Feb. 7, 2007

Juan Bolanos
San Diego, Calif. (Mount Miguel HS)
Offensive Lineman
6-7, 310
First-team all-CIF and second-team all section by the San Diego Union-Tribune as a senior at Mount Miguel High under head coach Tom Karlo ... Named to the Grossmont South League first team last year ... Was voted the Matadors' lineman of the year in 2006... Also was a member of his school's wrestling, volleyball and golf teams ... Chose SDSU over scholarship offers from Arizona State, Colorado State, Louisville, UNLV and Washington State.

Head coach Chuck Long on Bolanos: "Juan is a local kid from Mount Miguel High. He is another player who brings good size with him to the college level. He hustles all over the field and chases running backs down. He is an excellent leader who was able to take control of his team as a lineman, which is difficult to do."

Assistant coach Jonathan Himebauch on Bolanos: "He is a huge local specimen. I have never seen a guy that big give that much effort on the field. He is always running down the field giving extra effort, trying to give an extra block. That is what really jumped off the tape for me and when I saw it live. He plays hard and physical at the point of contact."

Vincent Brown, Jr.
Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. (Rancho Cucamonga HS)
Wide Receiver
6-0, 172
SDSU's first oral commitment in the class of 2007 ... Rated as the No. 18 receiver prospect in the state by Scout.com ... Was a two-time all-Baseline League honoree at Rancho Cucamonga High under head coach Nick Baiz ... Had 42 catches for 530 yards and six touchdowns as a senior, earning his team's most valuable offensive player award ... Tallied 32 receptions for 430 yards and six scores in 2005 ... Also returned kicks for the Cougars and competed in track ... A scholar-athlete, who received scholarship offers from Arizona and UTEP before committing to San Diego State ... Nickname is V.J.

Head coach Chuck Long on Brown: "Vincent is a player who we identified and got a commitment from early and he was the first commitment we had in this class. He is more of a slot receiver for us. He is very quick with great hands. We wanted a slot receiver with great feet and hands and we feel like we got that with Vincent."

Assistant coach Toby Neinas on Brown: "Vincent is a very gifted kid who is highly motivated. He is a great student. I think he is going to develop into a great team leader for us. He has deceptive speed and excellent hands. The thing about Vincent is he has fantastic body control when the ball is in the air. He is one of those guys who can move in the air when everyone else is drifting. He is a very exciting player."

Miles Burris
Roseville, Calif. (Granite Bay HS)
Linebacker
6-2, 242

Ranked as the nation's 30th-best inside linebacker prospect by Rivals.com ... Runs a 4.7 in the 40-yard dash... Has a 33-inch vertical jump and had a 4.44 shuttle time at the Palo Alto Nike Camp ... Was a two-time all-Metropolitan League selection and captured the Granite Bay High School's defensive player of the year award following his junior and senior campaigns ... Last season, he recorded 120 tackles and added 6.5 sacks from his middle linebacker spot to become Granite Bay's all-time leading tackler ... Father, Jim, played football at Oregon State ... Also considered Nevada, Boise State, Nebraska and Army during the recruiting process.

Head coach Chuck Long on Burris: "We saw a video of Miles in which he did a standing back flip so we knew he was athletic. He is smart and can run. We see him in the same mode as a Russell Allen."

Assistant coach LeCharls McDaniel on Burris: "Miles is an inside linebacker, who can play over a tight end. He's a physical player and has good technique. He's a smart player and could grow (physically) like his brother, who went from 6-3 to 6-7 as a freshman in college. He comes from a good program that has had good linebackers in the past. He was all-Valley first team as a linebacker and played in the all-star game."

Vincent Camarda
San Diego, Calif. (Cathedral Catholic HS)
Defensive Back
6-2, 190
Earned first-team all-CIF and second-team all-state accolades as a senior at Cathedral Catholic High ... Posted 71 tackles and intercepted four passes in 2006 en route to being named the Western League's defensive player of the year and earning his team's most valuable player award ... Was also a two-time first-team all-league selection and named to the Union-Tribune section first team in ... Picked off four passes and registered 84 stops during his junior year ... Holds the school's career interception record with 15 and added 218 career tackles ... Made visits to Utah, Colorado State, Oregon, Hawai'i and UTEP before signing with San Diego State.

