UTEP is heating up once again on the recruiting trail, as the Miners hosted over a dozen official visitors over the weekend and secured a 43-35 double-OT victory over Kennesaw State. The win, which is the second of the Scotty Walden era in the Sun City, helped the program to get back on the board in the 2025 recruiting cycle with a public commitment from Brownsboro (Texas) defensive lineman Javarius Bell.
Bell announced his pledge to UTEP on Monday afternoon, becoming the eighteenth verbal of the 2025 cycle for Walden and company. The 6-foot-3, 260-pound stockriser is the first true defensive line commit of the 2025 class for the Miners, but the program may be on the verge of doubling up. Coming out of the weekend, the buzz is on UTEP for Rockwall (Texas) defensive lineman Leander Parrish, and the Rivals FutureCast projects that he'll wind up in the 915.
The momentum isn't limited to the defensive side of the ball, either. Walden's Blue Blaze offense is trending to add Melissa (Texas) offensive lineman Ryder Slaton, an enormous 6-foot-7, 295-pound tackle prospect who would be the fourth pickup for offensive line coach Ryan Stanchek. The Rivals FutureCast is on the Miners for Slaton.
UTEP is also in good shape with three-star TE Isaiah Butler-Tanner, who recently reopened his recruitment and decommitted from Oklahoma State. Sources have indicated it's primarily a two-horse race between UTEP and UTSA for the Killeen (Texas) native.
The Miners also have a chance to flip a couple of offensive playmakers committed elsewhere, as they hosted talented wide receivers Tyler Brown and John Smith over the weekend. Brown is pledged to North Texas and Smith to Colorado State, but Walden and offensive coordinator Jake Brown are working to sway the duo to the Sun City.
UTEP also occupies the pole position for juco OL Tyler Brumfield, who was one of the previous weekend's official visitors. Though the Miners will have to fend off UTSA, Utah State, Coastal Carolina and a few other suitors, they're in strong shape to pick up the hulking Snow (Utah) Junior College tackle.
All of the Miners' eighteen commits come from the Lone Star State, as Walden and his assistants have made good on their promise to recruit Texas. At the moment, UTEP is hot on the heels of Middle Tennessee State for the distinction of the No. 1 class in Conference USA. Should they add any and all of the aforementioned prospects, they'll vault into the top spot by a healthy margin.
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