UNLV’s Peni Vea signs with Kansas City Chiefs

After putting on a show for the two scouts that turned out for UNLV’s Pro Day in March, former Rebels safety Peni Vea humbly hoped his performance was good enough to attract the attention of an NFL team.

“I just hope to land somewhere,” the Hawaiian said on St. Patrick’s Day.

Vea had to wait more than a month after April’s NFL Draft for the call, but his hopes came to fruition this week, when he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent.

The Chiefs also signed linebacker Dezman Moses on Tuesday while waiving linebacker Efe Obada and defensive back Keith Lewis.

Vea, who couldn’t be reached for comment, ran a 4.40-second 40-yard dash and recorded a vertical jump of 41½ inches at UNLV’s showcase. His jump matched the best one at February’s NFL Combine, and his 40 time would have ranked second at the combine among safeties.

The 6-foot-1-inch, 205-pound Vea, who wasn’t invited to the combine or any postseason all-star games, also bench-pressed 225 pounds 19 times, which would have tied for second at the combine among safeties.

A four-year starter for the Rebels, Vea is the third-leading tackler in school history with 328 and also had 4½ sacks and four interceptions.

CHARGERS SIGN BOYKO

The San Diego Chargers signed former UNLV tackle Brett Boyko, who spent all of last season on the Philadelphia Eagles’ practice squad after joining the team as an undrafted free agent. The 6-6, 301-pound Boyko started all 43 games he played for the Rebels from 2011 to 2014 and was a two-time second-team All-Mountain West selection.

SPEEDY DECOMMITMENT

Desert Pines running back Isaiah “Speedy” Morris decommited from UNLV, posting on his Twitter account June 2 that “At this time I have decided to open up the recruiting process and keep my options open.”

Morris, a 5-8, 155-pound senior-to-be, had been one of three local players to verbally commit to the Rebels’ 2017 recruiting class, along with Desert Pines quarterback Marckell Grayson and Bishop Gorman linebacker Farrell Hester. Grayson became the first player to commit to the 2017 class March 5, and Morris followed his teammate March 18. Hester committed to UNLV on May 24.

MCALEENAN WINS IRELAND AWARD

Rebels linebacker Ryan McAleenan was named the winner of this season’s Bill Ireland Award, given annually to a UNLV student-athlete in good academic standing who made a significant impact in a win over UNR.

McAleenan, entering his senior year, had a 52-yard interception return for a touchdown to give UNLV a 20-10 lead in the fourth quarter en route to a 23-17 win over the Wolf Pack on Oct. 3 in Reno that gave the Rebels the rights to the Fremont Cannon.

Ireland graduated from UNR in 1952 and was the Wolf Pack’s first baseball coach (1961-67) before becoming UNLV’s first football coach (1968-72) and later serving as the school’s athletics director (1973-80). He’s credited with helping create the Fremont Cannon.

CAMPING OUT

UNLV coach Tony Sanchez flew to Houston on Wednesday to help conduct a satellite camp in the city that has produced several Rebels standouts. Sanchez and/or members of his coaching staff also were scheduled to take part in a satellite camp in Hawaii and three in Southern California, including the USC skills camp on June 18.

Sanchez will host a series of camps at UNLV from Saturday to June 19. For more information, go to TonySanchezFootballCamps.com.

TV TIMEOUT

The Rebels’ third game of the season at Central Michigan will kick off at noon PT on Sept. 17 and will be televised on streaming channel ESPN3.

Seven of UNLV’s 12 games this fall now have television assignments. The Rebels’ second game of the season at UCLA is scheduled for 5 p.m. PT on Sept. 10 and will be shown on the Pac-12 Network.

A FEW GOOD MEN

A group of U.S. Marines pushed the UNLV football team through an early-morning workout Monday on the first day of the squad’s offseason strength and conditioning program.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354. Follow him on Twitter: @tdewey33