UNLV football coach Mike Sanford discusses the Rebels' recruiting class during a news conference at the Thomas & Mack Center on Wednesday. UNLV received commitments from 25 players, including City College of San Francisco wide receiver Aaron Straiten. Photo by Isaac Brekken / Review-Journal.

UNLV got the gem it was looking for in this year's football recruiting class.

Aaron Straiten, rated by rivals.com as a four-star wide receiver on a five-star scale, signed with the Rebels on Wednesday.

"He kept us guessing," UNLV coach Mike Sanford said of the City College of San Francisco standout. "He did not send his letter of intent in until the last second this morning. He was seriously struggling with the decision, but he also did it, I think, for a little bit of drama.

"I hold him in the category of three receivers that I recruited and coached that were all first-round (NFL) picks -- Keyshawn Johnson, Curtis Conway and Johnnie Morton."

An already promising recruiting class improved greatly with Straiten's signing.

"I'm very excited about this class," Sanford said. "It is my opinion -- and I've discussed this with some other people that are experts on college recruiting -- and I think this class is the best recruiting class in the Mountain West Conference this year."

Straiten, listed by rivals.com as the nation's No. 28 junior college recruit, said he had difficulty choosing between UNLV and Oregon State.

"I couldn't find anything to separate the two teams as far as playing there," said Straiten, who also visited Texas A&M and turned down trips to Arizona and Washington State. "It broke down to the coaching staffs and who was going to take care of me on and off the field. I knew (Beavers) coach (Mike) Riley would, but Coach Sanford and (assistant coach Mike) Bradeson have been with me the whole way.

"The effort the UNLV coaches put in, especially when Oregon State came into the picture, you can't beat it."

Straiten (6 feet 3 inches, 205 pounds) showed his ability in the Northern California Junior College championship, catching touchdown passes of 25, 74 and 32 yards.

He said he thinks UNLV is a program on the rise, especially with the additions of transfers such as quarterback Rocky Hinds and cornerback Eric Wright from Southern California, defensive back Mil'Von James from UCLA and defensive lineman Mike Roland from Fresno State.

"There's a lot of talent there," Straiten said. "Unfortunately, they had a rough season (2-9), but a lot of those players I'm talking about didn't play for UNLV last season."

Two other players made late decisions to sign, including offensive lineman Ramsey Feagai (6-2, 340) of Radford High School in Honolulu.

Feagai said he surprised himself by deciding Tuesday to sign with the Rebels after earlier considering Hawaii and New Mexico State.

"I wasn't expecting anything from (UNLV)," Feagai told the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. "I wasn't going to take the trip this past weekend. But I found that the players are like a real big family. I feel more at home, more comfortable at UNLV."

Sanford said Feagai, offensive lineman Joe Hawley (6-3, 270) of Esperanza High in Anaheim, Calif.; and defensive lineman Tim High (6-2, 300) of Narbonne High in Harbor City, Calif., have legitimate chances to play immediately.

The Rebels also received a late commitment from Eldorado High wide receiver DaVell Jackson (6-0, 175), who made up his mind on the eve of signing day.

UNLV also signed defensive tackle Cedrick Fisher (6-3, 320), who was part of last year's recruiting class. He instead went to Dixie College in St. George, Utah, for academic reasons and will return to UNLV if his grades are in order.

Sanford said Fisher's arrival would be a tremendous boost up front.

"We need more depth in the defensive line," Sanford said. "You saw that last year when those first two guys (Howie Fuimaono and Isaiah Tafua) got beat up and were out of there. We weren't able to hold up. We've got to have a rotation of four guys up there."

GOING TO UNLV

Early signees: LB Adrian Bradley (5-11, 215), Northeastern Oklahoma A&M; DE Jeremy Geathers (6-2, 250), Butler County CC, El Dorado, Kan.; LB Bradley Niles (6-0, 240), Gavilan Coll., Gilroy, Calif.; DL Malo Taumua (6-2, 295), Aiea (Hawaii) HS.

2006 signees: DB Tony Cade (6-2, 210), Oklahoma/San Francisco CC, Lewisville, Texas; OL Ramsey Feagai (6-2, 340), Radford HS, Honolulu; DT Cedrick Fisher (6-3, 320), Santa Monica College, Quincy, Fla.; DB Starr Fuimaono (5-11, 210), Bonita Vista HS, Chula Vista, Calif.; OL John Gianninoto (6-3, 265), Catalina Foothills HS, Tucson, Ariz.; OL Joe Hawley (6-3, 270), Esperanza HS, Yorba Linda, Calif.; DL Tim High (6-2, 300), Narbonne HS, Harbor City, Calif.; OL Antoine Howard (6-3, 240), McClymonds HS, Oakland, Calif.; DE Aaitui Isaako (6-2, 240), Faga'itua HS, Pago Pago, American Samoa; WR DaVell Jackson (6-0, 175), Eldorado HS, Las Vegas; DB Michael Johnson (5-11, 200), South Garland HS, Garland, Texas; DL Philip Julien (6-3, 215), Immokalee HS, Immokalee, Fla.; OL Evan Marchal (6-6, 285), Casa Grande HS, Petaluma, Calif.; DL/LB Daniel Mareko (6-2, 210), Faga'itua HS, Pago Pago, American Samoa; LB Ronnie Paulo (6-1, 225), Western HS, Las Vegas; OL Tolu Pili (6-0, 315), Timpanogos HS, Orem, Utah; DB Quinton Pointer (5-9, 180), Mariner HS, Cape Coral, Fla.; WR Rocki Sandusky (6-1, 165), Ferndale HS, Ferndale, Wash.; WR Aaron Straiten (6-3, 205), San Francisco City College, Antioch, Calif.; RB Malosi Te'o (5-10, 195), Kahuku (Hawaii) HS; OL Thomas Wren (6-5, 250), Esperanza HS, Yorba Linda, Calif.