Helena Capital star Drew Almquist commits to Montana Grizzlies football

Drew Almquist’s commitment to the University of Montana gave Helena Capital and the city of Helena a rare recruiting headline: the Grizzlies landed the top in-state football prospect in more than a decade. Almquist, a wide receiver and athlete, announced his decision on April 3 and became the first player in Montana’s 2027 class to carry a 247Sports star rating.

247Sports lists Almquist at 6-foot-1 and 175 pounds with a 0.8400 Composite rating and the No. 1 ranking in Montana for the Class of 2027. That profile made him the highest-ranked in-state commit to the Griz in over 10 years, a notable lift for Montana as first-year coach Bobby Kennedy works to build a stronger pipeline from the state’s high schools into Missoula.

The commitment also matters because Almquist has already established himself at Helena Capital, where he was part of a program that won the 2024 Class AA state championship, the Bruins’ 13th title and second in three seasons. Capital beat Kalispell Glacier 34-21 in the title game, and Almquist accounted for 14 touchdowns during that championship run. Even with an injury-marred 2025 season, his production and versatility kept him on the radar of major programs across the region.

His offer list showed how quickly that interest grew. Oregon State offered on Jan. 23, 2025, Montana State followed on Feb. 2, 2025, and Montana extended an offer on May 7, 2025. By the time he chose the Grizzlies, Almquist had become the sixth known commitment in Kennedy’s first recruiting class and the fifth Montana product to join the era, an early sign that UM intends to keep more homegrown talent in state.

For Helena, the move carries a meaning that goes beyond one signing day. Capital’s recent success has already given the Bruins a visible place in Montana football, and Almquist’s jump to the Grizzlies gives local youth players a clear example of a path from Helena to Missoula. For Montana, it is a recruiting win that reinforces the value of in-state talent and gives the program another foundation piece from one of the state’s most successful high school programs.