UNLV Rebels Top NFL Prospects for 2012 and Beyond

The Rebels are set to take on 11th ranked Wisconsin on Thursday night, so I thought you should all have a little primer for their top professional prospects.

10 Quinton Pointer, Cornerback, 5’10” 190 (Senior)

Pointer returns after missing the entire 2010 season with a medical hardship, and will be starting for his third year with the Rebels. A pretty balanced overall player, Pointer has been an All Conference player and has 167 career tackles along with four interceptions. He will be 24 years old when he makes his NFL debut, and he is regarded as one of the fastest players on UNLV’s team. He hasn’t recorded an interception since 2008, but he returns this season as one of the team’s top returning players.

1 Will Chandler, Cornerback, 5’11” 185 (Senior)

Another one of the best players on the team, another defensive back. Chandler might be a better pure cornerback than Pointer, but we will have to decide that when both are on the field. He has solid speed and had a very good season last year, finishing with 37 tackles and five interceptions, and was a pre-season All Conference selection. Had seven total takeaways last year and is considered an athletic player. Pre-season first team All Conference defender according to Phil Steele, Sporting News, and Lindy’s Sports. Took one of his five interceptions last season–against Wisconsin–for a touchdown. Nice upside player if he can repeat that kind of production next year.

4 Phillip Payne, Wide Receiver, 6’3″ 205 (Senior)

UNLV head coach Bobby Hauck had this to say about Payne:

“Phil (Payne) is probably our best player,” said UNLV Hauck. “He’s obviously our top NFL prospect on the team. For him to have a big year for us would be a big deal for our team.” When the head coach of your football team flat out comes out and says you are the best prospect on the team, we should probably take notice. He’s got good size for an NFL receiver prospect at 6’3″, and I’m not sure what kind of deep speed he has, but he has done nothing but put up big numbers ever since he stepped on the field for the Rebels. He is essentially a unanimous first-team All Conference receiver after catching 19 touchdowns in 32 games for UNLV. Very good hands and has the ability to make the big play, averaging more than 17 yards per reception last season and more than 15 in his freshman year. I am excited to see if they can involve him even more in the offense so he can really get on the radar of NFL scouts.