The influx of in-state commits for Griz football rolls on as Manhattan’s Brayden Zikmund recently added his name to the hat as the first non-Class AA player to commit to Montana for the 2027 recruiting class.
“I am beyond excited to announce my commitment to the University of Montana,” wrote Zikmund in his social media posts over the weekend. “After a lot of talking with my family, praying, and talking with Coach Kennedy and the whole staff, Missoula feels like home. Thank you Coaches for making me and my family feel welcomed!!”
I am beyond excited to announce my
commitment to the University of Montana!! After a lot of talking
with my family, praying, and talking with Coach Kennedy and the
whole staff, Missoula feels like home. Thank you Coaches for making
me and my family feel welcomed!! 🐻🐻
#GoGriz… pic.twitter.com/QHE7SS8bt1
— Brayden Zikmund 2027 (@bzikmund_10)
April 25, 2026
His commitment to Montana came just one day after Montana head coach Bobby Kennedy made a trip to Manhattan to visit with Zikmund.
Zikmund is being recruited to play wide receiver at Montana and is coming off of a tremendous junior season in which he earned All-State honors at receiver, safety and punt returner while also helping lead the Tigers to an undefeated 12-0 season and a Class B state championship victory.
On offense he hauled in 50 catches for 1184 yards and 19 touchdowns while adding 13 carries for 117 yards and a touchdown. On defense, Zikmund recorded 56 tackles and 12 interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns.
Listed at 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds, Zikmund will be following in the footsteps of his father Rory Zikmund who played at Montana from 1998-2002, helping the team win the 2001 National Championship.
Zikmund also excels on the track where this spring he’s already posted a 100 meters time of 10.996 seconds a the Gallatin Valley Invitational in Belgrade on April 21. That’s the seventh-fastest time in Montana from any class this spring.
He comes the seventh-known Griz football commit from Montana for the 2027 class, the first under UM new head coach Bobby Kennedy. He joins the likes of Billings West’s Jack Ryan, Sentinel’s Sam Sirmon, Big Sky’s Quincy King and Eli Kasberg, Glacier’s Cooper Pelc and Helena Capital’s Drew Almquist.