Clipboard: Names to watch this fall at the Division I level for college football

A number of Monerey County athletes will be spread out across the nation this fall playing Division I college football.

Among those who impacted their college programs in their first season was receiver Josiah Freeman at Fresno State.

The former Soledad High and Hartnell College receiver caught 19 passes for 249 yards in 2023, with a career-high 13.1 yards per catch average.

The 6-foot-3, 195-pound redshirt junior had his first Division I touchdown catch in the New Mexico Bowl last season for the Bulldogs.

An all-state receiver at Hartnell in 2021, Freeman registered a 75-yard receiving game against Utah State and caught a season-high five passes against Boise State.

A member of The Herald’s All-County football team in 2019, Freeman caught at least one pass in eight games last season.

Former Fresno State teammate Abraham Montano has transferred to New Mexico State, where he will battle for the kicking job.

A member of Alisal’s 2019 Northern California champion soccer team, Montano kicked at Hartnell, setting a school record with a 50-yard field goal in 2021.

Montano converted 17-of-24 field goal attempts over three seasons at Fresno State, producing 70 points for the Big West Champions in 2022.

J.T. Byrne begins his junior season at Cal as a tight end, where was used last season as an extra blocker and on special teams.

The 6-foot-5, 255-pound Carmel graduate, who began his collegiate career at Oregon State, is in his second season at Cal, still searching for his first reception.

Byrne was a four-year starter in football, basketball and baseball at Carmel, earning The Herald’s Athlete of the Year honor in 2021.

Teammate and Salinas High graduate Nyziah Hunter is expected to see the field this year after redshirting last season for the Bears.

The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Hunter, a former state meet 100-meter qualifier, is one of the fastest players on the offensive side for Cal.

Perhaps a coaching change will benefit Noah Pulealii, who has yet to see action in a game at UCLA.

The 6-foot-3, 310-pound offensive lineman has spent the past two seasons working with the Bruins scout team in practice.

One of the higher-rated recruited athletes to come out of Palma, the Marina native was a four-star recruit by 247Sports.

Antonio Posadas begins his second season at Colorado after walking on and making the team last season as a tight end.

A former multi-sport standout at Carmel, Posadas impressed head coach Deion Sanders enough to make the team, where he was redshirted last season.

Redshirt sophomore Evan Johnson will battle for more playing time this fall as a defensive back for Brigham Young University.

The Herald’s 2022 Male Athlete of the Year from Stevenson, the 6-1 Johnson saw action in four games last year for the Cougars, assisting on a pair of tackles.

A four-sport standout at Stevenson, Johnson finished fourth at the state track and field finals in a county record 10.41 seconds in the 100 meters in 2022, Johnson’s brother Wesley is a defensive graduate assistant at BYU.

Logan Saldate will begin his first season at Notre Dame, after helping Palma to a State Division 4-A football title last season.

The Chieftains school record holder in the long jump and a podium finisher at the state meet in 2023, Saldate set a school record for touchdown catches and receiving yards last year.

A four-star recruit, the 5-foot-11 flanker was the Pacific Coast Athletic League Gabilan Division Player of the Year last fall and earned an invitation to the Polynesian Bowl.

Former Seaside High and Hartnell College offensive lineman James Milovale will seek playing time after redshirting last season at the University of Hawaii.

The 6-foot-6, 330-pound former volleyball player was an all-State Region selection at Hartnell in 2022.

Beginning his seventh season in college, Jeffrey Weimer has landed at Idaho State, where he was one of the biggest stories during spring ball.

Weimer, who has redshirted, has medically redshirted and been granted an extra year of eligibility because of the pandemic, played two years ago at UNLV.

The 6-foot-2 former Salinas High and Hartnell College receiver led Idaho State in receptions during its spring game and has caught the attention of pro scouts. His brother Ricky is playing linebacker at Division II CSU-Pueblo.

A teammate of Weimer’s will be former Alvarez multi-sport standout Messiah Johnson, who will battle for playing time on the offensive line at Idaho State.

The 6-3, 290-pound Johnson was a member of the Herald’s all-county football and basketball teams last season.

Having redshirted last season at the University of Idaho, 6-1 receiver Emmerson Cortez will be given a shot to see the field this season.

During his senior season at Salinas in 2022, Cortez caught 43 passes for nearly 900 yards and nine touchdowns. He also led the team in interceptions with five.

Redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Michael MacNeill is coming off a 10-tackle season last fall for Portland State.

The 280-pound Salinas High graduate – a two-time member of the Herald’s All-County team and former wrestler – produced three tackles in a win over Northern Colorado.

Having redshirted last year, Joey Finley is expected to battle for playing time on the defensive line for Stephen F. Austin State.

A former three-sport standout at Palma, the 6-3, 230-pound Finley earned all-state honors in his one season at Monterey Peninsula College.

Isaac Mancera has landed at UNLV, where the 6-foot-3, 215-pound kicker is one of three battling for the job.

Mancera produced 170 points in three seasons at Salinas High, with 98 percent of his kickoffs being touchbacks. He has a career-best 47-yard field goal.

Having earned all-conference honors last year as a defensive back and wide receiver at Hartnell College, Cade Smith will be on the defensive side of the field for Utah Tech.

Smith led the Panthers last year with seven interceptions, while catching 31 passes for 485 yards and five touchdowns.

The 6-3 Salinas graduate returned to the defensive side of the ball last fall for Hartnell out of necessity because of depth issues, leading the team in tackles.