Head coach Chuck Long on Camarda: "We saw him at our summer camp and really liked his leadership characteristics. He is a safety with great range and knows how to play the game. There are times when we may try to get the ball in his hands offensively."

Defensive coordinator Bob Elliott on Camarda: "He is a good, tough kid. He is a solid safety who has the physical skills to play the position. What we like best about him is his attitude and character."

Travis Crawford
Chula Vista, Calif. (Southwestern JC/Chula Vista HS)
Safety
6-0, 185
Signed a National Letter of Intent with the Aztecs this past December ... Transfer from nearby Southwestern Junior College who joined the Aztecs this past January and has have two years of eligibility remaining ... Ranked second in California in 2006 with 10 interceptions to garner second team All-America honors by J.C. Grid-Wire ... A two-time first-team all-conference selection, he logged a state-best 221 yards on interception returns, including an 88-yard run back versus the College of the Desert ... Had three picks in his final game as a Jaguar against San Bernardino Valley, helping his team complete its second consecutive 5-5 season under head coach Jan Chapman ... Ended his career with a school-record 15 interceptions and scored four defensive touchdowns ... Also returned punts and kickoffs at Southwestern College and intends to major in kinesiology at SDSU ... Played football, baseball and soccer at Chula Vista High School, where he was a three-year starter at quarterback under head coach Rex Johnson ... Also played on the defensive side of the ball, throwing for 1,107 yards and six TDs as a junior ... Led his team to the CIF playoffs as a senior in 2003.

Head coach Chuck Long on Crawford: "We are excited to have Travis join the Aztec football family. He will provide stability and maturity in our secondary, which graduates four starters from this year's team."

Brandon Davis
Hayward, Calif. (Castlemont HS)
Defensive Back
6-2, 180
A physical defensive back, who was ranked No. 8 in the Contra Costa Times' "Cream of the Crop" poll, which lists the top-20 football recruits in the East Bay ... Rivals.com rates him as the No. 59 safety prospect in the country and a three-star recruit ... In 2006, was first team all-city and all-East Bay in leading the Knights to an 8-3 mark ... Team MVP as a junior and second team all-city selection ... Played under coach Amin Denny ... Chose SDSU over Fresno State.

Head Coach Chuck Long on Davis: "Brandon is another excellent member of our defensive back class. We are looking at him to play corner. He is very quick."

Assistant coach LeCharls McDaniel on Davis: "Brandon has good size and speed. He's also a kick returner. He's a physical player who has good hips. He's a big kid, who is a very physical, long-armed corner. Brandon was also the No. 8 player in the Bay Area by the Contra Costa Times."

Tommie Draheim
Lakeside, Calif. (El Capitan HS)
Offensive Lineman
6-4, 265
Played at center and defensive tackle as a senior at El Capitan High, helping the Vaqueros to 10-0 regular season record and a berth in the CIF section playoffs ... Was an all-CIF and all-state (medium schools) pick on offense in 2006 ... Second-team all-league as a junior ... Won two letters as a thrower on the track and field squad ... One of two players from El Capitan to sign with the Aztecs (Ryan Lindley) ... Honor roll student ... Also considered New Hampshire, UNLV and Montana State during the recruiting process.

Head coach Chuck Long on Draheim: "Tommie is another all-CIF player who was a teammate of Ryan Lindley in high school. He is an excellent student who we see developing over time into an excellent player for us. He is smart and he is tough. We are looking forward to having him be part of our program."

Offensive coordinator Del Miller on Draheim: "A great quality person. He is a tremendous student. A special young man who we are very excited about having in the program."

Kellen Farr
Mesa, Ariz. (Red Mountain HS)
Offensive Lineman
6-7, 290
One of two recruits from the state of Arizona ... Played tight end and defensive tackle at Red Mountain, but is set to play on the offensive line in college ... Second-team all-region tight end in 2006 ... Team was 7-4 his senior campaign ... Is an honor roll student ... Also considered Army, Northern Arizona, UNLV and Wyoming.

