Football announces first signings for 2023 class
Sagan Osborne | Dickinson State Sports Information Director
DICKINSON - The Dickinson State football staff is excited to announce their first group of the 2023 signing class. The Blue Hawks finished 8-3 last year, won their 8th consecutive conference championship and were a national playoff participant for the 8th straight year. The Blue Hawks return 85 players from the 2022 team and will start spring ball practice in March in preparation for the 2023 season.
"We are very excited about our initial 2023 recruiting class. We have others in the next few weeks that will join this group as well. We think these guys will add a lot to our team and our university with their play on the field, their success in the classroom, and the type of people that they are. Time will tell on how they will be in the future, but we do know they come from very successful programs and have a great foundation coming to us" said head Coach Pete Stanton.
The initial signing class hails from 6 different states, including 12 from North Dakota and 10 from Montana.
David Burgess - DL - 6-2 215 • Helena High School - Helena, MT
• 1st Team All-Conference, 2nd Team All State
"David played Defensive End for the Helena High Bengals, a team always noted for their defense. David is a tough, hard-nosed defender who helped lead the Bengals to a quarterfinal appearance in the playoffs. When you watch David on film, the thing that stands out the most is how relentless he pursued football."
Dylan Byrd - DB - 5'10 160 • Lockwood High School - Billings, MT
• First Team All-State Wide Receiver, First Team All-Conference Wide Receiver, Second Team All-Conference Defensive Back, 4.25 GPA
"Dylan was a part of the first ever varsity football team at Lockwood High School and is their schools first player to sign to play college athletics. He possesses an incredible work ethic and displayed excellent athleticism in the open field as a Defensive Back and Wide Receiver for the Lions. We look forward to him joining our program and contributing to our defensive backfield."
Adrien Calderon - WR - 5'11 175 • Laramie High School - Laramie, WY
• Honor Roll Student, 2nd Team All-State, 1st Team All-Conference
"Adrien was an outstanding two-way player from Laramie High School in Wyoming who will play WR for the Blue Hawks. Adrien had the ability to take short passes and turn them into big plays. Adrien has a great knack of making spectacular catches as well as tough catches over the middle."
Riley Cline - DB - 6'1 175 • Custer County High School - Miles City, MT
• 2x All-Conference Safety, 1st Team All-Conference Wide Receiver, 2x All-Conference Track Athlete
"Riley is another three -sport athlete who excels both on the field and in the classroom. He was a key player for Miles City the last few years and was very effective on both sides of the ball. We will play Riley in the secondary. He has good ball skills and toughness, and we are eager to have him join our program."
Ty Cowell - OL - 6-2 270 • Sweet Grass County High School - Big Timber, MT
• 1st Team All-Conference OL, 2nd Team All-Conference DL, Academic All-State
"Ty is a big physical player who was a two-way lineman at Big Timber. He will play on the OL for the Blue Hawks. He was a mauler on the offensive line who also showed great footwork when pulling. His ability to finish blocks and move defenders will be a great asset for us at Dickinson State."
Joey DeMarco - DB - 5'10 175 • Minnesota State CTC - Oswego, IL
• 2x All-MCAC DB, all area
"Joey was an instrumental part of a very talented defensive backfield for Minnesota State CTC. His ability to tackle in the open field and play both man and zone coverages will be great assets to our defense. He brings a wealth of experience to our team having already played two years of college football and will fit into our community perfectly."
Kadin Finders - QB - 6'3 180 • Williston High School - Williston, ND
• Honor Roll above 4.0 GPA, 2x All-Conference Honorable Mention, All State for Baseball
"Kadin had a very good career with the Williston Coyotes as a quarterback. He has excellent length and makes good decisions throwing the ball and running the offense. Kadin also excels in baseball and basketball and has been a great leader for Williston. He is a very good teammate and excels in the classroom as well."
Gage Gilbert - TE - 6'4" 210 • Harding County High School - Buffalo, SD
• 1st Team All-State, 1st Team All-Conference, National Honors Society
"Gage really came into his own during his senior year. He made several big plays for Harding County this year. He has an excellent frame and has great length that helps him be successful on the field. He catches the ball well and has great feet. He is an excellent basketball player and excels in the classroom as well. He is the son of former Blue Hawk Matt Gilbert."
