B.J. Bell, brother of Beau, makes oral commitment to UNLV

B.J. Bell intended to wait until February before picking a school, but barely into the new year, he decided where he wanted to go and figured now was the time to commit.

The Rivals.com three-star defensive end from Santa Ana (Calif.) College made an oral commitment to UNLV on Friday, continuing a family legacy.

Brothers Beau and Zach were former UNLV linebackers. Beau was the 2007 Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year and just finished his rookie season with the Cleveland Browns.

Kansas, San Diego State, Marshall and Akron also offered B.J. Bell scholarships, but his only visit was to UNLV.

"I wanted to stay close to home, and it's a plus to have my immediate family out here (in California) and my extended family in Vegas," he said. "I felt it was the best fit."

Rivals.com ranks Bell (6 feet 4 inches, 245 pounds) as the nation's No. 45 junior college prospect. In 10 games last season at Santa Ana, he finished with 23 tackles for loss, including nine sacks.

Bell said he didn't assume he would win a starting job at UNLV.

"I can compete with the rest of the guys out there," he said.

The Rebels also officially added safety Alex DeGiacomo (6-1, 190) of El Camino College in Torrance, Calif. DeGiacomo, who also visited Kansas State, is the third player to sign early, allowing him to go through spring practices.

"We had a pressing need in the secondary, especially at the safety spot," UNLV coach Mike Sanford said in a statement. "(DeGiacomo) is an excellent player from a very good program. He will come in midyear and hopefully make a big impact on our program."

Of 16 prospects who have made official visits, the Rebels have gained commitments from 13.

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914.