Feb. 7, 2007

LAS VEGAS - UNLV's third football recruiting class under head coach Mike Sanford was announced on the initial day of the national signing period Wednesday with 21 student-athletes making up the list of future Rebels.

"UNLV is a very different looking team today," Sanford said. "We have a lot of new faces in the program from a lot of different levels: high school, junior colleges, four-year transfers and grayshirts. We're extremely pleased with our class and look forward to these players strengthening this football program. We can't wait to get going."

After the 2006 class was spread among 10 states and six time zones, this year's haul has a distinctly Western flavor. The 2007 class consists of student-athletes whose hometowns are spread among just five states: 14 from California, three from Nevada, two from high school football hotbed Texas, and one each from Florida and Utah.

"We focused our energy on Nevada and California and did a good job evaluating and signing players from those two areas. We have to do that to move forward as a program," Sanford said. "Getting players from Southern Nevada is important and this year we signed three players from state championship teams."

The recruits list, which does not include seven grayshirts who signed a year ago but joined the program this semester as true freshmen, features 15 true freshmen and six junior-college players. Five players -- two freshmen and three from junior college -- signed during December's early period and are currently enrolled at UNLV. They will take part in spring practice, which starts March 19.

Just like a year ago, the class is heavy on defense with 13 players hailing from that side of the ball. Seven signees play offense while one player is listed as an athlete. Defensive back is the most-represented area with seven. The full breakdown is as follows: 7 DB, 4 OL, 4 DL, 2 LB, 2 QB, 1 RB and one designated Athlete.

"We went after specific needs -- one being defensive backs and one being defensive ends," Sanford said. "We lost both of our starting corners, one to graduation (John Guice) and one early to the NFL (Eric Wright), and were thin at safety so we went hard after that area and got it done.

"The most important goal on offense was to get a big running back and we got that in Frank Summers, who was a mid-year signing. We signed two quarterbacks out of high school because (returning starter) Rocky Hinds is going to be a junior and (2005 starter) Jarrod Jackson is going to be a senior this fall so we needed to build for the future."

A complete list of UNLV's 2007 football signees follows.

*Enrolled at UNLV January 2007

2006 MID-YEAR SIGNEES

GEOFF HOWARD
DB | 5-10 | 185 | JR-TR | San Diego, CA | Horizon HS/Grossmont College
A mid-year signee who enrolled in January and will compete in spring practice with the Rebels ... A talented DB who will look to earn immediate playing time at cornerback this season ... Comes to UNLV from powerful Grossmont College program in San Diego area ... Continues growing line of Rebels from Grossmont, including current QB Jarrod Jackson and former lettermen John Guice, Bobby Kelly, Chanti Bloomer and Daniel Widders ... Chose UNLV over Utah and Fresno State ... Last fall he had three interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown, for the Griffins, who finished the season 10-2 ... A 2005 graduate of Horizon Christian High School in San Diego ... A three-year letterman for coach Chris Johnson ... Played WR, CB, FS and QB for the Panthers ... Named All-Coastal League as a receiver as both a junior and senior ... Also lettered in basketball and track ... Geoffery Payton Howard was born on June 26, 1987 in San Diego.

SANFORD ON HOWARD: "Another big need for us is at cornerback and in Geoffery Howard we got an athletic guy with great ball skills who we think will fit right in. He will also have the great advantage of being in spring practice with us."

NEHEMIAH MUNDY
DB | 6-1 | 170 | FR-HS | Los Angeles, CA | Culver City HS
A mid-year signee who enrolled in January and will compete in spring practice with the Rebels ... A tall but blazing-fast cornerback will look to make an immediate impact in the UNLV secondary this fall ... Could also be in the mix as a return man ... A 2005 high school graduate who took a year off from football to concentrate on academics ... A former USC recruit who also later committed to play for Washington State ... Played as a DB, RB, KR and PR at Culver City HS where he was a teammate of current Rebel safety Daryl Forte ... As a senior in 2004, had 80 tackles, 10 pass breakups and two interceptions for the Centaurs ... Also ran track as a prepster ... Nehemiah Mundy was born on Feb. 21, 1986, in Los Angeles ... Chose UNLV during December's early signing period over offers from Clemson, Colorado, San Diego State and Hawaii.

