If there were a theme song that would best sum up UNLV's 2011 football recruiting class, it would probably be the late Johnny Cash's "I've Been Everywhere."

Bobby Hauck's staff signed 23 players from seven states, including New York, Florida, Texas and even Alaska. The Rebels also picked up another player from American Samoa.

Yes, the Rebels went pretty much everywhere to find players during Hauck's first full recruiting year as the Rebels' head coach.

"We'll go wherever we need to go to put together a good class," Hauck said.

When it was all said and done, Hauck signed 15 high school players and eight junior college players, including three -- quarterback Sean Reilly (6-4, 215, Mission Viejo, Calif., Saddleback College), offensive lineman Trent Allmang-Wilder (6-7, 280, Palm Desert, Calif., College of the Desert) and running back/returner Eric Johnson (5-8, 175, Visalia, Calif., College of the Sequoias) -- who are already enrolled and will take part in spring practice, which begins Feb. 28.

Twelve of the signees are offensive prospects, while 10 are ticketed to play defense. The other -- Chase Lansford of Santa Ana (Calif.) College -- is a punter and kicker who is the son of longtime NFL kicking star Mike Lansford.

Hauck has made beefing up his lines a major recruiting priority. He signed four offensive and four defensive lineman as well as three tight ends. The average offensive line signee measured in at 6-5 1/2 and weighed 275 pounds.

Fourteen true freshmen saw action for the Rebels last season, many of them in key roles, and Hauck said he felt this class might be even better.

"I do, and I'm pretty high on last year's class," Hauck said. "One of the biggest question marks coming here was how well could you recruit to UNLV and Las Vegas. It just keeps getting better, and kids are listening to what we have to say and they're buying in. I'm just hoping to give them more reasons to believe year in and year out the next couple of years."

TOP OF THE CLASS

QB Nick Sherry (Casa Grande High, Petaluma, Calif.) -- The 6-foot-5, 220-pounder was rated one of the top quarterbacks in northern California by Tom Lemming of CBS College Sports and MaxPreps.com. Originally committed to Colorado but re-opened his recruiting when head coach Dan Hawkins was fired. The Buffs along with several Big Ten schools including Wisconsin made a late push for Sherry.

RB Elijhaa Penny (Norwalk High, Norwalk, Calif.) -- Rated the nation's No. 18 fullback prospect by Scout.com and No. 61 overall prospect in California by Rivals.com. The two-time Suburban League MVP, who is 6-foot-2 and weighs 245 pounds, is a tough between-the-tackles runner who rushed for 2,005 yards and 18 TDs as a senior. Picked the Rebels over Washington.

DL Louvan Green (College of the Sequoias, Visalia, Calif.) -- The 6-2, 295-pounder was a first team All-American by JC Athletic Bureau after earning Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors. Should be an immediate starter on a rebuilt Rebels defensive line. Picked UNLV over Iowa State, Oregon State and Baylor.

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