If all of the promises are put in writing today — the first day NCAA football recruits may sign binding national letters of intent — then the University of Hawai'i will have fulfilled its strategy of bulking up its defense.

Of this year's 26 recruits, 19 are defensive players, including 11 defensive backs.

In addition, three-time All-State linebacker Blaze Soares, who did not play in 2005 to focus on class work, is on track to join the Warriors in August. If Soares, who originally signed with UH last February, qualifies academically, he will be counted as part of this recruiting class.

It has not been determined how many of the recruits will join the team in August. The NCAA allows each Division I team to offer a maximum 25 scholarships to high school seniors and junior-college transfers.

The rules also allow for "grayshirting," a practice in which a recruit delays enrolling for a semester. A grayshirt is guaranteed a scholarship when he enrolls during the ensuing spring semester. That scholarship can be counted retroactively. For instance, wide receiver Rick Taylor, a 2005 graduate of Nease High School, signed with UH as a grayshirt last year. Last month, he enrolled at UH as a full-time student. Taylor's scholarship can count toward UH's 2005 or 2006 recruiting class.

In addition to Taylor, offensive linemen Brysen Ginlack of Kahuku High and Adrian Thomas of Gymea Tech in Australia, are grayshirts who enrolled in UH this semester.

Depending on different circumstances, there is a possibility up to seven of this year's recruits might grayshirt, delaying their enrollment until January 2007. There also is a possibility that some players who plan to grayshirt might be invited to join the team this coming August.

But those gray matters are book-keeping decisions for another day. Today, the UH coaches are focused on their restocked defense.

At the end of the 2005 season, the Warriors sought to increase the competition on defense, particularly in the secondary. Last year, UH rarely played man-to-man coverages — a basic strategy in the 3-4 blitzing system implemented by first-year defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville.

In newspaper, radio and television interviews, UH coach June Jones said he was seeking to add five speedy cornerbacks. The Warriors landed six, each with the speed to run 40 yards in 4.5 seconds or faster. The depth might allow senior cornerback Kenny Patton to take reps at receiver during spring practice, as well as ease the pressure on Ryan Keomaka, who is recovering from shoulder surgery.

The Warriors also have received commitments from five safeties. One of them is Blinn College's Jacob Patek, a preseason Junior College All-America linebacker.

Patek, who turned down scholarship offers from Texas A&M and Kansas, can run 40 yards in 4.41 seconds. Patek said he will move from outside linebacker to strong safety.

This recruiting class also was constructed from different parts of the country. The Warriors received commitments from four from Texas, three from California, two from Georgia, and one each from Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Colorado.

"I've followed Hawai'i for a long time," said Spencer Smith, a safety from Kell High in Georgia. "I watched them all of the time on television. To sign with UH is a dream of mine for the past couple of years."

Patek said it was an easy choice to pick UH over some suitors from the Big 12 Conference.

"I just feel Hawai'i is the best place for me right now in my life," Patek said. "Of course, Hawai'i is paradise. But it means a lot to play under coach June Jones, coach Glanville and (graduate assistant) coach (Jeff) Reinebold. They did a really good job of making me feel at home. I was always told, 'Go where you're wanted.' That's what I'm doing. I feel like I'm wanted in Hawai'i."

Cornerback Myron Newberry of Trinity Valley College in Texas also credited UH's "family atmosphere" in his decision.

At UH, Newberry was told by his future teammates, "the players are treated like they're family members. I'm very family oriented, and I always wanted to play for a team that feels like a family. When I was out there (on a recruiting trip), I felt like I was at home. Why would I want to go anywhere else?"

The Warriors still are awaiting for Kamehameha Schools wide receiver Aaron Nichols to decide on a grayshirt offer. Nichols received a similar offer from Boise State.

Nichols, who is 6 feet 1 and 170 pounds, was named to The Advertiser's All-State second team. In 2005, he had 46 catches for 850 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Meanwhile, Eddie Williams, an All-State offensive lineman from Damien Memorial School, said he will attend a junior college on the Mainland.

He said he wants to play in the fall to "keep in shape," and would consider offers to return to UH in two years.

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.