UNLV’s 2016 football recruiting class signed, sealed, delivered

The letters of intent started rolling into UNLV via fax machine at 5 a.m. today on National Signing Day. By 9 a.m., the Rebels' stellar 2016 football recruiting class was signed, sealed and delivered to the school.

Under high-energy UNLV coach Tony Sanchez, the rebuilding Rebels landed 23 players — including a school-record 10 three-star recruits and seven junior college midyear additions — in a class ranked by Rivals.com Wednesday as No. 3 in the Mountain West conference and No. 71 in the nation.

"We're so excited about it," Sanchez said of arguably the best recruiting class in UNLV history. "Last year, we felt like we added a good class. This year, we feel like we are really adding a special group of guys that's going to immediately add a lot of talent, especially with the seven juco guys already being enrolled and going through spring ball with us.

"We have to recruit to be champions and we feel like we're doing that. We feel like before this group right here leaves, they're going to be able to hang a Mountain West championship (banner). It's not going to be easy, but that's the goal."

Here's a glance at each member of UNLV's 2016 football recruiting class, with name, position, height, weight, hometown, previous school and Sanchez's take (* for three-star recruits):

HIGH SCHOOL SIGNEES (15)

*Armani Rogers, QB, 6-5, 210, Los Angeles, Hamilton HS: "Armani has got a really special future ahead of him. A big, strong-armed kid. A dual-threat guy but he is a thrower first. A pure passer, but he does give you that intangible. If you fall asleep on him, he can go ahead and explode and make some big plays."

Mekhi Stevenson, WR, 6-0, 180, Lemon Grove, Calif., Helix HS: "Probably the most explosive of the three receivers we're bringing in. The ability to return kicks and punts. A big-time difference maker from Day One. He can come in here and make plays for us in the fall. A great player."

Andre Collins Jr., WR, 6-4, 200, Hacienda Heights, Calif., Mater Dei HS: "A big, long receiver. He's got a ton of upside. Comes out of a tradition-rich school. In a couple of years, he's going to be a really special guy."

Elijah Trosclair, WR, 6-2, 185, Sacramento, Calif., Sacramento HS: "(His strengths are) his physicality, play-making abilities, ability to stretch the field and run deep routes. At 6-2, he's another good frame. With a good year of training ahead of him, he can be a real good player here."

*Charles Williams, RB, 5-10, 175, Fresno, Calif., Bullard HS: "Just dynamic. Had a phenomenal (prep) career (2,039 yards, 23 TDs last season). Charles was a steal out of Fresno. He's a kid who you should expect to see carry the ball in the fall right away. Ran a 10.7 (second) 100 meters this year. He's got that explosion."

Matthew Brayton, OL, 6-3, 300, Monrovia, Calif., Bishop Amat HS: "Comes out of a winning program. He's a big, strong kid. He can come in physically and make an immediate impact."

*Jaron Caldwell, OL, 6-3, 310, Las Vegas, Bishop Gorman HS: "Jaron's a special kid. With his size and athleticism, he's a guy who can come in and compete right away. He'll make us better immediately."

*Julio Garcia II, OL, 6-3, 310, Las Vegas, Bishop Gorman HS: "He's a winner. A two-time national champion. He comes in with a physical presence and knows how to work."

Donovan Outlaw, OL, 6-3, 290, Las Vegas, Coronado HS: "A really athletic big kid. We met him at our camp last summer and he really impressed us. A guy we're excited to work with."

*Gio Fauolo, TE, 6-2, 250, Oakley, Calif., Freedom HS: "He's going to have a great future. You can watch him play basketball and see how athletic he is. The soft hands and the ability to pass the ball kind of lends itself to football. A very vibrant guy. Of all the guys we brought up, he had the one personality no one's forgotten."

*David Tate Jr., LB, 6-2, 220, Fresno, Calif., Edison HS: "A physical kid, athletic, really long. His ability to pass rush off the edge is pretty darn dynamic. We were a little small at the linebacker spot and he adds a physicality for a high school kid. One of our most talented recruits we're bringing in."

*Leevel Tatum III, DL, 6-2, 270, Fresno, Calif., Edison HS: "This guy has just got a motor. He's quick twitch and has a great ability to rush the passer. He can be a defensive end and a defensive tackle and give you that dual-threat ability. Has the ability to play all three downs."

Rodney Jones, DL, 6-4, 240, Stockton, Calif., Lincoln HS: "A diamond in the rough. (His strengths are) his athleticism and his ability to rush the passer. He's got really long arms. His dad, Rodney Jones, Sr., was a pro boxer and (former) light middleweight champion. Great potential to be a real sleeper in this class."

Tykenzie Daniels, DB, 5-10, 185, Richmond, Texas, Foster HS: "Comes from a great program. Their head coach specifically said the one thing he loves about him is his physicality and that's what we saw on film. He'll come up and hit you in the mouth."

Toa Iafeta, DL, 6-4, 270, Milpitas, Calif., Milpitas HS: "Explosive first step. Great with his hands. Very athletic and active big guy."

JUNIOR COLLEGE SIGNEE (1)

Evan Pantels, P/PK, 5-10, 180, Suwanee, Ga., Georgia Military College: "We want him to punt but he does have the ability to kick off (and kick) PATs and field goals. Good athlete. Explosive kid."

JUNIOR COLLEGE MIDYEAR ADDITIONS (7)

*Johnny Stanton, QB, 6-2, 235, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., Saddleback College: "An absolute gem. A throw-first guy but he does give you that dual-threat ability to run the football. He's experienced, playing at a place like Nebraska, then having to go back to junior college to restart, kind of like Cam Newton did — Florida, juco, then Auburn. I'm not comparing them, just saying sometimes it doesn't work out initially. He'll challenge (Kurt) Palandech as the incumbent starter."

*Tim Holt, TE, 6-2, 230, Yorba Linda, Calif., Fullerton College: "An interchangeable guy, probably more so than anybody in the entire recruiting class. Can play slot receiver, tight end, fullback and special teams. A good route runner, he's a big mismatch guy and a moving part."

*Robert Jackson, DB, 6-2, 200, Fort Myers, Fla., College of the Sequoias: "He is that big, physical corner. One of those guys you put in a guy's face."

Michael Adams, DB, 6-2, 210, Bay Point, Calif., Laney College: "He's a big hit guy. He'll be great on special teams. He'll fight at that free and strong safety spot. He just adds a physicality that we need back there."

Michael Chevalier, OL, 6-3, 300, San Diego, Calif., San Diego Mesa College: "He's an older, big-bodied guy that can come in and add some older depth and physicality to that offensive line. We're expecting a lot of things from him."

Brian Keyes, MLB, 6-1, 245, Surprise, Ariz., Scottsdale Community College: "He'll add a physical presence. We were a little small at that position last year, now we're talking about a 245-pound kid and a high school kid (in Tate) who comes in at 220. They add some physicality we really need."

Trevor Kanteman, TE, 6-4, 240, Woodland Hills, Calif., Pierce College: "A big, long guy. A good pass catcher, great route runner and good at the point of attack. A guy we can flex out wide and also put inline. Along with Tim Holt and the (tight ends) we've got coming back, we're going to have a pretty darn good group."