BOISE, Idaho — First-year Boise State head football coach Spencer Danielson revealed the 2024 roster on Wednesday. With 114 players currently in the program, the Broncos added 36 new faces throughout the offseason.
Danielson signed 20 true freshmen along with 16 more players out of the transfer portal. The evolving rules of college football present several challenges to roster building, but the Broncos have managed to balance out their roster by class once again.
- True freshmen: 20
- Redshirt freshmen: 20
- Sophomores: 26 (seven haven’t redshirt)
- Juniors: 24 (seven haven’t redshirt)
- Seniors: 24 (five haven’t redshirt)
COVID PLAYERS
Nine players on the current roster are utilizing an additional COVID year of eligibility. Defensive tackle Michael Callahan, full back Tyler Crowe, kicker Jonah Dalmas, offensive lineman Ben Dooley, nose tackle Sheldon Newton, cornerback Markel Reed, and safety Alexander Teubner will each exhaust their final year of eligibility this fall, along with Utah State transfer Cooper Jones and Ball State transfer Tavion Woodard.
TRACKING THE TRANSFER PORTAL
Only time will tell, but Boise State appeared to address a number of its needs out of the transfer portal, adding impact players at cornerback, quarterback and wide receiver, along with some depth and experience on the offensive and defensive lines.
The Broncos secured six players who were at the Power 5 level last season, including two former five-star recruits in quarterback Malachi Nelson and wide receiver Chris Marshall.
MOVING IN (16)
- CB – Davon Banks (Transferred from: Washington)
- TE – Mitchell Bothwell (Transferred from: Villanova)
- WR – Cam Camper (Transferred from: Indiana)
- WR – Kayden Chan (Transferred from: Santa Barbara City College)
- CB – Jeremiah Earby (Transferred from: Cal)
- LB – Udoka Ezeani (Transferred from: Bulter Community College)
- OL – Connor Gilbreath (Transferred from: LSU)
- CB – Tevin Griffey (Transferred from: Florida A&M)
- WR – Cooper Jones (Transferred from: Utah State)
- EDGE – Joseph Marsh (Transferred from: College of the Canyons)
- WR – Chris Marshall (Transferred from: Ole Miss)
- QB – Malachi Nelson (Transferred from: USC)
- K/P – Jarrett Reeser (Transferred from: San Diego State)
- K – Taren Schive (Transferred from: San Jose State)
- OL – Jake Steele (Transferred from: San Jose State)
- DE – Tavion Woodard (Transferred from: Ball State)
The Broncos also saw 18 players enter the transfer portal or simply just leave the program since the 2023 season wrapped up. Cornerback Jaylen Clark, who had the fifth-best PFF defensive grade (71.3) on the team last season, was the lone starter with eligibility left that is no longer with the team.
Boise State watched starters Taylen Green (Arkansas) and Eric McAlister (TCU) enter the transfer portal in the last calendar year, too, but both made that decision prior to the bowl game.
MOVING OUT (18)
- TE – Jack Beresford
- OL – Bridger Bivens
- NT – Howard Brown
- OL – Nikolai Bujnowski
- CB – Jaylen Clark
- TE – Cayden Dawson
- K – Josh Horn
- OL – Favor Komolafe
- LB - Dishawn Misa
- OT – Rick Moore
- CB – Jalen Neal
- K – Wyatt Redding
- QB – CJ Tiller
- LB – Brett Tommasini
- WR – Shea Whitting
- EDGE – James Wilborn Jr.
- DT – Kyler Williams
- WR – Cole Wright
NEW NUMBER, WHO DIS?
Sixteen players switched numbers this season, a total that’s higher than what we’ve typically seen in the past. The most notable new digits include safety Ty Benefield moving into No. 0, which was once worn by former Bronco safety JL Skinner, and wide receiver Latrell Caples, who gifted the No. 7 to Nelson for a few pairs of shoes.
- No. 0 – Ty Benefield (Formerly No. 20)
- No. 3 – Latrell Caples (Formerly No. 7)
- No. 5 – Chris Marshall (Formerly No. 83)
- No. 5 – Jayden Virgin-Morgan (Formerly No. 40)
- No. 6 – Jeremiah Earby (Formerly No. 24)
- No. 7 – A’Marion McCoy (Formerly No. 21)
- No. 9 – Cam Camper (Formerly No. 80)
- No. 19 – Troy Wilkey (Formerly No. 49)
- No. 21 – Zion Washington (Formerly No. 31)
- No. 30 – Jarrett Reeser (Formerly No. 39)
- No. 31 – Tevin Griffey (Formerly No. 48)
- No. 40 – Ryker Clinger (Formerly No. 37)
- No. 49 – AJ Maes (Formerly No. 19)
- No. 50 – Joseph Marsh (Formerly No.74)
- No. 58 – Trevor McKenna (Formerly No. 79)
- No. 61 – JJ Talo (Formerly No. 97)
WHO IS ON THE MOVE?
