Count Scout.com West Coast Regional analyst Brandon Huffman among those who gives Mike Sanford’s recruiting class a big thumbs up.
“This is probably the best class that Mike Sanford has inked since he’s been at UNLV,” Huffman said. “It’s probably right after the Big Three of TCU, Utah and BYU, when it’s all said and done.”
Huffman thinks the Rebels got a steal in running back Bradley Randle of Vista Murrieta High in Murrieta, Calif., the very athletic son of former big league star Lenny Randle.
“I’m a huge Bradley Randle fan,” Huffman said. “The kid has heart and skill.  He plays much bigger than his size, and has a lot of Maurice Jones-Drew tendencies. Instead of running for the open field, he’ll take the time to turn back towards a linebacker so he can hit them.”
Huffman said that Rebel fans can expect big things from linebacker Jordan Barrett of Notre Dame High in Sherman Oaks, Calif.
“Barrett is another guy UNLV fans will love,” Huffman said. “He’s been an anchor on one of the premier teams in California and Notre Dame and Washington offered him early on.  He’s going to play with a chip on his shoulder and he’s got a nasty streak you love in a linebacker.”
And what about quarterback Caleb Herring?
“All he did was lead his relatively new school to consecutive CIF titles, and a 14-0 record as a senior.  Pac-10 schools were on him down the stretch, but the loyalty UNLV paid to him is being repaid.”
Huffman also expects big things from Bishop Gorman corner Charles Childers.
“The steal (of UNLV’s class) is Charles Childers,” Huffman said. “Playing on the same team with Justin Chaisson (Oklahoma) and Josh Jordan (Arizona State) the last two years can make it hard for him to get the credit he deserves, but he was the best defensive player at our Phoenix Scout.com Combine and he jumped on the Rebels offer. I see him being a three-year starter type.”

UNLV will be releasing its 2009 football signing list in a few hours. There also is a big gathering at the Thomas & Mack Board Room tonight at 5:30 p.m. to hear Coach Mike Sanford go over his new players and also to watch video of the recruits.

The good news is my sources tell me that all 22 players who were expected to sign today came through. No last-minute defections.

Here’s the list:

2008 MIDYEAR SIGNEES*
NAME    POS    HT    WT    CL-EXP    HOMETOWN    PREVIOUS SCHOOL
Kenny Brown    CB    5-10    160    SO-TR    Palmdale, CA    College of the Canyons
Alex DeGiacomo    S    6-1    190    JR-TR    Westminster, CA    El Camino College
Warren Zeigler    CB    6-0    170    JR-TR    San Leandro, CA    College of San Mateo
*Enrolled at UNLV January 2009
2009 SIGNEES
NAME    POS     HT    WT    CL-EXP    HOMETOWN    PREVIOUS SCHOOL
Brandon Babineaux    WR    6-4    200    FR-HS    Folsom, CA    Folsom HS
Mark Barefield    WR    6-0    185    FR-HS    Wills Point, TX    Wills Point HS
Jordan Barrett     LB    6-3    225    FR-HS    Oak Park, CA    Notre Dame HS
B.J. Bell    DE    6-3    250    JR-TR    Tustin, CA    Santa Ana College
Courtney Bridget    DB     6-3    190    FR-HS    Baltimore, MD    Dunbar HS
Charles Childers    DB    5-11    185    FR-HS    Las Vegas, NV     Bishop Gorman HS
Mike Grant    DB     5-11    185     JR-TR    Fresno, CA    Sierra College
Caleb Herring    QB    6-4    175    FR-HS    Moreno Valley CA    Citrus Hill HS
Sidney Hodge    DB    5-8    160    FR-HS    Las Vegas, NV    Palo Verde HS
Nate Holloway     DL    6-3    320    FR-HS    North Las Vegas, NV    Spring Valley HS
Thomas Kilgore    OL    6-4    310    FR-HS    Fresno, CA    San Joaquin Memorial HS
Andrew Mack     OL    6-2    285    FR-HS    Plano, TX    Plano West HS
Bradley Randle    RB    5-8    195    FR-HS    Murrieta, CA    Vista Murrieta HS
Irshad Stolden    WR     5-9    160    FR-HS    R. Cucamonga, CA    Rancho Cucamonga HS
Marcus Sullivan    WR    5-10    170    FR-HS    North Las Vegas, NV    Cheyenne HS
John Therrell    DB    6-1     170    FR-HS    Las Vegas, NV     Bishop Gorman HS
Reggie Umuolo    LB    5-10    205    FR-HS    Phoenix, AZ    Centennial HS
Robert Watterman    OL    6-2    275     FR-HS    Castaic, CA    West Ranch HS
Doug Zismann    OL    6-3    285    FR-HS    Phoenix, AZ    Shadow Mountain HS

UNLV picked up two more football commitments today including one from a three star linebacker prospect.

Jordan Barrett (6-3, 235, 4.7) from Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks picked the Rebels despite offers from Washington and Notre Dame, which signed his teammate, Anthony McDonald, a year ago.

“His ability to stop the run is second to none in the area,” Rebel Nation recruiting guru Tom Lemming wrote earlier this year. “He also shows the ability to drop back and play the pass. … He’s a smart kid who understands the game … One of the more active linebackers in the West.”

Lemming rated Barrett a 3-star recruit and one of the top 10 linebackers in the state of California.

The Rebels also beat out San Diego State and Nevada for offensive lineman Thomas Kilgore (6-3, 305) from San Joaquin Memorial High School.

UNLV head coach Mike Sanford, busy putting the finishing touches on what arguably is his finest recruiting class at the school, suffered a big defection on Tuesday when Baltimore Dunbar DE/OLB Horace Miller switched to Louisville.

Miller was rated the No. 106 weak-side linebacker prospect in the nation and garnered two stars from Scout.com. He had committed to the Rebels back in mid-December and was expected to develop into a key pass-rusher for the Rebels.

Former Tennessee assistant Larry Slade got the Cardinals involved late with Miller after joining Steve Kragthorpe’s staff this month and convinced the All-Maryland prospect to visit Louisville last weekend.

“I already knew Coach Slade and he came up to the school a couple of weeks ago and we talked,” Miller told InsideTheVille.com. “It was cool, he never pressured me about anything. He knew I was already committed to UNLV and all he told me to think about it (visiting).”

Miller racked up more than 130 tackles and 29 sacks as a senior to earn All-State honors. As a junior, Miller recorded 90 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, 17 sacks and forced three fumbles.

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.”