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Montana Lands Commitment From In-State Legacy ATH Brayden Zikmund

The Manhattan High School athlete announced his commitment to the Grizzlies on Saturday after receiving his offer earlier in the week.
Julio Gonzales, Jr.|
Montana commit Brayden Zikmund
Montana commit Brayden Zikmund | Brayden Zikmund (@bzikmund_10)

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Montana Grizzlies

It’s not every day a commitment carries championship roots.

For Manhattan (MT) athlete Brayden Zikmund, choosing the University of Montana means continuing a legacy that dates back to the program’s 2001 national title team—one that his father, Rory (1998-2002), was a part of.

Now, the younger Zikmund will look to build on that tradition in Missoula, as he announced his commitment to the Grizzlies on Saturday.

“I always knew that Montana was where I wanted to be, but I just needed the opportunity to actually be able to take it. With both my parents going there and being great at their respective sports, I knew that was home, and it didn’t take much thinking when Coach Kennedy (head coach Bobby Kennedy) called me on Tuesday (April 21),” Zikmund said.

Receiving An Offer From The Grizzlies

Zikmund first connected with Kennedy, as well as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Brent Pease and tight ends coach Rob Phenicie, when he was in Missoula for Junior Day on March 29.

“When I was there for Junior Day, all of the coaches were very welcoming. I talked a lot with Coach Kennedy, Coach Phenicie, and Coach Pease. They just talked about getting me back in Missoula and advancing our relationships."

The relationship did advance, and on Tuesday, Zikmund received his offer from Montana when Kennedy called to offer him.

“Coach Kennedy called me, and it was such a great experience. I honestly didn’t even expect anything to come from the Griz until this summer, if anything, but when he called me and asked me if I wanted to come to Missoula. With how excited he was to be making this call and how proud he was of me, I knew it was right," Zikmund continued.

"Coach Pease and Coach Phenicie were both coaches when my dad played, so they have known me, but recently they have been really supportive of my family and my decision, and I love that.”

Recent Visit To Missoula

Zikmund made his most recent trip to Missoula on April 7 to watch practice and meet up with the staff.

“​My visit was great, but because I didn’t have an offer at that time, I felt like I needed to try my absolute hardest to make a good impression because everyone else there was either offered or committed. The whole day was great, especially the photoshoot.”

He had an incredible 2025 season for the Tigers, who finished 12-0 and won a state championship. Offensively, he had 50 receptions for 1184 yards and 19 touchdowns while adding 13 carries for 117 yards and a touchdown.

On defense, he recorded 56 tackles and 12 interceptions, with two returned for a touchdown. Zikmund also added two punt return touchdowns and was named an All-State selection as a wide receiver, safety, and punt returner.

“​Last season went great! We had a brand new junior quarterback who started a little rough, but once he figured it out, he was unstoppable. Personally, I broke four school records and had an outstanding, breakout season, which is what I needed to be in the position I am in.”

With his commitment out of the way, Zikmond can turn his focus to the 2026 season and another run at a championship.

“The recruiting process has been great. There were lots of ups and downs, but I always trusted God and where he was gonna lead me, and that ended up being the Griz! The offseason has been lots of training and lifting with my trainer and competing in track, to get faster and bigger, specifically for football.”

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Julio Gonzales Jr.
JULIO GONZALES, JR.

Julio Gonzales Jr. is a national recruiting analyst for FCS Football Central. He has previously written for Mike Farrell Sports and Rivals. There, he covered recruiting for JUCO Football, UTSA, Texas Tech, and SMU. He continues to cover recruiting on his Sports Madness page on Substack. He also serves as a key recruiting contributor for multiple other OnSI sites. He's from Lubbock, Texas, and graduated from Lubbock Christian University. You can reach him at:jrgonzales213@gmail.com.

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