BOZEMAN — Montana State's wide receiver room this year has a mix of faces that fans are already familiar with, as well as some new players to get to know.
Dane Steel says it's a good room this season.
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"It's a younger group of guys, or maybe I'm just getting older," Steel joked. "But I feel like we have a lot of young guys in this group. Taco's the only guy that doesn't have another year left. It's been fun for sure."
Steel says first-year wide receiver coach James Price has done a good job of making it a fun fall camp, which Steel says isn't always easy.
"All the guys want to play, and that's what you need in the receiver room," Steel said. "You need guys who are competitive and want to be out there, but at the end of the day, just supporting each other and loving up on each other."
Steel finished his freshman campaign in 2025 with 39 receptions, the second most by a Bobcat freshman, for 501 yards as well as three touchdowns — including a remarkable hurdling, diving 33-yard score in the national championship win over Illinois State.
The No. 1 leader in the wide receiver room is Taco Dowler, who finished last season with 1,025 yards and seven touchdowns.
Dowler also had 323 yards on punt returns and scored on one.
Steel says Dowler has been given a nickname for his leadership qualities.
"Coach Price gave him the nickname Captain Taco," Steel said. "He's the smartest guy in the room, the oldest guy in the room, the best player in the room. So he's doing a really good job and obviously has the respect of all the guys and has just been doing a good job."
One incoming freshman is Bozeman native Carter Dahlke, who is already impressing his teammates in his short time with the Bobcats.
"I think he plays a lot like Taco," Steel said. "He's smaller than Taco, which you usually don't say that in college football, but he's so fast. He early enrolled, so he was there for the spring and he's done just such a great job of taking everything we and coach Price have said, and just rolling with it."
"He's really coachable, he does a good job listening," Steel said. "He's still a freshman and tries to be quiet about things, but every here and there you can catch a glimpse of him getting a little fire to him and saying stuff, so that's good to see."
The list continues of receivers to keep an eye on this season.
"Parker (Mady) didn't play at all last year, (but) I think he's going to have a really good year," Steel said. "He's really competitive, a guy that played multiple sports in high school and a guy that just wants the ball in his hands. He's going to get the ball and he's going to make things happen. I think he's going to be a guy that people are going to be watching out for, and he's going to do his thing."
"And then Jordan (Reed) had one touchdown last year," Steel continued. "I think he's going to have a good year. He's also transitioning to outside (receiver) a little bit and learning that along with me, so that's been fun."
"And then, you know Jabez (Woods) is going to do his thing in the return game and at receiver," Steel said.