Head coach Chuck Long on Farr: "Kellen is another big body who is a tackle prospect. He played tight end in high school which we like. There have been many offensive linemen that have flourished after playing tight end."

Assistant coach Joe Bob Clements on Farr: "Kellen was a late bloomer. He played tight end as a senior. He has a big, solid frame and has put on 15 to 20 pounds of muscle since we started recruiting him. Another good student who we believe will help our offensive line in the future."

Leo Grassilli IV
Woodbridge, Va. (Hylton HS)
Offensive Lineman
6-3, 263
Only Aztec recruit not from the West ... Played on both lines as a prep for Hylton High School under coach Lou Sorrentino ... Three-year varsity letterwinner and two-time all-district honoree ... All-region selection his final year ... Team was 8-2 his senior season and were 12-game winners in 2004 and 2005 ... His father attended San Diego State ... Also competed in wrestling ... Considered attending North Carolina and Stanford.

Head coach Chuck Long on Grassillli: "We are looking at him to play the center or guard positions."

Assistant coach Jonathan Himebauch on Grassilli: "Leo is versatile and has the ability to play a number of positions on the offensive line. We are looking for him to play either center or guard. He is a very smart kid who knows how to play. He has worked very hard since his season ended, putting quality weight on and working on his speed. He has a tremendous upside. This is a great find for us."

Kurtis Gunther
Camarillo, Calif. (Adolfo Camarillo HS)
Offensive Lineman
6-8, 270
Earned first-team all-Pacific View League honors as a senior at Adolfo Camarillo High ... Played at offensive tackle and defensive end as a prep under coach Dennis Reidmiller ... Three-star recruit by Rivals.com ... Honored with the team's captains award in 2006 ... Won three letters in volleyball and was a two-time all-league and all-CIF honoree ... Brother, Kyle, plays football at Utah ... Also drew interest from Colorado State, Nevada and Utah.

Head coach Chuck Long on Gunther: "Kurtis is another multiple-sport athlete with good, all-around skills. He has an offensive lineman's mentality. We are looking at him to play the guard or tackle positions."

Assistant coach Jonathan Himebauch on Gunther: "A phenomenal athlete. He was a volleyball player for years so he has great foot work. He plays the game with the type of tenacity you want on the offensive line. He is putting on weight all of the time, so I envision him being able to come in here and contribute early in his career."

Dey Juan Hemmings
San Bernardino, Calif. (Rialto HS)
Defensive Back
5-11, 180
Posted 76 tackles and two interceptions as a senior at Rialto High under coach Brad Hornback, earning first-team all-league and second-team all-county accolades... Also saw action at running back for the Knights, gaining 350 yards rushing and 400 yards receiving... Had 763 all-purpose yards as a junior ... Also drew interest from Arizona State, New Mexico and Utah State.

Head coach Chuck Long on Hemmings: "Dey Juan is probably our fastest player in this class. Obviously, we will look for him to play corner for us. He has a corner type personality. He has a nice confidence about him that you need to play that position."

Assistant coach Toby Neinas on Hemmings: "The operative word for Dey is fast. He is an athlete. He played running back, quarterback, defensive back, linebacker and returned kicks in high school. He did absolutely everything. He will be a defensive back for us."

Logan Ketchum
Oak Park, Calif. (Oak Park HS)
Safety/Outside Linebacker
6-3, 195
Played safety, receiver and linebacker at Oak Park High School ... Lettered three years for the Eagles, helping them to the CIF title game all three seasons ... A second team all-state pick by CalHiSports.com as a senior ... Also tabbed all-CIF first team in 2006, as well as all-Ventura County football co-MVP as a defensive back ... First team all-Tri-Valley League and picked for the all-county second team by the Ventura County Star ... Team's defensive MVP as a senior and defensive back of the year as a junior ... Oak Park's varsity rookie of the year in 2004 and freshman defensive MVP in 2003 ... Team won 31 games from 2004-06, including a 12-2 mark this past year ... Was a linebacker as a sophomore, before playing both wideout and safety as a junior and senior ... As a senior, had 51 tackles and six interceptions, while making 37 receptions for 450 yards ... Also ran 14 times for 75 yards and had five touchdowns ... Career-best 65 tackles and added four picks and two caused fumbles in 2005 ... Also considered UCLA, where his brother Gavin is a junior wide receiver, Arizona, Colorado, Colorado State and Washington.

