Marcus Arroyo eager to lock up early football signees for UNLV

After going winless in his first season as coach, UNLV’s Marcus Arroyo takes the next step Wednesday toward rebuilding the football program.

That’s when the early signing period begins, the first chance for schools to make the oral commitments they’ve received from high school athletes official.

Arroyo said he didn’t have an exact number of players he expects to sign Wednesday, but he thinks it will be around 13 to 16.

The early signing day was added to the traditional National Signing Day in February four years ago and has changed the way coaches recruit. National Signing Day is Feb. 3.

“I’m excited because you want to get those guys locked in,” Arroyo said. “You want to know who you’ve got before you get into that smaller pool of guys that now everybody circles around and becomes really hard. The guys we sign this week, it shows we have a commitment and relationship we really like, and we won’t have to go and get super crazy in the second round.”

According to 247Sports.com, UNLV has 19 commitments in a class that ranks 66th in the country and second in the Mountain West behind No. 59 Boise State.

Rivals.com has UNLV with 20 commitments and ranks the class 63rd in the country. The Rebels are listed third in the Mountain West behind San Diego State (59) and Boise State (61).

After going 0-6 in a season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Rebels know they have plenty of holes to fill.

“We have to bolster this thing,” Arroyo said. “We’re on as much walk-on film as we are scholarship guys. I can only sign 25 guys, but we need 40. We went six weeks (during the season), and three of them we could not get a scout team to go across the field. There weren’t enough guys.”

Nick Dimitris, a 6-foot-4-inch, 235-pound defensive end from Sierra Vista High in Baldwin Park, California, is listed as the Rebels’ top commit by both recruiting services.

Some of the other top-rated players who have committed are:

— Quarterback Cameron Friel; Kailua, Hawaii (Kailua High)

— Offensive lineman Anthony Rosas; Baldwin Park, California (Sierra Vista)

— Linebacker Brye Lighton; Temecula, California (Linfield Christian)

— Defensive back Kamren Blanton; Bellflower, California (St. John Bosco)

— Running back Samuel Green; Huntington Beach, California (Huntington Beach High)

— Defensive tackle Kevon Ivy; Duncanville, Texas (Duncanville High)

— Wide receiver Deamikkio Nathan; Grand Prairie, Texas (South Grand Prairie)

All of them are listed as three-star recruits by Rivals.

The Rebels’ class last season was ranked No. 1 or 2 in the Mountain West by recruiting services, and they reaped immediate benefits from that.

Arroyo said 16 true freshmen received playing time, including Mountain West Freshman of the Year Kyle Williams, a wide receiver who led the team with 35 catches for 426 yards and two touchdowns. Cornerback Nohl Williams was also a starter in every game, while several others started at least one game.

“I’m really proud of them for the way they handled getting thrust into that position this year,” Arroyo said.

Contact Jason Orts at jorts@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2936. Follow @SportsWithOrts on Twitter.