 reps on the 225-pound bench press, a mark that would have been the best performance of any tight end at the combine.
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Offensive lineman Liam Brown – another of the team's strongest guys – hit 26 reps on the bench but also showed his explosiveness with a 33.5-inch vertical, which would have been top five among the O-line participants at the combine.
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Cornerback Kenzel Lawler also had an elite Pro Day, performing well in multiple events. He started with the biggest vertical jump of the day at 39.5-inches – a top seven jump for corners at the combine. He followed that up with a 10' 8" broad jump (a top 10 combine mark) and 6.84 seconds in the 3-cone drill – the fastest mark for a corner at the combine.
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Running back and special teams ace Stevie Rocker Jr. also had a standout day with a 4.1 second 20-yard shuttle, a time that would have been the fastest at the combine among backs. His 7.08 second three-cone drill would have also been the fastest time at the combine.
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NFL teams represented at this year's Pro Day include the Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the world champion Seattle Seahawks. The Hamilton Tiger Cats of the CFL were also represented.
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The 2026 NFL Draft gets underway April 23 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
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And by showing up, the Griz showed out, putting in several performances that would have ranked them among the tops in their position groups at this year's NFL Combine.
Â
With a crowded roster of participants, perhaps no former Grizzly star shined brighter than Michael Wortham, the all-everything, do-everything record breaker who has been one of the most coveted FCS prospects in this year's draft class.
Â
Wortham didn't disappoint, either, putting on a show worthy of a draft pick with an eye-popping 37.5-inch vertical jump and a three-cone drill time of 6.75 that would have been the second-fastest time among all receivers at the combine.
Â
The Grizzly Swiss Army Knife who shattered the UM record for all-purpose yards in his senior season came back to Missoula as the second-highest rated receiver in the 2026 draft class by Pro Football Focus. He's also already worked out for scouts this offseason at the AFCA FCS Showcase in Nashville, making him an old hand at the Pro Day process.
Â
While that experienced showed, he remained humble in accessing his performance.
Â
"I'm just blessed to be here. It's a great opportunity to come out here with these guys. Each and every day we train is for this moment and to get it done at the highest level in front of scouts. It's an amazing journey, and I'm just thankful to be out here with these guys and to put up numbers for scouts," Wortham said.
Â
"I had some ups and downs, but I hold myself to high expectations. There were definitely a lot of ups though. I'm thankful regardless of the outcome. God just blessed me to be a part of this process."
Â
Wortham wasn't the only player to turn the heads of scouts on Friday, however.
Â
Tight end Evan Shafer, known as one of the strongest players on the team last year, proved it with 30 reps on the 225-pound bench press, a mark that would have been the best performance of any tight end at the combine.
Â
Offensive lineman Liam Brown – another of the team's strongest guys – hit 26 reps on the bench but also showed his explosiveness with a 33.5-inch vertical, which would have been top five among the O-line participants at the combine.
Â
Cornerback Kenzel Lawler also had an elite Pro Day, performing well in multiple events. He started with the biggest vertical jump of the day at 39.5-inches – a top seven jump for corners at the combine. He followed that up with a 10' 8" broad jump (a top 10 combine mark) and 6.84 seconds in the 3-cone drill – the fastest mark for a corner at the combine.
Â
Running back and special teams ace Stevie Rocker Jr. also had a standout day with a 4.1 second 20-yard shuttle, a time that would have been the fastest at the combine among backs. His 7.08 second three-cone drill would have also been the fastest time at the combine.
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NFL teams represented at this year's Pro Day include the Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the world champion Seattle Seahawks. The Hamilton Tiger Cats of the CFL were also represented.
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The 2026 NFL Draft gets underway April 23 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
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Montana Pro Day Results
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| Name | Pos | Ht. | Wt. | Hand | Wing | Bench | Vert. | Broad | 40Â | Pro Shuttle | L-Drill | |
| 1 | Liam Brown | OL | 6046 | 307 | 10 1/4 | 78Â Â Â | 26 | 33.5 | 8'11" | 5.22 | N/A | N/A |
| 2 | Kellen Detrick | DL | 6024 | 228 | 9 5/8 | 73Â Â Â | DNP | 36 | 9'9" | 4.84 | 4.44 | 7.28 |
| 3 | Aaron Fontes | WR | 6000 | 172 | 8 1/4 | 71 7/8 | 6 | 37.5 | 10'1" | 4.52 | 4.22 | 6.88 |
| 4 | Prince Ford | CB | 5110 | 171 | 8 1/2 | 71Â Â Â | 11 | 33 | 9'6" | 4.57 | 4.49 | N/A |
| 5 | Cole Grossman | TE | 6042 | 196 | 9 3/8 | 78 5/8 | DNP | 32.5 | 9'4" | 5.14 | 4.59 | 7.38 |
| 6 | Vai Kaho | LB | 5116 | 228 | 9 3/8 | 74 3/4 | 20 | 32 | 9'6" | 4.84 | 4.39 | 7.31 |
| 7 | Kenzel Lawler | CB | 5112 | 193 | 8 7/8 | 76 1/4 | 13 | 39.5 | 10'8" | 4.51 | 4.25 | 6.84 |
| 8 | Ty Morrison | P/K | 6020 | 209 | 8 5/8 | 77 7/8 | DNP | 32 | 9'1" | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| 9 | Cannon Panfiloff | OL | 6043 | 304 | 9 5/8 | 80Â Â Â | 23 | 28.5 | 8'4" | N/A | 4.9 | 7.88 |
| 10 | Hunter Peck | DL | 6005 | 243 | 9 5/8 | 76 3/4 | 22 | 32 | 9'7" | 4.71 | 4.47 | 7.26 |
| 11 | Grayson Pibal | LS | 6027 | 225 | 8 7/8 | 77 1/2 | DNP | 23 | 8'0" | 5.39 | 5.25 | DNP |
| 12 | Stevie Rocker | RB | 5114 | 221 | 9Â Â Â | 75Â Â Â | 17 | 34.5 | 9'4" | 4.48 | 4.1 | 7.08 |
| 13 | Evan Shafer | TE | 6044 | 267 | 9 1/2 | 77 5/8 | 30 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| 14 | Elijawah Tolbert | LB | 5113 | 229 | 8 7/8 | 74 1/4 | 22 | 30.5 | 9'0" | 4.9 | 5 | 7.5 |
| 15 | Michael Wortham | WR | 5084 | 181 | 9 7/8 | 69 1/2 | DNP | 37.5 | 10'2" | 4.48 | 4.19 | 6.75 |
| 16 | Carson Ochoa | TE | 6020 | 234 | 9 3/4 | 76 3/8 | 20 | 35 | 9'1" | 5 | 4.69 | 7.57 |
| 17 | Brett Tommasini | LB | 6005 | 229 | 9Â Â Â | 77 7/8 | 17 | 32 | 9'2" | 4.68 | 4.83 | 7.2 |
| 18 | Michael Palandri | QB | 6004 | 212 | 8 7/8 | 74 1/4 | DNP | 28 | 8'8" | 5.08 | 4.66 | N/A |
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Players Mentioned
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