SANFORD ON MUNDY: "Nehemiah Mundy was pursued by many teams in the Pac-10 out of high school. He wanted to be a four-year guy and not go the JC route. We hung in with him and now are pleased to welcome a very talented athlete to our team."

THOR PILI
DL | 6-4 | 265 | JR-TR | Orem, UT | Timpanogos HS/Oregon/Snow College
A mid-year signee who enrolled in January and will compete in spring practice with the Rebels ... The older brother of UNLV grayshirt offensive lineman signee Tolu Pili ... A highly recruited defensive end who will look for immediate playing time this fall ... Chose the Rebels over Utah, BYU and UTEP ... Originally signed with Oregon out of high school and spent two years with the Ducks before transferring to Snow College in Ephraim, Utah, in time for the 2006 season ... As a sophomore last fall he turned in 36 tackles, including 9.5 tackles for loss for the Badgers, who finished the season ranked second in the nation ... The Western States Football League champions were 11-1 overall and defeated Coffeyville Community College (Kansas) in the Top of the Mountain Bowl ... A 2004 graduate of Timpanogos High School in Orem, Utah, Pili was ranked among the nation's top 25 defensive line recruits by SuperPrep as well as the 10th-best prep prospect in the Midlands ... The 2003 first team All-Region Seven pick tallied 88 tackles and caught 17 passes for 300 yards and five TDs as a senior... He totaled 105 tackles, 15 sacks and two interceptions as a junior for the Timberwolves ... Follows in the footsteps of his father who lettered at BYU and his uncle who was a member of both the Patriots and Eagles in the NFL ... Originally chose Oregon over offers from Kentucky, BYU, Vanderbilt, Stanford and Nebraska ... Thor F. Pili was born on July 23, 1986, in Provo, UT.

SANFORD ON PILI: "We had a need to fill at strongside defensive end and Thor is a perfect fit. He possesses a great mix of size, strength, speed and ability and will compete to be a starter."

FRANK SUMMERS
RB | 5-10 | 235 | JR-TR | Oakland, CA | Skyline HS/California/Laney College
A mid-year signee who enrolled in January "Frank the Tank" will compete in spring practice with the Rebels ... Listed among the nation's top 100 junior college players by Rivals ... A bruising, experienced runner who looks to immediately become the big back needed in the UNLV spread offense ... Was also being recruited by Utah and Washington State as well as USC as a fullback ... A former Pac-10 Conference player, he redshirted the 2004 season at California ... Attended Laney College in Oakland for the 2005 and '06 seasons and earned All-America honors ... Set school records for carries in a game (48) and season (254) for the Eagles in 2005 ... Also established school marks for yards in a game (280) and a season (1,515) ... Named a 2005 First Team All-American by JC Athletic Bureau ... A 2006 preseason second team All-America choice by JC Grid-wire ... Rushed for more than 1,000 yards for Oakland's Skyline HS as a senior in 2002, when the state prep power posted an 11-0 record and was ranked in California's Top 10 ... Also played linebacker while leading the Titans in touchdowns in both his junior and senior seasons as part of three title teams ... Also was a varsity wrestler and shot-putter for three seasons as a prepster ... Did not play football in 2003, delaying his enrollment at Cal until January 2004 ... Frank E. Summers was born on Sept. 6, 1985, in Oakland.

SANFORD ON SUMMERS: "One of our big needs in our recruiting this year was a big, powerful back and we got that in Frank Summers. He will have the advantage of playing in spring ball and be in a serious competition to play at tailback for us in 2007."

RICO THOMAS
DB | 6-0 | 175 | FR-HS | Oakland, CA | McClymonds HS
A mid-year signee who enrolled full-time at UNLV last month and will be a true freshman this fall ... A projected defensive back who played all over the field in high school at WR, DB, RB, KR and PR ... Joins prep teammate, gray-shirt offensive lineman Antoine Howard, in coming to Las Vegas from McClymonds HS ... The two-way prep standout started three seasons at running back for the Warriors ... Rushed for 1,200 yards and scored 12 touchdowns as a senior ... Named first team all-city as a runner during senior year ... A track star, he qualified for the state meet as a senior in the 110-meter hurdles and 4x100 relay... Holds black belts in tae kwon do, judo, karate and kung fu ... Originally signed with San Diego State out of high school, he was also recruited by Oregon State, Utah and San Jose State ... Deshawn Rico Thomas was born on Jan. 20, 1988.

