Wyoming So Far Has Inked 18 Signees to 2024 Recruiting Class

LARAMIE -- The fax machine started humming early today in the Gem City.

Seventeen prospects have signed on the dotted line, along with eight preferred walk-on's, so far this morning, joining Jay Sawvel's first recruiting class at Wyoming.

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The rookie head coach said he didn't expect Craig Bohl's retirement announcement to cause waves before early signing day. That has been the case so far. Aside from losing safety Devyn Hidrogo, who flipped his commitment to TCU earlier in the week, there have been few surprises.

Except one.

Sawvel and Co. sealed the deal with 6-foot-5, 210-pound quarterback Deyon Baptiste. The three-star lefty from Katy, Texas, de-committed from Iowa State and inked with the Cowboys. Baptiste also had offers from Army, Stetson and Texas State.

That annual snowmobile trip must've done the trick.

Sawvel, along with recruiting director Godie Haug, will meet with the media at 2 p.m. Mountain Time to discuss the latest class.

Here's what we know so far:

* In-state product Alex Haswell has signed his letter of intent. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Sheridan product was named the 4A Lineman of the Year this season after leading the Broncs to their second straight state championship.

* Four of these prospects hail from the state of Texas. Defensive tackles coach and former Longhorn Oscar Giles again worked his magic in the Lone Star State.

* Surprisingly, just one player who has inked so far comes from Colorado. That's offensive lineman Giovanni Panozzo.

* Wyoming is losing a ton of weapons at the wide receiver spot. Wyatt Wieland, Alex Brown (has eligibility remaining), Ayir Asante, Ryan Marquez and Gunner Gentry will all play their final game in a Wyoming uniform Dec. 30 in the Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl. Only one outside threat -- so far -- has been signed in the 2024 class. That man is 5-foot-11, 160-pound Chris Durr Jr. from Chicago.

* Tim Polasek Monday accepted the head coaching position at North Dakota State. Wyoming's former offensive coordinator was tasked with recruiting Minnesota and Wisconsin during his tenure in Laramie. Despite his departure, three players have kept there commitment to the Cowboys.

* Four signees are slated to play on the offensive line in this class.

* It's never easy to decipher with this program who is a walk-on and who isn't. That's very much on purpose. Coaches have said they treat every player the same and the best will play whether on scholarship or not. We hope to have a full list of scholarship and non-scholarship guys after coaches meet with the media.

* Wyoming signed 14 commits on early signing day in 2023. It added eight more during the annual February signing period. That class also included 13 walk-on's and eight transfers, three of which were on full scholarship.

Wyoming's 2024 verbal commitments:

* Deyon Baptiste - 6'5", 210 pounds - QB - Katy, Texas - 3 stars

* Alex Conn - 6'5", 310 - OL - Derby, Kan., - (Nebraska, Iowa Western CC)

* Charles Williams - 6'1", 175 pounds - CB - Kentfield, Calif. - 0 stars

* Adrian Onyiego - 6'2", 210 pounds - OLB/ DE - Rogers, Minn. - 2 stars 

* Brycen Lotz - 6'5", 260 pounds - OL - Braham, Minn. - 2 stars

* Daegon "Bleyne" Bryant - 6'2", 185 pounds - S - Bowling Green, Mo. - 2 stars

* Giovanni Panozzo - 6'6", 260 pounds - OL - Arvada, Colo. - 2 stars

* Hunter Kallstrom - 6'4", 220 pounds - TE - Kerkhoven, Minn. - 2 stars

* Dash Bauman - 6'2", 180 pounds - OLB - Lincoln, Neb. - 2 stars

* Tyrese Boss - 6'0", 170 pounds - CB - Chino Hills, Calif. - 2 stars

* Nathan Murphy - 6'4", 270 pounds - DT - Bryan, Texas - 0 stars

* Alex Haswell - 6'4", 230 pounds - OL - Sheridan, Wyo. - 0 stars

* Garrett Combs - 6'4", 260 pounds - DT - Temple, Texas - 0 stars

* Gary Rutherford - 6'1", 200 pounds - LB - Peoria, Ill. - 0 stars

* Eltoum Murgus - 6'4", 200 pounds - DE - Kansas City, Mo. - 2 stars

* Braylon Jenkins - 6'4", 260 pounds - OG - West Des Moines, Iowa - 0 stars

* Jake Wilson - 6'5", 215 pounds - TE - Montgomery, Texas - 2 stars

* Chris Durr Jr. - 5'11", 160 pounds - WR - Chicago, Ill. - 3 stars

* All info from Rivals.com

Known preferred walk-on's:

* Tegen Seeds - 6'1", 275 pounds - OL - Douglas, Wyo

* Tyler Nystrom - 6'2", 180 pounds - WR - Arden Hills, Minn.

* Joaquin Sandoval - 5'11", 180 pounds - DB - Glenwood Springs, Colo.

* Trey Olsen - 6'3", 180 pounds - WR - Loveland, Colo.

* Jack Harvey - 6'2", 210 pounds - LB - Baldwin City, Kan.

* Jordan Abarca - 6'1", 251 pounds - DT - Downey, Calif.

* Drew Jackson - 5' 11", 160 pounds - DB - Cheyenne, Wyo.

* Keelan Anderson - 5'11", 160 pounds - K - Cheyenne, Wyo.