UTEP Football Announces 15 in 2022 Class on National Signing Day

The Miners football team hopes to build on its successful 2021 season that ended in a trip to the New Mexico Bowl.

UTEP football head coach Dana Dimel announced the full 2022 class on National Signing Day, which featured 15 signees on Wednesday to go along with the seven early signings from December.

Of the 22 signees, 14 are JUCO transfers and 11 are mid-year transfers. They inked 11 players on defense, 10 on offense and one special teams player.

"It's been a really good, positive couple of weeks for us here at the program," head coach Dana Dimel said. "It was a shorter, more condensed recruiting period for us. Everything got sped up. Our big thrust was to try and get as many players as mid year players. Eleven of the guys are here on campus working out right now."

Spring ball is set to start on March 2nd.

WR Kelly Akharaiyi (Midyear) - Tyler Junior College (Irving, Texas) 

• 6-foot-1, 195 pounds
• RS Sophomore
• 1st at Tyler JC in receiving yards (681) in 2021.

OL AJ Barton - Lakeview Centennial HS (Garland, Texas) 

• 6-foot-5, 275 pounds
• Freshman (Blue Shirt)
• All District first team honors (2021)

DB D’Angelo Bellamy - Modesto JC (Modesto, Calif.) 

• 6-foot-2, 200 pounds
• Junior
• 2nd at Modesto JC with 60 tackles.

WR Marcus Bellon - Santa Barbara CC (Truckee, Calif.) 

• 5-foot-9, 180 pounds
• Sophomore
• 10 touchdowns at Santa Barbara CC (4 TD receptions, 4 punt TDs, 2 kickoff TDs)

DB Amier Boyd-Matthews - Mountain Pointe HS (Tempe, Ariz.) 

• 6-foot-2, 180 pounds
• Freshman
• ATH at Mountain Pointe HS - 378 receiving yards, 230 rushing yards, 320 passing yards in 2021

K/P Wilton “Buzz” Flabiano - Plano East HS (Plano East, Texas) 

• 6-foot-1, 170 pounds
• Freshman (Blue Shirt)
• Hit 28-of-30 PATs and 7-of-11 field goals in 2021

QB Jake McNamara (Midyear) - Page HS (Franklin, Tenn.) 

• 5-foot-11, 185 pounds
• Freshman
• 3,581 passing yards, 43 touchdowns, 8 interceptions in 2021 for Page HS (state runner ups)

ATH Samuel Mikaele - Bishop Garcia HS (Santa Barbara, Calif.) 

• 6-foot-4, 225 pounds
• Freshman
• Missed 2021 with an injury. Plays offense/defense

OL Trevion Mitchell - West Mesquite HS (Mesquite, Texas) 

• 6-foot-3, 290 pounds
• Freshman
• Offense/defensive line at West Mesquite HS. Named All-District 2nd team (7-5A)

OL Aluma Nkele (Midyear) - Long Beach City College (Gardena, Calif.) 

• 6-foot-8, 390 pounds
• Sophomore
• 3-star athlete. Helped Long Beach City average 394 yards per game

DT Joshua Palu (Midyear) - Cerritos College (Lakewood, Calif.) 

• 6-foot-2, 290 pounds
• Junior
• Finished with 43 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, 1 INT and pass breakup at Cerritos

DB Latrez Shelton - Iowa Western CC (St. Louis, Mo.) 

• 6-foot-1, 185 pounds
• Sophomore
• 16 tackles, 2 INTs, 5 pass breakups and 1 fumble recovery at Iowa Western CC

DL Logologo Va’a - Bishop Diego High School (Santa Barbara, Calif.) 

• 6-foot-4, 302 pounds
• Freshman
• 2021 All Camino League MVP (4-year varsity player on offense/defense)

DB Robert West - Georgia Military College (Milledgeville, Ga.) 

• 6-foot-2, 186 pounds
• Sophomore
• 11 tackles, 7 pass breakups, 2 INTs and 1 fumble recovery at Georgia Military College

WR Emari White - Sierra College (Antelope, Calif.)

• 6-foot-1, 195 pounds
• Sophomore
• 557 receiving yards on 37 receptions and 6 touchdowns at Sierra College

Read about the early signings here.