Ex-Placer football players moving around, up in college

As another college football season approaches, several Placer High School alumni are settling into new homes across the country. The constantly shifting landscape of college football has been fueled by transfer portal movement and increased opportunities at the community college level, creating more unique paths than ever for players to continue their careers. Among the latest moves, offensive lineman Zander Esty transferred to Boise State after spending his first three seasons at Oregon State. The 6-foot-4, 300-pound Esty enters the 2026 season as a redshirt junior with experience at the Division I level. He appeared in all 12 games last season and logged 174 snaps while contributing heavily on special teams. He saw action in one game during the 2024 season after redshirting as a true freshman in 2023. A three-star recruit, Esty helped lead the Hillmen to a 10-1 record during his senior season and earned all-league honors three years in a row. Josh Maxwell is also preparing for a new chapter after earning a full scholarship to North Carolina Central. The 2023 Placer graduate spent the last two seasons at Sierra College, where he quickly established himself as one of the top linebackers in the state. As a freshman in 2024, the 6-2 Maxwell started all 11 games and was all-conference after recording 70 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one interception and one forced fumble. Maxwell was recognized as a JCGridiron.com Preseason First Team All-American last season, but his sophomore campaign was cut short because of injury. Maxwell was one of the most decorated defenders to come through Placer under head coach Joey Montoya. Maxwell was named league MVP and earned a first-team all-league honor. Collin Bray is also jumping to Division I after transferring from American River College to Charleston Southern in South Carolina. The 2023 Placer graduate continued his development in junior college over the past two seasons, becoming a disruptive force on the defensive line for ARC. In 18 career games, Bray recorded 36 tackles, 16 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks with a fumble recovery and a pass breakup. Bray produced six sacks during his freshman campaign in 2024 and followed with 20 tackles, eight tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks last season. The pipeline is also continuing for current players. Placer senior Gage Esty recently committed to UCLA, giving the Hillmen a sturdy piece in the trenches. The continued success at the next level is nothing new for Montoya's program. During his 19 seasons leading the Hillmen, 59 players have gone on to play college football.