BOISE, Idaho โ The Boise State football program added 12 new players on Wednesday for National Signing Day, including five scholarship athletes and seven preferred walk-on players.
Of the seven walk-on signees, six hail from the Gem State. Five of Wednesday's additions played high school football in the Treasure Valley, as head coach Andy Avalos' staff succeeded in keeping a handful of homegrown talent in the City of Trees.
Back on Dec. 21, 2022, Boise State signed 22 scholarship players for Early National Signing Day. For a breakdown of the early class, click here.
Scroll down to find everything you need to know on Wednesday's 12 Bronco signees:
Favor Komolafe
- Position: Offensive line
- Pittsburg, California - Los Medanos Community College
- 6-foot-4, 290 pounds
- Signed Feb. 1, 2023
Boise State dipped into the junior college ranks Wednesday to ink big man Favor Komolafe out of Los Medanos Community College in the east bay area.
According to his 247Sports profile, Komolafe received offers from Boise State, Colorado State, Hawaii, Morgan State, New Mexico and Stephen F. Austin as part of the class of 2023.
Bronco offensive line coach Tim Keane on Komolafe: "Excited about Favor. He's super raw, meaning he's a young guy, he's a transfer obviously โฆ When you describe someone as raw, it just means they have a high ceiling. So, we're excited to pour into him, invest into him, get him with our strength staff, and just see him develop. That's why it's crucial to get a guy like him in this time of year, just so he has the whole offseason to really grow and develop and train with our guys."
Milo Lopez
- Position: Defensive back
- Whitter, California - Cerritos College
- 6-foot-1.5, 200 pounds
- Committed Jan. 11, 2023
Another 'JUCO Product' signed with Boise State Wednesday after committing to the blue and orange during the Broncos' hot recruiting streak in mid-January. La Serna High School grad Milo Lopez joins the program following an impressive career at Cerritos College.
Lopez registered 68 total tackles, including 29 solo, during the 2022-2023 season with the Falcons. He also broke up three passes and added 1.5 tackles-for-loss. As a freshman, Lopez played in all 11 games at Cerritos, logging 33 total tackles and two interceptions.
The defensive back received offers from Boise State, Old Dominion and Troy following his junior college career.
Sheldon Newton
- Position: Defensive line
- San Jacinto, California - Northern Arizona
- 6-foot-3, 330 pounds
- Committed Jan. 11, 2023
Boise State landed a commitment from Northern Arizona transfer and defensive lineman Sheldon Newton on Jan. 11, 2023.
Newton is listed on the Lumberjacks' website as a 6-foot-4, 316-pound sophomore with three years of game experience. Newton still has two years of eligibility remaining and brings some serious size to the Broncos interior group.
The San Jacinto, Calif., native appeared in 11 games during the 2022 season, registering 36 total tackles, three sacks a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Newton also logged six tackles-for-loss.
Newton played in all five games during his first season with Northern Arizona in the spring of 2021, and all 11 games in the fall of 2021. He had 22 total tackles and two sacks in the full-length season.
Tyler Wegis
- Position: Defensive line
- Mission Viejo, California - University of Utah
- 6-foot-6, 242 pounds
- Committed Jan. 11, 2023
Former Utah defensive end and Ladera Ranch, Calif., native Tyler Wegis announced he was heading to the City of Trees last month, on the same day as two other transfer portal players.
Wegis was also offered by Boise State in the class of 2020 coming out of San Juan Hills High School, per 247Sports. Wegis redshirted with the Utes, and made one tackle in his collegiate debut against Arizona during the 2022 campaign.
As a three-star high school prospect, Wegis received a handful of Power 5 offers from programs like California, Oregon State, Virginia and Washington State.
Wegis has three years of eligibility remaining, according to his Twitter page.
Kivon "Cheese" Wright
- Position: EDGE
- Athens, Georgia - Boston College
- 6-foot-2.5, 232 pounds
- Committed Jan. 11, 2023
Former Boston College defensive end Kivon Wright was the first of three transfer portal players to announce his Bronco commitment on Twitter. The Texas native goes by the nickname "Cheese," and was recruited by Boise State coming out of Manvel High School.
Wright redshirted last season, before entering the transfer portal on Jan. 2. His decision came down to Boise State and Mountain West rival Fresno State, giving Bronco Nation some bragging rights back after the Bulldogs' championship win on The Blue.
247Sports, ESPN and Rivals all rated Wright as a three-star prospect in the class of 2022. Outside of Boston College and Boise State, Wright also received offers from the likes of Colorado State, Houston, Kansas, San Diego State, Tulane, Utah State and Vanderbilt.
"Cheese" has four years of eligibility remaining.
Preferred walk-on signees:
Bridjer Bivens
- Position: Offensive line
- Meridian, Idaho - Meridian High School
- 6-foot-1, 263 pounds
- Committed Jan. 31, 2023
Boise State hit the Gem State hard this recruiting period, reeling in six preferred walk-on players Wednesday from Idaho. Bivens was a staple in a senior class at Meridian High School that transformed the Warriors' football program.
