Dan Mullen, UNLV Football Land 2026 3-Star Recruit OT Mateo Bilaver

Originally posted on UNLV Rebels on SI
By Mark Morales-Smith | Last updated Jul 2, 2025 12:23 PM ET

The UNLV Rebels football team continues to attract recruits for the 2026 season at a rapid pace. New head coach Dan Mullen has done an outstanding job recruiting high school student-athletes to come to Las Vegas. They recently received an official commitment from offensive lineman Mateo Bilaver. He chose UNLV because of the coaches and family atmosphere that the new staff is building.

I’m home !!! @unlvfootball @CoachDanMullen @CoachSollenne @CoachJoeDenney @NadeFootball @coachchucs @Coach___Cid @coachmgentle @GregBiggins @PGregorian @BrandonHuffman pic.twitter.com/enrZrRQNz6
— Mateo Bilaver 3⭐️ (@mateo_bilaver) June 23, 2025

“I chose to commit to UNLV because I believe in their vision for the program and see them helping me develop into not only a better football player but also a young man," Bilaver said. "The coaching staff made me feel like family, and I’m excited to be a part of something special going on there.”

He also received offers from the Colorado State Rams and Sacramento State Hornets. However, it's clear that the staff and community at UNLV had a much bigger impact on the young lineman. This continues to show the advantage of bringing in coach Mullen gives the Rebels against their G5 competition. Their investment in a high-profile coach is already paying off.

Bilaver is a 6'6, 290-pound offensive tackle plays his high school ball at Chaminade High School. He's from West Hills, California. The Rebels expect the three-star recruit to have an impact on their offensive line for the long-term future. This is just another building block that the team is adding. Something they have done a great job of this offseason, both on the recruiting trail and through the transfer portal. The coaching staff will continue to add talent and build out their roster for both the present and the future.