Hudsen Grovom - QB - 6'1 180 • Helena Capital High School - Helena, MT
• 2nd Team All-State, State Champion Senior Year, National Honors Society
"Hudsen helped lead the Helena Capital Bruins to the State Class AA Championship this past season. He is an excellent pocket passer who came up with some big throws in the state championship and the Bruin playoff run. Hudsen's brother Bridger is a QB for the Blue Hawks and his dad Ryan played QB at Montana State."
Eli Hanson - DL- 6'5 210 • Malta High School - Malta, MT
• 1st Team All State, 1st Team All-Conference DE/TE
"Eli is a 6-5 All-State player from Malta, Montana. He showed great improvement throughout the season after missing his junior year to an injury. Eli is a very good athlete who played both Defensive End and Tight End for the Mustangs. He is a very good pass rusher using his length and great leverage off the edge to cause problems for opposing QB's."
Connor Hash - DB - 5'10 170 • Shepherd High School - Shepherd, MT
• All-State Selection, 2x All Conference, East-West Shrine Game Selection
"Connor was someone we identified early on last summer at our team camp as someone who would be a great fit in our football program. He was a do everything athlete for his high school team, leading Class B in Montana in rushing. He always has a positive attitude and is extremely coachable."
Nolan Johnson - DB - 6'2 175 • Mandan High School - Mandan, ND
• 3 years of varsity football, ran state track 4x4 4x8, Led the DB's on his team in tackles.
"Nolan is a long defensive back who isn't afraid to get involved in the run game. He does a good job of using his size to his advantage. He plays zone coverage with great vision and leverage. After suffering some injuries his junior year, he returned for a stellar senior season."
Kaison Kaylor - RB - 5'10 180 • Hazen High School - Hazen, ND
• 2nd Team All-State 11B, All-Region
"Kaison really blossomed his senior year at Hazen. We watched him in the first game, and he was a guy that really stood out on both sides of the ball. Offensively he has great balance, speed, and toughness. On the defensive side Kaison was around the ball quite a bit. He has a bright future as a Blue Hawk."
Grant Kees - OL - 6'0 270 • Bowman County High School - Bowman, ND
• 2x All-State, State Degree in FFA, 2x Team Captain in Football
"Grant is a player we have had our sights on for quite some time as he has been attending our camp for several years. He is a leader and an outstanding student with a great work ethic. He will transition very well for us on the offensive line and will be a guy who will have a great familiarity with what we are doing. He is a multi- sport athlete who is a very well-rounded person."
Brady Kennedy - WR - 6'0 180 • Coronado High School - Las Vegas, NV
• 1st Team All-State, US National Team Alumni
"Brady is a great route runner with very good speed from Las Vegas who averaged over 18 yards per catch his senior season. He runs very precise routes and showed the ability to get open vs both man and zone coverages against excellent competition. Brady also has the athleticism, toughness to go up and high point the ball to make tough catches in traffic."
Zecha King - OLB - 6'1 185 • Cheyenne Central High School - Cheyenne, WY
• All-Conference, Most Improved Player of the Year.
"Zecha is a high motor kid and a very talented athlete. He played in a number of different positions at Cheyenne Central High School. He has a good burst, closes ground quickly, and is a sure tackler in the open field. He will be a great addition to our linebacker room."
Will Madler - QB - 5'10 200 • Northern State University (Bismarck High School) - Bismarck, ND
• 2018 ND Gatorade POY, Week 6 NSIC Player of the Week, 2022 Myles Brand Award Winner
"Will Madler will bring both experience and leadership to our program. He is a guy who can throw the ball well and also make the plays in the run game. He is smart and has proven experience at the college level, being a starter in the Northern Sun Conference. He is a winner."
Kellen McClure - DB - 5'10 170 • Mission High School - St. Ignatius, MT
• 2x 1st Team All State QB, 1st Team All-Conference Defense, Offensive Conference MVP
"Kellen is a multi-sport athlete who helped lead St. Ignatius to its first state title game since 1948. Kellen played QB and defensive back for the Bulldogs. Kellen is also one of the top returning Javelin throwers in the state of Montana and will compete for the Dickinson State Track team. Kellen's coach is former DSU Coach Carson Oakland."
Jaymn Medlock - DB - 5'10 195 • Montana Tech (Billings West High) - Billings, MT
• 2020 Semper Fidelis All-American, 2020 All State and All Conference, National Honors Society, All Conference Wrestler and Sprinter
"Jaymn is an excellent athlete with a very high football IQ. He was a powerful running back in high school, who will be transitioning to safety here at DSU. He transferred to join us this spring and has already been involved in our winter conditioning program. Jaymn has a contagious personality, and we can't wait to see him compete with our current roster this spring."
