Pokes go '3-for-3' to close out National Signing Day

LARAMIE -- If you heard a loud ruckus coming out of the Wyoming football offices on Monday and Tuesday night leading up to National Signing Day, Craig Bohl wants to assure you -- it was warranted.

Until those last 48 hours, the Cowboys had just one offensive lineman verbally committed in the 2022 recruiting class.

Now -- better late than never -- they have four.

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"I was concerned because all these guys had significant interest from other schools," Wyoming's eighth-year head coach said Wednesday afternoon inside the Wildcatter Suites as he announced UW's 2022 recruiting class. "They are good players. They have been vetted. We felt like they fit into our profile, but they had options."

Jagger Filippone and Wesley King, a pair of offensive tackles, committed on the final night of the NCAA's early signing period. Mykel Janise, another tackle, made his decision on Monday night.

Rex Johnsen, a 6-foot-6, 281-pound Logan, Iowa, product gave his verbal to the program in late July.

"You know, to go 3-for-3, quite frankly, it surprised me," Bohl said. "I know we we're really pleased with those commitments. For us to receive those letters today, it was exciting."

Wyoming also signed Kevin Sjogren, a 6-foot-5, 210-pound defensive end from Palisade, Colo., who played his high school ball under head coach Joe Ramunno, a UW Hall of Fame offensive lineman.

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Filippone, who stands 6-foot-6 and weighs in at 265 pounds, played at Torrey Pines High School in the San Diego area. He was also recruited by Arizona State, Navy, Brown, Columbia and Penn.

King, an Appleton, Wisc., product, was sought after by Central Michigan, Illinois State, North Dakota and North Dakota State. The 6-foot-5, 270-pound three-star recruit is rated the 20th-best player in the state, according to Rivals.com.

Bohl and Co. reached deep in the heart of Texas to snatch the 6-foot-4, 260-pound Janise. The Beaumont native didn't allow a single sack in 2021 in one of the toughest districts in Texas high school football. He recorded 49 pancake blocks and graded above 90% in each game, according to the Beaumont Enterprise newspaper. Janise received interest from Louisiana Tech, Texas State and Mountain West foe, New Mexico.

Wyoming is losing two lineman to graduation -- Alonzo Velazquez and Logan Harris. Wednesday afternoon, Bohl indicated there will be some attrition within that unit, too, though failed to expand on which players are leaving.

"You know, with the number of offensive linemen that we're going to lose -- and when you look at that grouping -- it was going to be important that we fortify that," he continued. "I think these three guys are certainly doing that."