UNLV kicks off recruiting push

The biggest recruiting weekend of new UNLV head football coach John Robinson's coaching career got off to a good start Thursday night when JC All-American wide receiver Nate Turner verbally committed to the Rebels.

The 6-2, 205-pound Turner, who prepped at Los Angeles Jordan High School for former Raiders' star Willie Brown, picked the Rebels over Oregon State just a few hours after Beavers' head coach Mike Riley officially accepted the head coaching job with the San Diego Chargers.

Turner had 62 catches for more than 1,200 yards and 12 touchdowns this past season at Compton (Calif.) JC.

"He has great size and good speed," Dick Lascola of the Scouting Evaluation Association in Fallbrook, Calif., said. "He moves well. He has a lot of ability and a lot talent. Unfortunately, he didn't play on a very good team this year."

Turner, who visited UNLV before Christmas, is the second blue chip JC player to commit to the Rebels. Previously, Southwest Mississippi JC running back Jeremi Rudolph (5-10, 175), regarded as the top running back in Florida four years ago, inked a grant-in-aid with the Rebels.

UNLV will host 17 recruits this weekend, including three quarterbacks -- Dylan Smith (6-1, 180) of Santa Monica (Calif.) JC, Ryan Hanson (6-2, 200) of Los Alamitos (Calif.) High School and Jason Vaughn (6-4, 205) of Middle Georgia JC, who signed with the University of Mississippi out of high school.

One player who was scheduled to visit UNLV on the weekend of Jan. 22-23, Long Beach (Calif.) Poly linebacker Dennis Link (6-2, 210), reportedly has given a verbal commitment to UCLA.

The national letter of intent signing period begins Feb. 3.

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