A pair of Kalispell Glacier standouts, one big and one not so big, highlighted the list of players the Montana Grizzlies welcomed to their football program Wednesday.

Receiver Drew Deck and defensive lineman Hank Nuce are two of 17 players that joined the Griz as the early signing period for NCAA football began.

Deck is a 5-foot-9, 150-pound receiver that stood tall for the 5-6 Glacier Wolfpack in 2019: He led the team with 59 receptions for 840 yards and nine touchdowns.

Nuce, 6-4 and 235, is a standout defensive end for the Wolfpack, logging team-highs in sacks (12), fumbles forced (5) and fumble recoveries (2). His 84 tackles were second only to Hunter Karlstad’s 86.

Glacier coach Grady Bennett raved about both signees.

“I’ll tell you what, he (Nuce) is special,” he said. “You never know that happens of course, and you don’t want to make big predictions about someone going to Division I football, but I just really believe he will be a factor. I think he will play.”

Nuce was Class AA All-State this past season, when Glacier lost in the first round of the AA playoffs. He also drew interest from Montana State.

“He just has a tremendous motor,” Bennett said. “You think about those guys that the Griz have had at defensive end, that incredible lineage, and the thing they all had was the motor. They were just relentless and that’s what Hank has. And he’s still just 17.”

Bennett estimated that Nuce might have been the second-fastest player on his team – behind Deck, who is the defending State AA 300 meters champion.

“He’s a great program kid,” Bennett said of Deck. “His dad (Arron) has been coaching with me for 15 of the 16 years in my whole career. Obviously he’s a little slight but in terms of understanding the game he’s outstanding. He’s an outstanding route runner nd I think that’s what the Grizzlies see in him.”

Bennett noted a few of the smaller-statured receivers that have excelled in Missoula: Shannon Cabunoc and Billy Cockhill when Bennett played quarterback there from 1987-89; and Jerry Louie-McGee this season.

Deck, All-State AA at receiver the past two seasons, knows all the names.

“For the most part the whole process was pretty easy, because I’ve had my sights set on the Griz my whole life,” said Deck, who committed in the summer. “I went to a couple camps and kept in touch with a couple of the coaches. The coaches, the university, the community. the program… It was a no-brainer. It just made it really easy.”

The early signing period ends Dec. 21, leaving the possibility that the Grizzlies and Montana State Bobcats could add more players. The regular NCAA signing period begins Feb. 5, 2020.