B.J. Bell commits to Rebels

UNLV head football coach Mike Sanford started the new year off on a big note on Friday when he received a verbal commitment from Santa Ana (Calif.) College defensive end B.J. Bell (6-4, 245).

Bell, the younger brother of 2007 Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year Beau Bell and former Rebel starting linebacker Zach Bell, was a first team J.C. Gridwire All-American this past season when he rolled up 63 tackles, including 23 for loss, and had nine sacks.

Bell, who received strong interest early from Pac-10 schools and Boise State, is a fall enrollee who is expected to contend immediately for a starting defensive end spot.

Meanwhile, UNLV officially announced the signing of junior college safety Alex DeGiacomo (6-1, 190) out of El Camino College in Torrance, Calif.

DeGiacomo joins previously announced signees Kenny Brown and Warren Zeigler as mid-year signees by the Rebels.

All three will enroll full-time at UNLV later this month and be eligible to take part in spring practice starting March 9.

DeGiacomo, a graduate of Westminster (Calif.) High School, led the ECC Warriors in total tackles this season with 57. He also added one interception and three pass breakups for head coach John Featherstone’s program, which finished with a 10-2 overall record in 2008.

“We had a pressing need in the secondary, especially at the safety spot, so we are excited to get Alex DeGiacomo,” Sanford said. “He is an excellent player from a very good program. He will come in midyear and hopefully make a big impact on our program.”