Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

UNLV football adds to defense with JC recruits

UNLV Football Spring Practice

Steve Marcus

Rebels football head coach Marcus Arroyo watches players during the first day of UNLV spring football practice at Rebel Park on UNLV campus Tuesday, March 29, 2022.

The UNLV football program bolstered its defensive line depth over the past few days with commitments from a pair of junior college defenders.

Both will join the Rebel program for the 2022 season.

Keith Conley Jr., a 6-foot-3, 290 pound defensive end, comes from Cerritos College (Calif.), where in 2021 he recorded 39 tackles and nine sacks over 11 games.

UNLV will be Conley’s third college since graduating high school in 2019, as he logged 33 tackles, six tackles for loss and three sacks as a freshman for El Camino College. He didn’t play in 2020 because of the pandemic.

Conley picked UNLV over offers from Prairie View, Eastern Illinois and New Mexico State.

UNLV also grabbed a commitment from Brandon McElroy, a 310 pound interior lineman from Glendale Community College.

McElroy was previously recruited by UAB, Jacksonville State and Arizona State. He registered 21 tackles in seven games for Glendale.

McElroy, in announcing his commitment on Twitter, said “I want to thank the coaches at UNLV for giving me this opportunity and I can’t wait to grow with y’all.”