SANFORD ON THOMAS: "We loved him out of high school, so we are excited to get Rico this time around. He will have a great advantage in going through spring practice with us." 2007 SIGNEES

O'RYAN BRADLEY
QB | 6-2 | 180 | FR-HS | Las Vegas, NV | Las Vegas HS
Slated to become the first Las Vegas-area quarterback to join the Rebels since Green Valley High's Jon Denton in 1995 (Palo Verde HS QB Jarrell Harrison signed with UNLV in 2005 but never enrolled) ... One of four signees in this year's class from Southern Nevada, including prep teammate Nate Carter ... One of two freshman signal-callers to join UNLV along with Mike Clausen out of Riverside, CA ... Named first team all-state, Sunrise Region Offensive MVP and the Class 4A Player of the Year after leading Las Vegas HS to a 12-2 record and the 2006 state championship ... As a senior, he completed 58.8 percent of his passes (183 of 311) for 2,748 yards ... He tossed 29 touchdowns vs. only five interceptions for the Wildcats ... Also ran for 633 yards on just 86 carries (7.4 YPC) in directing a spread offense ... Threw for a career-best 361 yards and six scores in 55-21 victory over Canyon Springs on Nov. 17 ... Finished with 228 yards and two TDs in state championship game 33-6 win over Galena on Dec. 2 at Sam Boyd Stadium ... A three-year starter for coach Chris Faircloth's team, which has made three consecutive appearances in the state championship game .. Ranked the No. 14 recruit in the Silver State.

SANFORD ON BRADLEY: "O'Ryan Bradley is a flat-out winner. You're not going to sign too many quarterbacks that led their team to the state championship game three times. He ran a similar offense at Las Vegas High School and is a very productive runner, which is important here."

NATE CARTER
LB | 6-2 | 215 | FR-HS | Las Vegas, NV | Las Vegas HS A strong athlete at linebacker who comes from a championship program ... Lettered three times for Las Vegas HS and is one of three linebackers from Southern Nevada to sign with UNLV this season ... Ranked the No. 7 recruit in Silver State by Rivals ... Moved from outside linebacker to inside for his senior season ... Named First Team All-State and All-Sunrise after totaling 109 tackles as a senior ... Part of a program that has won the past two 4A State Championships under coach Chris Faircloth ... Wildcats went 14-2 in 2006 and won a second consecutive Sunrise League championship to go along with their state title ... Prepped with fellow Rebel recruit O'Ryan Bradley ... Picked the Rebels over Wyoming ... Nathan David Carter was born on July 3, 1988.

SANFORD ON CARTER: "Nate is an extremely fast outside linebacker who is also very tough. He was a huge defensive force for a state championship team, which makes him an even more exciting prospect for us."

WILL CHANDLER
DB | 5-10 | 160 | FR-HS | Los Angeles, CA | Birmingham HS
A quick, athletic two-way prep star who was recruited as a defensive back at UNLV ... A PrepStar All-Region honoree from Birmingham HS ... Lettered three years for the Patriots under coach Ed Croson ... Led squad to an 11-3 record and the West Valley League and City Section championship in 2006 ... Named Co-MVP of the West Valley League ... Also named third team all-state as a senior ... Had 45 receptions for 877 yards and eight scores last fall ... Defensively made 30 total tackles and recorded four interceptions, with two picks going back for scores ... A dangerous kick returner with a 34.5-yard average, including a 99-yard touchdown ... Also competes in track, running the 100, 200, 400, 800 and relay events ... Chose the Rebels over UNR ... Will Chandler was born on April 12, 1989.

SANFORD ON CHANDLER: "Will Chandler is a great athlete who is extremely fast. He was a player of the year in the L.A. area and also a tremendous punt blocker. We see him making an immediate impact here."

