MISSOULA — Trevin Gradney knows how to not take opportunities or moments for granted.
That comes from a patient career, alongside a lot of his friends and teammates who have done the same, who ultimately blossomed into stars.
"That's probably been the best part about it," Gradney said. "Not having success right away. I mean, just working for that success and seeing all the guys around me do the same thing, that's been really fulfilling, really awesome.
"Having success on the field is awesome, and having success with each other is even better."
After starring on special teams early in his career, Gradney broke onto the scene a year ago as a starter, where he was one of the leaders in the FCS in interceptions and was named a first-team All-Big Sky Conference performer at cornerback, as he earned his chance and ran with it.
"I think I knew I needed to go cut my teeth on special teams and be what I was on special teams before I could even get out here," Gradney said. "Half of the position is confidence, I think, so I had a lot of confidence playing special teams and bringing it out here to the edge has been second nature.
"When I first got here to play corner, I think that was probably the most daunting thing that I've probably ever seen in my life, just seeing the speed of the game, how guys moved, and what you had to do to be at that position and be successful. And I mean, just doing it backwards is hard in general. I always tell people, it's the hardest thing to do. I just had to work my tail off to get where I was."
The offseason brought more excitement and honors for Gradney entering his senior year.
The Billings native was chosen by former Griz linebacker Levi Janacaro as the next bearer of Montana's legacy No. 37 jersey, one of the highest honors given to a Treasure State native who best exemplifies what the heart of the program and being a Grizzly is all about. Gradney became the first player from Billings to earn the jersey, a year after he became first Montana native to start at corner for the Griz since 2006.
"The number means everything to me," Gradney said. "I see people after the games here and just hearing their stories about how they knew a 37 or, you know, how they related to one, or what it meant to them, what it means to them. That's been, really awesome. I've loved every second of that.
"Billings has been everything to me. People come up here after games, 'We're from Billings, we go to Will James, Lewis and Clark (middle schools),' that's honestly just so awesome. I love hearing stuff like that. Growing up there was amazing. The people I met there and the people I work with now that give me the opportunity to advertise their stuff or do whatever with them has been awesome. The love they've showed these past two, three years have been super fulfilling, and I can't thank them enough."
With that legacy number, on-field success and backstory, Gradney has emerged as a leader for the Grizzlies who was also voted as a captain by his teammates before the season began.
It's been a long road for the West High grad, who took a winding route in high school too before leading the Golden Bears to a state title in 2018. He didn't start at West until halfway through his junior year, and has followed a similar course at a higher level at Montana at one of the harder positions in football.
Through all of it, Gradney just played in his 51st career game last weekend when UM hosted Portland State.
"I think I've put myself in a position to be able to do those things and just trying to make people proud, just trying to do that and trying to prove myself to everybody I know," Gradney said. "A lot of people didn't think I'd be able to do what I did. I've always been trying to prove people wrong and do what I could to just find ways to, not impress people, but maybe impress myself."
Gradney completed his undergraduate degree in marketing and he'll earn his MBA in December to close out his UM time in the classroom. On the field, in 51 games, as a two-time All-Big Sky selection, he has amassed 87 career tackles, 2.5 for loss, plus six interceptions and 23 pass deflections. He's also forced and recovered a fumble.
This season, he's up to a career-high 40 tackles, one pick and nine pass deflections.
Gradney couldn't have dreamed he'd put together a career like this when he arrived at Montana. He even gets to experience a fun rivalry with his father, Joe Gradney, who played at Montana State.
But thanks to the belief from his team and his family, and now that he's proved and accomplished it, it's been a treasured run he's trying to make last as long as possible with the final days winding down.
"Just knowing that being able to put in that work, and knowing that you can do something if you work for it, and if you believe in yourself, manifest it, and do all those things, it can happen to you," Gradney said. "It can for anybody. It was really fulfilling, really awesome.
"I wouldn't trade it for the world. I've been doing this for six years now. Like, the guys is what makes everything so going home, talking ball all the time too. Just going through practice with my friends and my roommates, we've been talking about that lately, how we're going to cherish that and and we're going to miss that a lot."
