LARAMIE - Joe Glenn's not afraid to say it could have been better.

He announced 25 new Wyoming football players on National Letter of Intent Signing Day on Wednesday, and described it as a "great recruiting class."

But it could have been even better.

"We had a chance to bring in some character-issue guys that wanted to transfer here, and we said no," Glenn said. "One was a big receiver that we had looked at in high school … and we just didn't do it because of the character issue.

"We will not look the other way in regards to that issue."

Heading into his sixth season, Glenn and his staff put together a group of good athletes with solid character.

And if there was one thing that stood out from the highlight video, it was the speed of the newest recruits across the board.

From four-sport linebacker Ben Durbin to former walk-on Donate Morgan, the players in this class can fly.

"I think (speed) is the thing that probably came across the most," first-year offensive coordinator Bob Cole said. "We got a lot quicker and we're more athletic up front where we added some athletes."

Some of the more impressive clips of the day were shot right in the Pokes' new indoor facility.

They showed Morgan, who walked on at UW a year ago, cruising past Jim Thorpe Award candidate Julius Stinson.

"He can run," recruiting coordinator and wide receivers coach Ron Wisniewski said of Morgan. "The last couple of years we've been lacking a little bit in terms of our top end (speed) at wideout, and being able to just really run by people.

"I promise you this year that we will have a couple guys that can definitely run by people."

The class also includes 5-foot-11 athlete James Caraway, who could play wide receiver or running back; grayshirt cornerback Ryan Handford; 6-5 H-Back Brandon Ribble; and cornerback Tashaun Gipson. All were among a long list of speedsters that Glenn rattled off.

"There's some speed there for sure," Glenn said.

And those are the guys - along with the transfers with experience - that could make an immediate impact next fall.

"There's a couple of those young guys that can run fast that, right now, I have every reason to believe they're going to play," Glenn said. "But none of them have started, so the battle's on."

Glenn said he doesn't compare his recruiting classes, but he knows this is a good one.

"I think you know when you've got a good one," Glenn said. "You flat feel good about it."

Contact sports reporter Eric Schmoldt at (307) 266-0578 or eric.schmoldt@trib.com.

MEET THE NEW POKES

Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown

xy-Dax Crum QB 6-4 210 Phoenix, Ariz.

xz-Orlando Arnold TE 6-4 225 Richmond, Calif.

xz-Donate Morgan WR 5-11 185 Chicago

x-Ryan Handford CB 5-9 175 Corona, Calif.

x-Levi Salmans OL 6-7 275 Lafayette, Colo.

Adam Barry QB 6-1 210 Simi Valley, Calif.

Eric Benson S 6-2 182 Tempe, Ariz.

Matt Birkeness LB 6-4 215 Littleton, Colo.

James Caraway WR/RB 5-11 170 Topeka, Kan.

Chance Crawford LB 6-3 215 Fort Collins, Colo.

Jim Downs OL 6-7 265 Glenrock

Ben Durbin LB 6-3 220 Gilbert, Iowa

Tashaun Gipson CB 6-0 180 Dallas

David James CB 5-11 175 Edmond, Okla.

Dylan Kildahl DE 6-4 240 Ault, Colo.

Kyle Magnuson OL 6-6 305 Elkhart, Ind.

Austin McCoy P/K 6-3 190 Winter Haven, Fla.

Justin Morgan WR 6-2 180 Chicago

x-Corey Orth DL 6-5 240 Buena Vista, Colo.

Brandon Ribble H-Back 6-5 210 Arvada, Colo.

Trevor Shaw DE 6-4 230 Fort Collins, Colo.

Nick Williams OL 6-5 265 Highlands Ranch, Colo.