MIKE CLAUSEN
QB | 6-3 | 200 | FR-HS | Riverside, CA | John W. North HS
A dynamic signal caller with a vast amount of athleticism ... Part of a championship prep program in California and the 2006 CIF Eastern Division Player of the Year ... Ranked the No. 10 quarterback in the entire Golden State by Scout.com ... One of two quarterbacks in this year's UNLV class along with O'Ryan Bradley ... Originally was a safety before becoming the J.W. North HS starting quarterback midway through his sophomore year ... Lettered three years for the Huskies under coach Lou Randall ... Excelled at the position, leading the Huskies to a 14-0 record to go along with Ivy League and State CIS championships as a senior ... Named the MVP of the Ivy League and CIS in 2006 ... Earned Riverside City Player of the Year honors as well ... A solid student, earning academic all-league honors ... Threw for 1,870 yards, 19 touchdowns and just one interception in 2006 ... Also rushed for 10 scores and 380 yards ... As a junior threw for 1,473 yards, 16 scores and seven interceptions to go along with seven rushing touchdowns and 300 yards on the ground ... A multi-sport athlete, lettering three times in basketball at power forward ... Hails from the same program that produced former Rebel standout and current Denver Bronco safety Sam Brandon ... Picked the Rebels over Utah State ... Michael Brandon Clausen was born on July 9, 1989.

SANFORD ON CLAUSEN: "Mike did not lose a game quarterbacking his team as a senior. That counts for something because he is another winner. He's productive and athletic and can both run and throw on the run."

LARRY DENNIS
DE | 6-2 | 265 | JR-TR | Lakeland, FL | George Jenkins HS/Compton CC
A fast, ferocious pass-rusher who will look to make an immediate impact when he hits campus this fall ... A four-star player according to Scout.com ... Also recruited by various Big 12 schools, including Nebraska and Kansas State ... Starred for two seasons for coach Angelo Jackson at Compton Community College ... Last fall as a sophomore, he posted 82 tackles and 11 sacks en route to First Team All-Western State honors ... As a freshman, he totaled 56 tackles and 9.5 sacks for the Tartars ... Earned honorable mention All-American by JC Grid-Wire both seasons ... A graduate of George Jenkins HS in Lakeland, FL.

SANFORD ON DENNIS: "Larry is a very fast, physical defensive end who was highly recruited. We expect him to come in and compete to play immediately."

ADLEY ESHRAGHIPOUR
OL | 6-4 | 265 | FR-HS | Arlington, TX | Martin HS
A strong, dominating offensive lineman who will only continue to grow ... One of four O-line recruits for the Rebels this year ... Last name is pronounced "is-RAH-gee-pour" ... One of three Texans to sign with UNLV in the last two years along with current Rebel DB Michael Johnson and fellow-2007 recruit Bryce Saldi ... A two-year letterwinner at Martin HS under coach Bob Wager ... Led the offensive line with 63 pancake blocks for the Warriors ... Earned first team all-district and second team all-area honors as a senior ... Adley Eshraghipour was born on Dec. 15, 1988.

SANFORD ON ESHRAGHIPOUR: "He improved so much during his senior season that from the beginning the season to the end of the season, Adley seemed like two different guys. He has a huge upside."

J.R. GRIFFIN
DB | 5-9 | 160 | FR-HS | Mission Viejo, CA | Mission Viejo HS
An athletic defensive back from a successful prep program ... The nephew of Ohio State's two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin ... Earned two letters in football for Mission Viejo HS ... Was coached by Bob Johnson ... The Diablos won two league championships and went 11-3 in 2006 ... Named second team all-league as a senior ... Played both cornerback and wide receiver ... A multi-sport athlete, lettering twice in basketball while also competing on the track and field team ... Picked UNLV over Wyoming and Utah State ... James Randolph Griffin was born on Dec. 18, 1988.

SANFORD ON GRIFFIN: "J.R. is a quick, experienced cover guy. Being Archie Griffin's nephew, he obviously comes from a tremendously athletic family."

SHANE HORTON
DB | 6-1 | 205 | FR-HS | Chatsworth, CA | Notre Dame HS
A hard-hitting, versatile athlete who can play on both sides of the ball but projects as a safety at UNLV ... A PrepStar All-Region honoree who Scout.com listed as the No. 74 safety recruit in the nation and 45th as an Athlete by Rivals.com ... A two-year letterwinner at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame HS under coach Kevin Rooney ... Played both quarterback and wide receiver on offense as a senior ... Threw for 473 yards with eight touchdowns and also rushed for 636 yards and seven scores for the Knights ... Hauled in 36 passes for 635 yards ... Also recorded two interceptions ... A two-time first team All-Valley selection ... His father, Myke, played football at UCLA and was a member of the 1975 Rose Bowl champions ... Picked the Rebels over Washington and Wyoming among others.

