The 2015 national signing day came and went on Feb. 4 with Nevada inking a 15-player class. Here’s a player-by-player look at the future of the Wolf Pack.
Dameon Baber
Defensive Back
5-foot-11, 180 pounds
Palmdale, Calif.
Head coach Brian Polian: “He had committed to a Pac-12 school (Oregon State) early in the process, but that school lost its coach and Dameon’s recruitment was thrown into flux … Dameon is a very good defensive back who can run and cover like a corner, yet is a physical tackler like a safety. He has the potential to help in multiple spots.”
Riley Brand
Linebacker
6-foot-1, 215 pounds
Anaheim, Calif.
Polian: “Riley faced a great deal of adversity this past year having lost the vast majority of his senior season to an injury. We were impressed with the way he attacked his rehab and how he made it back to play a game at the end of the year when most others would have shut it down. He was a high school safety that we believe has shown the size and toughness to transition to linebacker.”
Dominic Christian
Wide Receiver
6-foot-1, 180 pounds
Chicago, Ill.
Polian: “He is a very versatile athlete — he was a tremendous playmaker at the quarterback spot in high school — but we envision a great career for him at wide receiver. Like James Butler did this past year, we believe Dominic will transition smoothly from Chicago and find a way to help us win.”
Kori Collons
Defensive End
6-foot-5, 215 pounds
Sacramento, Calif.
Polian: “His ceiling is through the roof. He’s going to be a very big man when all is said and done. The thing that is most exciting about him is he’s very athletic for a 6-foot-5 guy — gets off on the ball, has long arms, really knows how to rush the passer.”
Wes Farnsworth
Long Snapper/Defensive Back
6-foot-1, 200 pounds
Reno, Nev.
Polian: “This is a very unique guy. Wes has a skill that’s hard to find and if you don’t have one, it will cost you games. It’s not out of bounds to say Wes is one of the top five or six long snappers in the entire country — hence why he was offered by Washington, Washington State, Ohio State and Michigan State. We think the world of him.”
Evan Faunce
Tight End
6-4, 240
Indianapolis, Ind.
Polian: “Our relationship began with Evan as a result of injuries at the tight end spot and a need to find immediate help. Coach Boone had a personal relationship with the family and as we evaluated Evan we discovered he would be a good fit. He is big, can block at the line of scrimmage, and will be a threat in the passing game.”
Cal Kee III
Defensive Back
6-feet, 190 pounds
Hampton, Virginia
Polian: “Cal is a great looking safety prospect. We discovered him in Virginia and felt like he was flying below the radar a little bit. He has size, athleticism, and physicality. We are excited about his future both on defense and in the kicking game.”
Gannon Laidlaw
Offensive Line
6-foot-5, 270 pounds
Pope Valley, Calif.
Polian: “I think that Gannon is a little bit of a throwback — the kind of player that Coach Ault would have loved to recruit. Gannon’s best days are all still in front of him. He has great size and athleticism and as he continues to grow and fill but, he can be a very good offensive lineman.”
EJ Muhammad
Defensive Back
5-foot-11, 175 pounds
DeSoto, Texas
Polian: “EJ is a very polished player from a football powerhouse in the Dallas area and he will make us better. He is very athletic and an ultra-competitive player that should compete quickly at the corner position.”
Brendan O’Leary-Orange
Wide Receiver
6-foot-4, 205 pounds
Toronto, Canada
Polian: “We say in recruiting that if you are going to go far away for a young man, he needs to be different. Brendan’s size and athleticism make him different and we are excited to welcome our second Canadian recruit into the family in as many years. Brendan will be an exciting addition to our wide receiver corps.”
Baylor Romney
Quarterback
6-foot-1, 180 pounds
El Paso, Texas
Polian: “Baylor attended our Friday Night Lights camp in Las Vegas and was awfully impressive. He throws with strength and accuracy and is a legitimate threat as a runner. He has all the tools that we look for in a quarterback and we believe he can be very successful
in our system.”
Hausia Sekona
Defensive Line
6-foot-1, 265 pounds
Salt Lake City, Utah
Polian: “We discovered Hausia in a camp that we ran in West Wendover over the summer. His power and quickness are tremendous and he impressed the staff at practice with his demeanor and work ethic. He will be a very effective one-gap defensive lineman that has the tools to be very disruptive.”
Gabe Sewell
Linebacker
6-feet, 235 pounds
St. George, Utah
Polian: “Gabe is a tenacious defender who runs and hits from multiple positions. Gabe was also a clear leader for his team and in his school and that meant a great deal to our staff . We
are excited about all the possible ways that we might be able to take advantage of his skill set.”
Derrick Stom
Offensive Line
6-foot-2, 290 pounds
Walnut Creek, Calif.
Polian: “As the season wore along and injuries began to take a toll on our team, it was clear that we needed to find a mature player that would be physically ready to add to our offensive line. Derrick is exactly what we were looking for as he is tough, intelligent and competitive.”
Ricky Thomas, Jr.
Linebacker
6-foot-1, 200 pounds
Reno, Nev.
Polian: “He plays fast, knows how to rush the passer, and has good instincts. Obviously, we know his family very well and we have known Ricky for a long time. We are confident that he will be a great fit with the Pack, on and off the field.”
Eric Uribe can be reached at euribe@sagebrush.unr.edu and on Twitter @Uribe_Eric.