Head coach Chuck Long on Ketchum: "He is really coming in as a defensive back, but could be a linebacker for us in time. He has a brother that plays wide receiver at UCLA so he has a very athletic family. His dad has coached as well, so he has always been around the game. He is a good football player who is accustomed to winning."

Assistant coach Jonathan Himebauch on Ketchum: "He has a great nose for the ball. He learned from his brother's experience at UCLA. He can play all over the field. He has the speed to play free safety and strong safety. He is going to be all over the field. He can work himself in as a special teams player as well."

Ryan Lindley
Alpine, Calif. (El Capitan HS)
Quarterback
6-3, 205
A strong-armed passer, who is ranked the 34th-best quarterback nationally and the No. 97 player overall in the state of California by Rivals.com ... Scout.com lists him among the top 50 quarterback recruits in the nation and No. 6 in California ... Ranked No. 62 overall by SuperPrep Magazine in the state ... Played two seasons of varsity football at El Capitan High School under coach Ron Burner ... As a senior, completed 61 percent of his passes (235-for-385) for 3,521 yards, including 35 touchdowns ... 2006 CalHiSports second team all-state and first team for Division III ... League, CIF, San Diego Union-Tribune and Breitbard Hall of Champions Offensive Player of the Year as a senior ... Helped the Vaqueros to a league title and a 11-1 record last season, the best in school history ... Threw for 417 yards in a single game in 2006, the eighth-highest passing total in section history ... His junior season, threw for over 2,000 yards and tossed 14 TD passes en route to second team all-league honors ... Career totals include 5,741 yards passing and 49 touchdowns ... Two-time team captain ... An honor student, who ranks in the top six percent of his class and garnered first team all-academic honors by the San Diego Union-Tribune two straight years ... Also visited Idaho during the recruiting process and drew interest from Fresno State, Nevada, Washington State, Utah and UNLV.

Head Coach Chuck Long on Lindley: "We feel that Ryan is the top quarterback in southern California. You want to sign one good quarterback a year and we feel like we did that by signing the player of the year in the county. He will do a great job for this football team. He is a great leader who has toughness and is very accurate throwing the football. He is very mature."

Offensive Coordinator Del Miller on Lindley: "What can you say about Ryan? He is quality all the way. He is a top-notch student who will represent San Diego State in a class way as a student and an athlete. He produced tremendous numbers and was a great leader in high school. He is a tremendous young man and a great addition to our program."

Mike Matamua
Kapolei, Hawaii (Kapolei HS)
Offensive Lineman
6-4, 280
Ranked 40th nationally by Scout.com and 61st by Rivals.com among high school offensive line prospects ... Rated as the No. 11 player overall in the entire state of Hawaii by Rivals.com ... Played three years of varsity football for the Kapolei High School Hurricanes under head coach Darren Hernandez ... A Star-Bulletin all-state selection and an Oahu Interscholastic Association West Division pick as a senior ... Also recruited by Hawai'i, UNLV and Utah.

Head coach Chuck Long on Matamua: "Mike is a tough young man who we will probably look at him at the tackle position. That is the biggest need we have on the offensive line and that is where we look to start him."

Assistant coach Jonathan Himebauch on Matamua: "Mike is a very raw athlete. He played left tackle and runs around very well. He has great feet for a big man and has good hands. He has been coached by some very good coaches in Hawaii. He understands the game. His feet and his hips are his best attributes. He bends well for a big, tall guy. He has developed well in the weight room since his season ended."

