UNLV football’s 2017 recruiting class stands at 18

By 9:30 a.m., the Rebels received tight end Noah Bean’s fax to complete the set of 14 expected national letters of intent.

Tony Sanchez’s third recruiting class stands at 18 with 13 high school recruits and five junior college commits from six states.

Now the focus turns to the rankings, in which the Rebels set the bar high last year. UNLV didn’t crack the top 100 like the class of 2016, which was rated No. 71 and third in the Mountain West to go with 10 three-star recruits, according to Rivals.com.

The three major recruiting websites have different scores for UNLV’s 2017 group. According to Scout.com, UNLV is No. 118 in the nation and last out of 12 teams in the Mountain West with four three-star recruits. The Rebels did better on the Rivals rankings as the ninth team in the Mountain West with three three-star recruits. UNLV received seven three-star recruits from 247Sports.com but was ranked 10th in the conference.

Sanchez said his focus this year was to add depth at short-handed positions, and he preferred quality over quantity. UNLV had 23 players signed during the 2016 National Signing Day.

The Rebels’ average per player was 2.17 stars, tied for fifth best in the Mountain West, according to Rivals.

Here’s what Sanchez had to say about the Rebels’ class of 2017:

Offensive line: Justice Oluwaseun, Foster High School (Texas); Daniel Schoene, Bakersfield High (Calif.); Ashton Morgan, Pleasant Valley High (Calif.); Sid Acosta, Riverside CC (Calif.)

“This recruiting class starts with the four offensive linemen. Probably the most talented group we’ve had since I’ve been here. We will finally have depth at the line with about a solid 15 guys, and this group coming in will push the group we already have.”

Running back: Tariq Hollandsworth, Sacramento High (Calif.); Jamaal Neal, South Gate High (Calif.)

“Tariq Hollandsworth is that different level back with great hands out of the backfield. He can really complement the returning guys.

“Jamaal Neal is the hybrid back we can put at fullback and also line up on the outside as a wide receiver. He’s a big guy. A few schools were interested in him as a linebacker. He can do a lot for us.”

Wide receiver/tight end: Drew Tejchman, North Cobb High (Ga.); Jeremy Clark, La Mirada High (Calif.); Noah Bean, Grace Brethren High (Calif.)

“Drew Tejchman is one of the most sought after guys we have coming in. He’s like Armani Rogers was last year with a lot of opportunity and a lot of places to go. It’s nice to crack into Georgia, and it will open up an opportunity to recruit in that state.

“We brought in two wide receivers to go with the guys we brought in last year. That position is one of our strengths. Unfortunately, we had a lot of injuries there, and now we get some depth.

“Noah Bean is a true tight end. We’re excited about him. He can play inside and line up on the outside.”

Quarterback: Marckell Grayson, Desert Pines High

“Marckell Grayson’s season was cut short last year because of injury, but he’s proven in his career that he’s a talented young man and good decision maker at the quarterback spot. He’s a local kid, and he’s a winner, having helped Desert Pines dramatically change that program.”

Defensive line: Nate Neal, Etiwanda High (Calif.); Bruce Hester, Mesa CC (Ariz.); Roger Mann, Palomar CC (Calif.)

“I remember Bruce Hester from my days at Bishop Gorman when his high school, Mountain Pointe, beat us. He and Roger Mann are standout players.

“Nate Neal is one of those fast twitch guys off the line. Probably needs to add weight, but we’re excited about his future. His mother was a long jump world-record holder at USC. He’s got that athletic gene.”

Linebacker: Farrell Hester, Bishop Gorman High; Spencer Katoanga, Air Force prep (Colo.); Jacob Rominger, Highland CC (Kan.)

“We got a great player in Farrell Hester. He’s special. He’ll be a guy who can set the defense for us.”

Defensive back: Greg Francis, Bishop Gorman High; Demitrious Gibbs, Southwestern CC (Calif.)

“Demitrious is a long guy who can run well. Looks like a Kenny Keys on the field.

“Greg Francis is a rangy guy who did a heck of a job at Bishop Gorman.”

Contact Gilbert Manzano at gmanzano@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0492. Follow @gmanzano24 on Twitter.