SANFORD ON HORTON: "Shane Horton is just one of those guys with a certain presence about him. He played all over the field for a prestigious high school program and is going to be a tremendous college football player."

ROBERT LINDA
ATH | 6-1 | 215 | FR-HS | Burbank, CA | Burbank HS
A highly decorated, two-way prep standout who is listed as an Athlete in UNLV's signing class ... Earned honors on both sides of the ball at Burbank HS, the same program that produced former Rebel receiving great Carlos Baker ... Named All-CIF Southern Section and Glendale News Press All-Area as a senior linebacker after totaling 64 tackles and two interceptions for the Bulldogs ... Also played quarterback and was named Pacific League Offensive Player of the Year as a senior ... The versatile athlete passed for 803 yards and eight touchdowns while rushing for 591 yards and 15 scores ... Also caught five passes for 83 yards and a TD ... Returned seven punts for a 10.4-yard average and two kickoffs ... Rushed for a season-high 153 yards on just six carries in victory over Glendale HS ... Best passing day came vs. Crescenta Valley when he finished 10-17 for 187 yards and two scores ... An all-around athlete, he has lettered twice in basketball as a small forward ... Robert Michael Linda was born on Dec. 8, 1988.

SANFORD ON LINDA: "Robert Linda looks like he'll play the U-back or H-back position for us. He does a lot of things well, which offers us a lot of options of where to use him effectively."

LAMONT LONG
DB | 5-11 | 180 | JR-TR | Harbor City, CA | Narbonne HS/Arizona Western College
A speedy defensive back who signed with UNLV for the second time in his career ... Originally part of the 2005 class out of high school, he played the last two seasons at Arizona Western College in Yuma ... Played as a WR as a freshman for coach James Pryor and then at safety and corner last fall ... Also a return man for the Matadors, averaging 26.1 on kickoffs and 11.4 on punts in 2006 ... An all-around athlete who played QB, RB, DB and returned punts at Narbonne HS ... Cousin of former Rebel WR and Narbonne standout Donnell Wheaton who finished his career playing for Montana State last fall ... Earned first team All-Marine League honors at OLB ... The Gauchos finished as Co-Marine League Champions in 2004 ... As a junior Long rushed for 1,070 yards and scored six touchdowns, had 526 return yards and a pair of scores returning kicks and recorded 77 tackles, five interceptions and two forced fumbles on the defensive side of the ball ... Also competed in the 200, 400 and the long jump in track and field ... Lamont Anthony Long was born on March 28, 1987, in Los Angeles.

SANFORD ON LONG: "Lamont is a good athlete who played all over the field in high school and then again at JC but will play safety or corner here at UNLV."

BRANT MARTINEZ
OL | 6-4 | 300 | FR-HS | Redlands, CA | Redlands HS
A big blocker who comes from a winning prep program ... Lettered four years for the Terriers under coach Jim Walker ... Redlands HS went 12-1 last season, with its only loss coming in the state semifinals ... Earned first team All-Citrus Belt League honors as well as first team all-country accolades ... A multi-sport athlete who has also lettered three times in track and field, competing in both the shot put and discus ... Picked the Rebels over Colorado State and San Diego State ... Brant Richard Martinez was on June 27, 1988.

SANFORD ON MARTINEZ: "Brant comes from a good high school program at Redlands. He has been very well-coached, which will help him develop quickly on the college level."

MATT MURPHY
OL | 6-4 | 225 | FR-HS | Lake Forest, CA | El Toro HS
A physical offensive lineman who was a team captain for El Toro HS ... Lettered three times for the Chargers under coach Jake Haley ... A two-way player who lined up at both offensive tackle and nose tackle ... Totaled 56 tackles on defense as a senior ... Earned first team all-league and first team All-CIS honors ... A multi-sport athlete who has also lettered three times in wrestling as well as competing in the shot put and discus in track and field ... Chose UNLV over Nevada, Reno ... Matthew William Murphy was born on July 27, 1989.