"I feel proud to take that leadership position and kind of hold our o-line accountable and make sure we all know what to do," Bivens told KTVB during our prep preview in August 2022.
The Warriors went undefeated last fall up until a 5A state championship loss to Rigby on The Blue. The Meridian center helped pave the way for one of the top prep rushing attacks in the Gem State.
According to his Twitter account (@BridjerB), Bivens also received an offer from the College of Idaho. He landed on the 5A Southern Idaho Conference first team two times and also wrestled for Meridian.
Ryker Clinger
- Position: Defensive back
- Shelley, Idaho - Shelley Senior High School
- 5-foot-11, 190 pounds
- Committed Dec. 21, 2022
Clinger was a force with the Russets, playing both running back and defensive back โ the position he will play in Boise to begin his college career. During his senior campaign, Clinger recorded 1,690 all-purpose yards and 10 touchdowns. He rushed for 1,101 yards last fall.
Boise State safeties coach Kane Ioane said Clinger is "an athlete" who "never came off the field for his high school."
"Just a really good football player in general. Really gonna add that versatility for us from a DB standpoint. He's a very smart, instinctual football player. So, he's a guy that, again, his ceiling's gonna be very high because he played so much both ways for his high school and he's just an overall good athlete. Now that we can really focus him in on one position, I think you're gonna see him really blossom at that position."
Max Cutforth
- Position: Quarterback
- Nampa, Idaho - Skyview High School
- 6-foot-3, 195 pounds
- Committed Jan. 31, 2023
Another Southern Idaho Conference standout inked his name with the Broncos Wednesday, this time behind center. Skyview High School quarterback and Nampa native Max Cutforth signed with Boise State after competing on the gridiron and for the Hawks' basketball team.
In just six games last fall, Cutforth let it rip for 1,640 yards and 16 touchdowns on his 116 passes. He also rushed 31 times for 76 yards and five touchdowns.
247Sports ranked Cutforth as the No. 22 recruit in Idaho in the class of 2023. He received an offer from Linfield College, in addition to the preferred walk-on offer from Boise State.
Josh Horn
- Position: Kicker
- Boise, Idaho - Bishop Kelly High School
- 5-foot-11, 185 pounds
- Committed Jan. 31, 2023
Bronco Nation knows a thing or two about Treasure Valley recruits thriving with Boise State's special teams unit, like current kicker Jonah Dalmas, who hailed from Rocky Mountain High School. On Wednesday, Boise State signed Bishop Kelly kicker and Boise native Josh Horn.
According to Boise State Athletics, Horn served as the Knights' primary field goal and kickoff specialist. In 2022, Horn drilled 64-of-65 point-after attempts and made three of his five field goals.
In addition to his success between the goal posts, Horn also thrived on kickoffs. He sent 73% of his kickoffs for touchbacks, and had five successful onside kicks for Bishop Kelly as a senior.
Cole Miller
- Position: Defensive back
- Boise, Idaho - Bishop Kelly High School
- 5-foot-11.5, 170 pounds
- Committed Dec. 21, 2022
Local standout and another Bishop Kelly athlete, Cole Miller, committed to Boise State in December 2022, before signing Wednesday. During his senior season, Miller recorded 50.5 total tackles, 10 pass breakups, two interceptions and forced a fumble.
As a junior, Miller had 88 total tackles, eight pass breakups and an interception. The Boise native won a triple jump state championship as both a junior and sophomore with the Knights.
Miller was tabbed as an all-state first-team player for his 2022 performance. Bishop Kelly was the state runner up in the 4A classification.
Boen Phelps
- Position: Defensive back
- Rockford, Washington - Freeman High School
- 6-foot-2, 190 pounds
- Committed Jan. 27, 2023
Not only did Boise State reel in preferred walk-on players from the Gem State, but the Broncos also recruited regionally to land defensive back Boen Phelps out of Rockford, Washington.
Phelps was all over the field as a senior at Freeman High School, spending time at linebacker, safety, quarterback and wide receiver. Last fall, he had 91 total tackles in just seven games.
The two-sport athlete averaged 13 tackles per game, and logged five tackles-for-loss, forced two fumbles and grabbed an interception in 2022. Phelps received offers from Central Washington, Montana Western, Whitworth and more, per 247Sports.
Troy Wilkey
- Position: Defensive back
- Meridian, Idaho - Rocky Mountain High School
- 5-foot-8, 157 pounds
- Committed Jan. 31, 2023
The Broncos' second signee Wednesday out of Meridian came from Rocky Mountain High School stud Troy Wilkey, who played on both defense and special teams for the Grizzlies. Wilkey was a first-team all-state selection last fall.
Wilkey had 64 total tackles and scored four touchdowns on special teams as a senior at Rocky. He also competed in track during his prep career, according to Boise State Athletics.
The Grizzlies' secondary allowed just 130 yards per game last year, as Rocky rolled to a semifinals appearance in the 5A state football playoffs.
Owyhee High School senior offensive lineman Carson Rasmussen signed with Boise State football in December 2022. Watch his full interview with KTVB Sports Director Jay Tust Wednesday below:
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