Ty Nelson - WR/Punter - 5'11 170 • Dickinson High School - Dickinson, ND
• National Honor Society, 3.8 GPA
"Ty was injured in his senior year but was very productive before that point. He was very capable on both sides of the ball and will play wide receiver for us. He is an excellent punter as well and will have an opportunity to compete for this position in the 2023 season. He is a multi -sport athlete as well excelling in 3 sports."
Nate Norby - TE - 6'5 220 • Trenton High School - Trenton, ND
• 6-man Senior Athlete of the Year, All-State 6-Man, National Honors Society School President
"Nate really came into his senior year at Trenton as a leader of their team. Nate played quarterback but is capable of playing receiver, tight end, or on the defensive side as well. He was a do it all player for his high school team and has great athleticism. He has a strong upside and future."
Steven Ortiz - OL - 6'0 260 • Pasadena City College - East Los Angeles, CA
• 2x All-Conference at PCC, Offensive Lineman of the Year for his team last season
"Steven will be a great addition to our offensive line. He was an all-conference junior college player at Pasadena City. He plays with a big motor, is tough, and has great quickness and balance. Steven was one of the leaders on his team and will be ready to play at a high level when he is here."
Shel Osborne - LB - 6'0 215 • Laurel High School - Laurel, MT
• First Semester Dean's List, 4x All-Conference Academic, 3x All-State LB
"Shel is someone we have been excited about since seeing him at our team camp when he was only a sophomore. He had an incredible playing career at Laurel High School, helping lead his team to a State Championship. Unfortunately, a knee injury cut his senior year short. We are excited to have him with our team already this spring and look forward to having his presence in the middle of our defense."
William Rollins - OL - 6'2 285 • Presentation College - Denver, CO
• NSAA 2nd Team All-Conference last season, Dean's list in 2018
"William is a guy who will be able to come in right away as a transfer and make an impact on the offensive line. He is athletic and durable. He was one of the better linemen we saw last year in our conference. He was an all-conference in the North Star. He will bring maturity and experience to our offensive line."
Chase Selle - WR - 6'0 165 • Dickinson High School - Dickinson, ND
• All State Defense, Senior Athlete of the Year Nominee
"Chase is a very good athlete who had an outstanding year for Dickinson High. Chase is able to play several positions at safety, corner, or receiver. He made a lot of big plays in high school on both sides of the ball. He is very familiar with our program participating in our summer activities so it will be a smooth transition for him and will play in the secondary here."
Mace Stuber - DL - 6'0 220 • Bowman County High School - Bowman, ND
• 2x All State Defensive Lineman, Placed 3rd at 220 as a Junior in Wrestling
"Mace brings a great motor and work ethic as a defensive lineman. He plays very hard and was a big key to the success of Bowman. Mace is an excellent student and hard worker. Mace is also a multi- sport athlete as he has been a successful wrestler. He excels in the classroom as well."
Trey Swanson - OL - 6'4 280 • Beach High School - Beach, ND
• All State, 2x All Region Basketball player, National Honors Society
"Trey has a great frame and very good athleticism to go along with it. He excelled for Beach High School as a tight end and defensive linemen. He will transition to the offensive line as a Blue Hawk. He has excellent feet and athletic skills. He moves well on the basketball court. He is a great competitor and teammate and will have a great future as a Blue Hawk."
Alex Wegner - Kicker - 5'8 140 • Mandan High School - Mandan, ND
• 1st Team All State Soccer, 2x Team Captain for Soccer, Academic All Conference
"Alex is an excellent athlete with a strong leg. With a soccer background he has the ability to place the ball everywhere he wants on kickoffs and gets great lift on field goals. We are excited to add another player from a successful North Dakota high school program to our team."
Max Wilkinson - OL - 6'3 290 • Dickinson High School - Dickinson, ND
• All State, 2x All-Conference
"Max has a big frame and was all-state for Dickinson High his senior year and one of the better linemen in their classification. Max will start off on the offensive line. Max is very familiar with our players and coaches and will be a guy that has a promising upside on the offensive line." "Thanks to our coaching staff for doing a great job of establishing relationships with these players and for their tireless efforts on the recruiting front for many months. We are excited to have this 2023 class become our family members in August."