UNLV Lands Local 3-Star DL Poe Purcell As Dan Mullen’s 2026 Recruiting Momentum Grows

Originally posted on UNLV Rebels on SI
By Mark Morales-Smith | Last updated Jun 30, 2025 1:00 PM ET

When head coach Dan Mullen said that he and the UNLV Rebels football team's coaching staff were at this 24 - 7, 365, he was not joking. Another day, another impressive recruit commits to the Rebels for the 2026 season. On Friday, it was announced on social media that defensive lineman Poe Purcell has committed to the scarlet and gray. This is another big get by Mullen in his first offseason with the program.

Purcell is a local kid who plays his high school ball at Eldorado High School in Las Vegas, Nevada. He will add bulk and power to the Rebels' 2026 recruiting class. He stands 6'4 and is already 315 pounds as a junior in high school. The three-star prospect posted "Go Rebels!!" on his social media on Friday night after committing to stay home at UNLV.

GO REBELS!! pic.twitter.com/GtW5a3Rx4S
— Poe Purcell (@purcell_poe) June 28, 2025

The big defensive lineman was also offered a scholarship from the Kansas State Wildcats, Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, and Utah State Aggies. Hawaii and Utah State are both in conference rivals in the Mountain West Conference.

It does not look like this program has lost a single step this offseason after former head coach Barry Odom left to take the Purdue Boilermakers job. The big swing that athletic director Erick Harper took on bringing in Mullen is already paying obvious dividends. We don't expect the recruits to stop rolling in anytime soon, so we will keep you up to date as the Rebels continue to fill out their roster for the future.