SANFORD ON MURPHY: "Matt Murphy is a top-rated lineman who is also a wrestler, which means he has a great feel for getting leverage up front."

LUKE PLANTE
DE | 6-4 | 245 | JR-TR | Lake Arrowhead, CA | Rim of the World HS/Chaffey College
An impressive pass rusher and JC defensive end who will look to crack the Rebel lineup this fall ... Transfers to UNLV from Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. ... Named a First Team Junior College All-American by the JC Athletic Bureau in 2006 ...Registered 95 tackles, including 14.5 sacks for the Panthers ... Also earned Region III All-California First Team honors ... Coached at Chaffey College by Carl Beach ... Prepped at Rim of the World HS in Lake Arrowhead, Calif.

SANFORD ON PLANTE: "Luke Plante is a very fast and talented rush end who will be an important part of our defensive line for the next two seasons."

YUSEF RODGERS
OL | 6-2 | 270 | FR-HS | Van Nuys, CA | Crespi Carmelite HS
A developing offensive lineman who was part of a championship program at Crespi HS ... Lettered three years for the Celts under coach Jeremiah Ross ... Helped lead Crespi into the first round of the Division-I Playoffs after the school moved up a class ... During his sophomore and junior seasons the Celts won the Del Ray League championship and the State CIS title ... Earned first team All-Pac-5 and All-Serra League honors as a senior ... Chose the Rebels over Utah State and Fresno State ... Yusef Colin Rodgers was born on Oct. 28, 1989.

SANFORD ON RODGERS: "We had Yusef at our big man camp a year ago and really liked him. He is a big, tough guy who also wrestles. A very competitive lineman."

BRYCE SALDI
DE | 6-3 | 215 | FR-HS | Southlake, TX | Southlake Carroll HS
An overpowering defensive end hailing from a national championship team ... Comes from Southlake Carroll HS, one of the premier prep programs in football-rich Texas ... One of two Texans in this year's class along with OL Adley Eshraghipour from Arlington ... A three-year letterwinner for the Dragons under coach Todd Dodge ... Helped lead Southlake three 5A Division-I championships ... Finished his senior season with 11 sacks and 19 tackles for loss ... Earned third team All-Texas honors from 5ATexasfootball.com ... Also competes in the 100 meters and relay teams in track and field ... Chose the Rebels over Texas Tech and Houston ... Part of a football family, as his father Jay played for the Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears from 1976-84 while his brother John Saldi just finished his college career as a four-year starter at Texas Tech and another brother, Zac, was on the squad at West Texas A&M ... Bryce Saldi was born on Jan. 14, 1989.

SANFORD ON SALDI: "Bryce possesses extreme speed and comes to us from a national championship program in Texas. He also comes from a long line of good football players, including his dad, who was a longtime NFL player."

WILLIAM VEA
LB | 6-2 | 215 | FR-HS | Alamo, NV | Pahranagat Valley HS
A talented two-way standout from nearby Alamo, NV, which is located approximately 100 miles north of Las Vegas ... One of four signees in this year's class from Southern Nevada, including two other linebackers from the Silver State (Ronnie Paulo and Nate Carter) ... A four-year letterwinner who starred at both linebacker and running back for Pahranagat Valley HS, which competes in eight-man football ... The 2006 Small School Player of the Year according to Nevada Sports Report was ranked the No. 15 recruit in the state by Rivals ... The brother of Rebel LB George Vea, who lettered as a true freshman playing on special teams in 2006 before leaving on his two-year church mission ... The Veas join current UNLV DL Faauo Faga and LB Omega Faga in having played eight-man football ... William Vea helped the Panthers win two straight 1A state championships with a 24-game winning streak ... Helped coach Ken Higbee's squad down Tonopah 56-14 for the 2006 state title on Nov. 18 ... Named Southern League Co-Defensive MVP and first team all-league as a RB ... Earned First Team All-Southern League honors as both a RB and LB his junior year ... Also has lettered three times in both basketball and baseball ...Chose UNLV over interest from Boise State, UNR, Fresno State and Utah State.

SANFORD ON VEA: "William is an outstanding athlete who does a lot of things well. He and his brother George both have a lot of ability on the football field."