Eron Moses
Yorba Linda, Calif. (Esperanza HS)
Defensive End
6-4, 245
Played just two years of football at both tight end and defensive line for Esperanza High School in Anaheim, Calif., under head coach Bill Pendleton... Helped Esperanza to a 9-1 regular-season record and a Sunset League title as a senior ... Team advanced to the CIF finals in 2005, after claiming its first league championship in five years ... All-county selection in 2006 ... Earned a preseason ranking of No. 9 in the state among defensive ends by Scout.com ... Also plays basketball for the Aztecs ... Made an official visit to Boise State and was recruited by Nevada, UNLV, Utah, Washington State and Wyoming.

Head coach Chuck Long on Moses: "We feel like we are starting to open up Orange County and signing Eron is an example of that. He is a tough defensive end who is a very good pass rusher."

Assistant coach William Inge on Moses: "We have been looking at Eron since last spring. He really grew up during the fall, showing some aggressive play and the ability to get to the ball. I think one thing we really like about him at defensive end is that he has a motor. He never shuts it down. We know young men like that can help us win here."

Emilio Rivera
Sylmar, Calif. (Sylmar HS)
Offensive Lineman
6-4, 305
Played on both sides of the ball for Sylmar High School under coach London Woodfin ... First team all-city as an offensive lineman and his league's defensive lineman of the year as a senior ... As a senior, had 50 tackles in just eight games, ranking second on the squad ... Competes for the Sylmar basketball team ... Plays the drums... Also earned offers from Portland State and Utah State.

Head coach Chuck Long on Rivera: "Emilio is another tackle prospect and one of the biggest guys in this year's class. He is from the Los Angeles area. He played basketball which is a demonstration of his overall athletic ability."

Assistant coach Jonathan Himebauch on Rivera: "He played both offensive and defensive line and never stepped off the field in high school. He has a great motor. He is a tough kid, the kind you want to represent you on the offensive line. He is a great student."

Aubrey Smith
Mission Hills, Calif. (Chaminade Prep)
Defensive Back
6-2, 180
Two-way star for the Chaminade College Prep in West Hills, Calif., who played in the defensive backfield and at wideout ... 2006 Mission League MVP and first team all-CIF selection on offense ... Team was 9-4 overall under head coach Ben McEnroe in 2006, advancing to the section semifinals and going undefeated en route to its first Mission League championship ... Member of the Daily News all-area defensive first team as a senior ... Caught 75 passes for 1,344 yards and scored 21 touchdowns last year ... Also among team's leader in interceptions and pass deflections ... Eagles made the playoffs four straight years ... All-CIF and all-league first team on the defensive side of the ball as a junior ... Drew other offers from Fresno State and Utah.

Head coach Chuck Long on Smith: "Aubrey is a great get for us. He was listed as a top 100 prospect in the state. He has excellent size and strength. He really explodes at the point of contact. We are looking for him to play safety for us."

Assistant coach Jonathan Himebauch on Smith: "I coached against him two years ago and he almost killed my running back. He hit our running back so hard that I shook on the sideline. He is a great hitter and he was one of the top receivers this past year so he can play on either side of the ball. He has a big, tall frame that can run well. He is a 400-meter track guy so he has that toughness about him. He is going to be the type of guy who is going to be feared."

Michael Snead
Oakland, Calif. (Skyline HS)
Defensive End
6-4, 240
Big, speedy defensive end, who also played tight end at Skyline High School ... Rated the No. 13 recruit in the East Bay by the Contra Costa Times ... Honorable mention all-metro in 2006 ... Earned a preseason ranking of No. 8 in the state among defensive ends by Scout.com ... Listed as the top defensive lineman to watch prior to his senior year by the San Francisco Chronicle ... Missed several games as a junior due to injury, but still managed to record 25 tackles and five sacks ... Brother, William, plays at UCLA ... Also recruited by Colorado.

Head coach Chuck Long on Snead: "Mike is an excellent defensive lineman who could play either tackle or end. He is big and has good size. His brother plays at UCLA so he has a good lineage."

