ESPN College Football

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

What Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty once were to the rest of the world, UNLV is to the Pac-10.

From the Running Rebels' official release: "Since joining the Mountain West Conference in 1999, UNLV has attracted no less than 17 former Pac-10 Conference scholarship players to the roster."

Those 17 come from eight Pac-10 schools -- only Stanford and Oregon State haven't contributed talent.

Thus this inscription outside the football office.

"Pac-10 give me your tired, your poor,
Your suspended masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming bench.
Send these, the teamless, depth-chart-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door -- and offer an alternative route to the NFL!" 

Kidding. That's not inscribed outside the football office. As far as I know.

Here's the rest from the football release, including a list, which includes some familiar names:

PAC-10 EAST?

Since joining the Mountain West Conference in 1999, UNLV has attracted no less than 17 former Pac-10 Conference scholarship players to the roster. In Mike Sanford's first season, QB Rocky Hinds and DB Eric Wright both moved over from USC while DB Mil'Von James came from UCLA. Joining the program in 2006 were former Washington State letterman Lorenzo Bursey Jr. and Arizona WR Gerold Rodriguez. Last year brought former Cal RB Frank Summers, who eventually transferred to a JC before coming to Las Vegas, former WSU DE Preston Brooks, who has three years of eligibility remaining after sitting out 2007, and former Oregon DL Thor Pili, who also played at a JC before making the move to the desert.

This fall brings former ASU signee Martin Tevaseu, who was in camp for the Sun Devils in 2006 before sustaining an injury and eventually returning to his JC. Two other new Rebels -- punter Brendon Lamers (Oregon) and DB Chase Bosley (Washington State) -- were walk-ons at their Pac-10 schools.

PLAYER POS PAC-10 STOP AT UNLV COMMENT

Preston Brooks DE Washington State 2007-SA Sat out last fall
Kevin Brown RB Washington State 2000 798 rushing yards in only season
Deon Burnett RB Washington State 2002-03 Former All-Pac 10 honoree
Lorenzo Bursey DB Washington State 2006-SA Moves to CB for senior year
Larry Croom RB Arizona 2002-03 UNLV record for all-star game invites (3)
Rocky Hinds QB USC 2005-06 UNLV's first 2,000-yard passer since 1997
Mil'Von James DB UCLA 2005-07 Led nation in pass breakups in '07
Jabari Johnson RB Washington 2000-01 268 yards rushing as a senior
Bobby Nero WR Oregon 2000-01 11-game starter in 2001
Thor Pili DE Oregon 2007-SA Slated to start in 2008 as a senior
Gerold Rodriguez WR Arizona 2006-SA Led UNLV in kickoff return avg. in '07
Frank Summers RB California 2007-SA Rebels' leading scorer in 2007
Martin Tevaseu DL Arizona State 2008-SA Looking to start along D-line
Jason Thomas QB USC 2000-02 Stands second all-time at UNLV in tot. off.
Isaac Watts DE Arizona 2004-05 Started eight games as a senior
Shanga Wilson LB Arizona 2000-01 Team captain, 141 TT as a Rebel
Eric Wright DB USC 2005-06 Third-highest NFL Draft pick ever