Nevada football recruiting class has speed, size

By SCOTT SONNER
Associated Press Writer

RENO, Nev. (AP) Nevada Coach Chris Tormey said he used a ``Noah's Ark'' approach to this year's football recruiting class in trying to land ``two of everything.''

On Wednesday, Tormey announced a few prize elephants and a small herd of gazelles are among the 25 signees, including a trio of highly recruited California prep stars in running backs Jarred Belser of San Jose and Drew Robinson of Ontario and wide receiver Paul Pratt of Woodland Hills.

``There is a lot of speed in this recruiting class as well as a couple of linemen who are big and strong enough to play early in their careers here,'' said Tormey, who emphasized speed in his recruiting.

``We could put together quite a relay team with several of these guys,'' he said.

Tormey said it's his best recruiting class as he enters his fourth year at Nevada.

``Every year we get better and better... It seems like we were going against Pac-10 schools more than we usually do,'' he told reporters at a news conference Wednesday afternoon.

The big men are led by offensive tackle Greg Bellasis, a 6-foot-6, 262-pounder from Fresno, Calif., who ``has the potential to be as good as any offensive lineman we have ever recruited here,'' Tormey said.

Two of the prep linemen weigh more than 300 pounds and play on both sides of the ball Matt Hines, 6-1, 309, from Modesto, Calif., who is the younger brother of Nevada starting guard Chris Hines, and David Sampson, 6-3, 310, Cypress, Calif.

``Hines and Sampson are two of the biggest and strongest linemen we've recruited since I've been here,'' Tormey said.

Sampson is ``one of those guys you look at on tape and say `This guy's too good to be true.'''

The class includes 10 players on offense, 13 on defense and two who play both ways. Nevada returns 17 starters and both kickers from last year's team that finished tied for fourth in the Western Athletic Conference at 4-4, 5-7 overall.

Three of the recruits are junior college transfers and all three should make an immediate impact, Tormey said.

Wide receiver Willie Johnson, who originally signed with Nevada in 2000 and has starred the last two years at Fresno City College, is ``one of the best junior college wide receivers in the nation,'' Tormey said.

``He is very explosive and catches the ball well,'' he said.

Wide receiver Del McGee of Glendale, Calif., and corner back Roderick Price of Langley, S.C., also have good speed, Tormey said.

Other standouts include defensive back Shannon Sevor, Hollister, Calif., who was named his league's defensive player of the year and starred in track, and free safety Jeff Wells, Lakewood, Wash., an all-stater who also played quarterback and has run the 100-meters in 11.0 seconds.

Tormey said he considers seven of his new players to possess ``sprinter speed'' Belser, Robinson, Pratt, Johnson, McGee, Sevor and Wells.

Belser, who was recruited by Pac 10 teams, was named the West Catholic Athletic League's most valuable offensive back after rushing for 1,722 yards and 20 touchdowns last season at Bellarmine College Preparatory High School in San Jose. He has that ``make-you-miss ability'' and was ``as highly a recruited athlete as we have in this class,'' Tormey said.

Robinson, the first player from a school of its size to be named California's All-Inland Valley Player of the Year, runs 100 meters in the 10.8 or 10.9 range, Tormey said.

``Those two young men are going to give us a speed element at running back position we don't really have right no on our football team,'' Tormey said.

Pratt, an all-city selection the past two years who was recruited by schools from the Big Ten and Mountain West conferences, is another track standout who runs 100 meters in the ``10.8 range'' and one of five players at Taft High School in Woodland Hills who have signed with Division I schools.

``He's also an oustanding defensive back... but we'll start him at wide receiver,'' Tormey said Wednesday.

Sevor, who had two interceptions and a school record 87 tackles last year, is another highly recruited player who is a ``very good hitter who runs very well.''

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)