Redshirt senior Kaonohi Kaniho has spent most of his career playing cornerback. Now he drops back to safety, but he’ll offer a ton of versatility in the defensive backfield. He’ll play nickel and dime, offering good cover ability at both against pass-heavy teams.
Redshirt freshman Nick Hawthorne moved positions again. He originally committed as a defensive back, then moved to EDGE. Now he’s flipping over to the other side of the defensive line to play defensive end.
Sixth-year senior Tyler Crowe spent the majority of his career listed as a running back, but now he takes on a title that truly fits his identity: full back.
After redshirting at safety last season, Ryker Clinger is moving back to running back. The former Shelley High standout totaled up 3,562 all-purpose yards and scored 27 total touches in his final two seasons for the Russets.
AJ Maes showed up out of nowhere late last season when Boise State needed some depth at quarterback going into the LA Bowl. This season the walk-on will go from throwing passes to catching them, making the move to wide receiver.
Redshirt sophomore JJ Talo missed all of last season due to an injury. But now he’s back and playing a new position, moving from the defensive line to the offensive line.
True freshman Trevor McKenna and sixth-year senior Tavion Woodard had very subtle updates at their listings. McKenna was a defensive tackle, but now listed as a defensive lineman, while Woodard goes from defensive line to defensive end.
AN OFFSEASON WITH UPS AND DOWNS … ON THE SCALE
The weight room is a big part of the offseason, with certain players looking to pack on the pounds and trying to shed them. Amongst the returning players, no one gained more weight than Hawthorne, who added 17 points to his frame.
MOST WEIGHT GAINED
- DE – Nick Hawthorne: 217 pounds (+17)
- DE – Mason Jacobsen: 263 pounds (+15)
- OL – Tyler Keinath: 322 pounds (+13)
- RB – Cooper Jones: 182 pounds (+12)
- DT – Spencer Gieg: 274 pounds (+12)
- DT – Michael Madrie: 281 pounds (+11)
- OL – JJ Talo: 311 pounds (+11)
- WR – Jackson Grier: 193 pounds (+10)
- OL – Ben Dooley: 320 pounds (+10)
- S – Zion Washington: 212 pounds (+10)
- WR – Troy Wilkey: 185 pounds (+10)
MOST WEIGHT LOST
- DE – Demanuel Brown Jr.: 252 pounds (-13)
- DE – Max Stege: 264 pounds (-11)
- K – Jarrett Reeser: 207 pounds (-8)
- LB – Gavin Hambrick: 220 pounds (-8)
- RB – Breezy Dubar: 205 pounds (-6)
- WR – Cam Camper: 197 pounds (-6)
- S – Kaonohi Kaniho: 181 pounds (-5)
- QB – Colt Fulton: 195 pounds (-5)
- LS – Mason Hutton: 237 pounds (-5)
- NT – Sheldon Newton: 320 pounds (-5)
STILL A STRONG IDAHO INFLUENCE
There are 17 Broncos that played high school football in Idaho. Rocky Mountain leads the way with four alumni on the current roster, while Bishop Kelly, Borah, Eagle, Mountain View and Skyview all have multiple alumni suiting up for Boise State this fall.
Bishop Kelly
- Seth Knothe, JR – Running Back*
- Cole Miller, F-FR - Safety*
Borah
- Austin Bolt, R-SR – Wide Receiver
- Trevor McKenna, FR – Defensive Line
Eagle
- Ben Ford, R-JR – Wide Receiver
- Ethan Mikita, R-SO – Running Back*
Middleton
- Parker Perkins, FR – Offensive Line*
Mountain View
- Kayden Chan, JR – Wide Receiver*
- Troy Grizzle, FR – Defensive End/Long Snapper*
Owyhee
- Carson Rasmussen, R-FR – Offensive Line
Rocky Mountain
- Jonah Dalmas, SR – Kicker
- Mason Jacobsen, R-SO – Defensive End*
- Hunter Steacher, R-SO – Wide Receiver*
- Troy Wilkey, SO – Wide Receiver*
Shelley
- Ryker Clinger, R-FR – Running Back*
Skyview
- Max Cutforth, R-FR – Quarterback*
- Tyler Crowe, 6th-YR – Fullback
– *Walk-on