UNLV football recruiting looking good with signing period approaching

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Steve Marcus

UNLV football coach Marcus Arroyo talks with officials during the first half of a game against the Wyoming Cowboys at Allegiant Stadium Friday, Nov. 27, 2020.

Wed, Dec 9, 2020 (2 a.m.)

While things haven’t gone as planned this season for the winless UNLV football program, there could be some hope for the future.

The first NCAA signing period for football begins Dec. 16, and it should be a good day for UNLV. Coming into the season, UNLV had the Mountain West’s top-rated recruiting class for 2021; Boise State has since overtaken them, but Marcus Arroyo’s second recruiting class is still rated No. 2 in the conference and No. 65 nationally by 247Sports.

The program received more good news last week when 3-star receiver Deamikkio Nathan became the latest to commit to UNLV. Nathan had previously pledged to Utah before decommitting and ultimately choosing Las Vegas.

And while it wasn’t necessarily a new “win,” Arroyo and his staff breathed a sigh of relief when their highest-rated recruit, defensive end Nick Dimitris, chose UNLV again after briefly decommitting from the program last month.

A look at the 2021 recruits UNLV has added since the start of the season:

Nick Dimitris, DE

Sierra Vista, Calif.

Well, that was close. Dimitris is the star of the 2021 class, rated No. 33 at his position, and he gave UNLV a scare when he decommitted on Nov. 17. Arroyo and his staff stuck with it, however, and after just a week in the wilderness Dimitris pledged to UNLV again (and hopefully for good) on Nov. 24.

Baldwin Park has not played this season due to COVID-19, but Dimitris is a 6-foot-4, 235-pound edge defender who should bring pass-rushing ability to the front seven. He is a newcomer to football who exploded on the recruiting scene heading into his junior year, drawing offers from schools like Florida, LSU, Tennessee, Coastal Carolina and Auburn.

Deamikkio Nathan, WR

South Grand Prairie, Texas

Nathan originally committed to Utah over the summer, but backed off last week and announced his decision to go with UNLV instead. It’s a good get for Arroyo, as Nathan is a 6-foot outside receiver who should be able to stretch the field with straight-line speed.

Last week, Nathan flashed that speed and playmaking ability on an 84-yard catch-and-run touchdown to help South Grand Prairie beat Arlington Lamar in the Texas state playoffs. He is rated a 3-star recruit by 247Sports.

Anton Ambuehl, OT

St. John Bosco, Calif.

One of the headliners of UNLV’s 2021 class is Sierra Vista offensive tackle Anthony Rosas, who is the highest-ranked lineman recruit in the program’s history. But Ambuehl was a nice score in his own right, as the 6-foot-6, 275-pound blocker is rated as a 3-star prospect. It may take some time for Ambuehl to develop but this looks like a good offensive line class for Arroyo.

Johnathan Baldwin, S

Dobie, Texas

Baldwin is another 3-star recruit who had offers from programs like Colorado State, New Mexico and Central Arkansas when he chose UNLV in September. An intriguing athlete, Baldwin has racked up some outrageous rushing stats this season as a running back for Dobie, but his future probably lies in the defensive backfield as a physical safety.

Graham Keating, OT

Oakland, Tenn.

Keating is an unranked prospect who drew a lot of offers from Ivy League and Patriot League programs. Air Force was the only other Mountain West school to offer him, as did Coastal Carolina.

Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.

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