Assistant coach LeCharls McDaniel on Snead: "Michael is a big kid who has size, speed, potential. He runs well for a man his size. His brother goes to UCLA. His best football is in front of him. He's got the size and frame. We need bigger, faster guys and he's one of those."

Neil Spencer
Las Vegas, Nev. (Cimmarron-Memorial HS)
Defensive Line
6-2, 260
Sixth-ranked recruit in the state of Nevada by Rivals.com ... Played both the offensive and defensive line under coach Ron Smeltzer ... 2006 Northwest Division and Sunset Region defensive player of the year, recording 49 tackles, including 28 solos, and 20 quarterback hurries ... First team all-division and all-region as an offensive tackle as a senior, helping his team averaged 353 yards rushing ... Eagles logged a perfect 10-0 regular-season record ... Recorded 76 tackles and three sacks as a junior, leading the Spartans to a 12-2 record and the state semifinals ... Earned first team all-state accolades on offense and second team as a defensive tackle in 2005 ... All-division honors for his efforts on both sides of the ball as a junior ... Also is a member of his schools' track and wrestling squads, ending up second in the state in the heavyweight division as a junior ... Father, Greg, was one of his high school coaches .... Chose San Diego State over scholarship offers from Utah, UNLV and Nevada.

Head coach Chuck Long on Spencer: "Neil is one of the tougher guys we are bringing in. He is a wrestler which automatically means he is tough. His dad is a coach, which is always a positive."

Assistant coach Joe Bob Clements on Spencer: "Neil is a coach's son and is a hard-working young man. He is an all-state wrestler so he is a very versatile athlete. He has a lot of toughness and good character. He is the type of person we want to build this program around."

Alston Umuolo
Phoenix, Ariz. (Centennial HS)
Tight End
6-3, 220
Played one season at Centennial High School in Peoria, Ariz. under Richard Taylor ... Spent first three years as a prep in the state of Washington ... Saw action as a quarterback, wide receiver, tight end, linebacker and defensive end in high school ... Will be a tight end for the Aztecs ... Centennial went a perfect 14-0 overall and 7-0 in league in 2006, winning the school's first-ever 5A state title... Second team all-region as a defensive end and honorable mention as a wideout ... Accounted for 477 yards of offense and had 41 tackles, including five sacks ... Also lettered in basketball and track ... Made a visit to Nevada during the recruiting process.

Head coach Chuck Long on Umuolo: "Alston is an athletic tight end prospect who also played basketball in high school. We were looking to sign one tight end and we feel like we got a quality student-athlete in Alston."

Assistant coach Joe Bob Clements on Umuolo: "Alston is a very versatile athlete. He played a variety of positions, including quarterback, wide receiver, fullback, running back, outside linebacker and safety. We are projecting him as a tight end and H-back. His father ran track at Arizona State so he is another member of the class that comes from an athletic family. He was somewhat under the radar because he transferred in to Phoenix from Washington late in his senior season."

DeAndre West
Oakland, Calif. (Wilson Prep)
Defensive Back
6-1, 195
Ranked by Rivals.com as the No. 49 prep player in the state of California ... Rated the No. 14 recruit in the East Bay by the Contra Costa Times ... First player from his high school to make the elite list ... High school coach was Desmond Gumbs ... As a senior, carried 82 times for 731 yards, averaging 8.9 yards per carry and scoring 10 touchdowns ... Also tallied five catches for 74 yards (14.8 ypc.) for the Golden Eagles ... Competed in the inaugural Offense-Defense All-American Bowl in Florida this past January ... Ran for over 1,500 yards in 2005 ... SDSU beat out Nebraska and Boise State for his signature.

Head coach Chuck Long on West: "DeAndre is another great addition to our program. He is an excellent player who has good quickness, speed and ball skills. He was one of our early targets at defensive back."

Assistant coach LeCharls McDaniel on West: "DeAndre is a size, speed guy. He's going to play defensive back. He has good size, long arms and outstanding speed. He's No. 14 in the Best of the Bay, giving us three of the top 15 kids in the Bay Area."